UKC

Trigger warning: the following thread may disturb any bike riders who have previously suffered from sore bottoms after long ride.

Over a number of decades I think I've been rather fortunate in never suffering any type of issues caused by saddle-bum interactions when cycling! This all changed yesterday, the second day of an overnight bikepacking trip when I could hardly sit down on the saddle from discomfort. It was obvious the night before when I bivvied that the 5 hours of riding I did that afternoon had caused some soreness, but it wasn't really until I got back on the bike the next morning that I realised how much. When I got home I could see the skin was actually broken.

The bike is newish (under a year) but I have ridden it for similar lengths of time over similar terrain and the saddle didn't cause me any problems then. I was wearing bib shorts that I've done happily many hundreds of kms in before. I had a pair of baggy shorts over them, but again I've worn that combo many many times before with no problems. I got sweaty riding, but I always get sweaty when riding in summer. I haven't cycled too much over the last 12 months, but I've actually been getting out more over the last couple of months so have been getting used to be back on a bike regularly. Overall I can't work out why I suddenly got this issue.

I'm meant to be doing another two day bikepack this weekend with a mate. I don't want the second days to be that painful again, so I'm planning to increase personal hygiene as much as possible (I'll take a change of shorts for day 2 and perhaps a towel to encourage me to take any wild swimming opportunities!) but does anyone have a recommendation for chamois cream? Never used it before, but it seems like it might be a worthwhile investment.

In reply to TobyA:

I never cycle without it! Personally I've found the Assos one (can't remember the name) to work fine - it's the only one I've used so can't offer alternatives I'm afraid.

In reply to TobyA:

No recommendation for a cream (I am actually looking for a good antibiotic cream myself), just a warning to take this issue seriously: A couple of years ago I had saddle sores (probably caused by a new Brooks Cambium saddle) that over time turned into an inflammation, which developed into an abscess that eventually had to be split surgically, leaving me with a 3 cm deep and 10 cm long cut. Since suturing is not recommended in these regions, I had to leave the wound open over the next eight weeks or so, dressing the wound twice daily.

So, antibiotic cream is a good investment, and it may make sense to take some moist nappy towels in a re-sealable plastic bag when bike packing!

CB

In reply to cb294:

Eeek! Sounds traumatic. I used some sudocream when I got back which is antiseptic, and that seems to have helped a lot, feeling fine today, but will keep your experience in mind!

I did actually have some wet wipes with me so did have a quick wipe around down there the night before, but I'll take more with me this weekend. Getting into your sleeping bag covered in dried mud on your legs and arms and salt from dried sweat everywhere else is kinda gross feeling so I try to do some basic personal hygiene with them anyway, but will make sure I have more next weekend.

I might also swap the saddle from mountain bike for the saddle on my CX/commuter/do-everthing bike, as I know for definite I can use that saddle for multiple days with no problems.

In reply to ianstevens:

I think I've seen that comes in a convenient sized tube to take on an overnight trip so might try to track some down. Thanks for the recommendation.

In reply to TobyA:
Assos chamois cream for me, too - mainly because I once got a free sample with some of their shorts and not seen any reason to switch.

Plenty of reviews/"advice" ranging from proper stuff through Savlon to nappy cream here: http://road.cc/search/chamois%20cream

In reply to TobyA:

Assos chamois cream, dry well after showering and swab with surgical spirit twice a day.

In reply to TobyA:
I use chamois butt'r with good results and ensure good level of personal hygiene before a ride and afterwards and use sudocream . It's inevitable that there will multiple micro abrasions whilst you're riding and the last thing you want are any gut bacteria migrating into the wounds. Additionally make sure that whatever tub of cream you use its not identical to spikey hair gel (my son's). You try riding 50 miles with spikey pubes (mind you the parting was a peach!).

In reply to TobyA:

+1 for Assos!

In reply to TobyA:

Assos Cream. But be warned it does have a little something in it (witch-hazel?) which can give a slight 'zing' to your nether region.

Actually come to think of it, slathering this stuff on your private bits at 3 in the morning was one of the few enjoyable moments on ultra long Audax rides.

In reply to TobyA:

I've tried several - the winnner is Morgan Blue Solid Chamois Cream. Different to the others in that it is less cream-like - sort of a cross between vaseline and the old tins of nikwax. Morgan Blue also do a soft cream.

If you apply it liberally, you can, ahem, usually find some later on during your ride for redistribution if necessary, so if you've got a problem and you're off for a long ride, you can take a bit of spare. You'll work it out

The other great Morgan Blue thing is their Chain Keeper for chain cleaning/bike transport. It's a blue pulley wheel with a bolt and wing nut that just slots into the drop out and holds the chain in place.

In reply to nniff:

I'll maybe try that one when the Assos runs out, then.

Regarding chain keepers, Lifeline do a QR version of the Morgan Blue, but I favour the BBB-style one linked here, as it braces the whole rear triangle:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?s=chain+keeper

In reply to TobyA:

Before you resort to chamois cream, are you sure your saddle isn't too high causing you to rock your pelvis to reach the pedals? Also you mention that you get sweaty - can you dress a bit cooler? Shorts over bibs won't be helping at all because your pelvic area will get hot and sweat will accumulate in the seat pad. A soft spongey pad won't help and neither will a squidgy saddle; both will cause overheating, sweating and will transfer the pressure to soft tissue rather than your weight being carried correctly on your sit bones, as it would with a thinnish but dense pad and the right shape of saddle fixed at the right angle so that it "cups" your sit bones.

In reply to Rigid Raider:

The saddle actually feels a bit lower than I'm used to, this being a mountain bike I bought last summer, over the last few years I've only ridden a CX and a road bike - so I don't think its that. I do get sweaty, but I always have done - regardless of whether I'm in just lycra or, more normally, have baggies over them (I like the pockets and feel less self conscious when interacting with other people!).

The bibs (mid-range Decathlon ones) I was wearing are well used, and they do have a soft pad in them - they don't look worn out though. Next time I ride I'll make sure I wear different ones - I have some with modern firmer foam pads, and I'll see if that makes a difference. I'm not good at throwing out older pairs - in the past when commuting daily having lots of pairs of cycling shorts was helpful in not needing to wash them regularly, and for urban biking I always had baggies over them so didn't matter how tatty they were getting!

In reply to TobyA:

I had an old pair of dhb (from Wiggle) 3/4 bibs that I loved; they were almost the perfect cycling garment. Then this year the pad started giving me sore spots and when I checked I found that after repeated washings the dense foam of the quite thin pad was breaking up. Time for new ones and I'm pleased to say that the new dhb 3/4 bibs are every bit as warm and comfortable even though the pad is thicker.

In reply to TobyA:

I'd hazard a guess now and suggest that old bibs and baggies are the culprit. Go for Decathlon Aerofit for value for money or, my choice these days, Stolen Goat Bodyline. The latter are also very good if you get hot and sweaty (which would be me). Decathlon large = Stolen Goat medium. Stolen Goat jerseys are excellent too (at least as good as top end Castelli)

In reply to TobyA:

assos or rapha for the cham cream. And probably happening as it is just more time in the saddle. When I rode less than 100 miles in a week across 3 rides I never needed it. Now I ride 5 times a week it is a must

In reply to TobyA:

I've got cream but very rarely use it - I'm guessing your problems are more about 2 days on in the same pair of sweaty shorts on a hot day. I can start to get itchy if I get back from a ride and spend too much making a meal, chatting, hanging out in the garden etc, before showering - were you wearing the same gear in the evening? The 2nd shorts sound like a good idea, ditch the baggies and try and get clean after you stop, now you know you're already vulnerable?

In reply to steveriley:
The soreness was there after the first day. I got to where I bivvied quite late in the evening so fortunately the dog walkers and evening strollers disappeared so I could change out of my cycling shorts and do some wet wipe washing down there without getting arrested. Yeah, I had some non-cycling shorts for pyjamas. I did wear the same shorts the next day but it was clear the damage was already done as soon as I set off.

Went for a short ride last night on the same bike with no problems (different shorts) - the sudocream seems to have helped!

Can't face riding with out baggies - lycra on a ride of a plus wheeled mountain bike covered in bikepacking gear just looks wrong! It's bad enough already that I don't have a beard or tattoos.

In reply to TobyA:

Try good old petroleum jelly, both on skin and into Chamois.

At the risk of lowering the tone, what sort of area of application are we generally talking? Are we just in the neighbourhood of the upper thigh/arse-cheek junction, or do we get scrotally (or labially) involved?

In reply to Removed UserBwox:

For me, the former.

CB

In reply to TobyA:

Assos is the best by far:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/assos-chamois-cream-140ml/

Other advice (1) wash your shorts after every ride even if its only a short one (2) shower straight after the ride (3) apply Assos cream liberally before riding (4) Check your riding position and ideally get a professional bike fit done as quite often saddle sores are caused by pressure induced from incorrect riding position/bike set-up

In reply to TobyA:
Check if your washing machine has a quick wash cycle. All my stuff goes straight in a 15 minute cycle after a ride with some normal clothes wash liquid and a capful of laundry sanitiser. Dries in the boiler cupboard overnight. Easy, and no more tentative sniffing of kit to see if it's reached that unacceptable threshold yet.

In reply to Removed UserBwox:


For me it was the former. Actually out on to the face so to speak, no gully problems were involved.

In reply to TobyA:

Not a cyclist really, but people on here recommended BodyGlide for use on expeditions and I can vouch it did the trick!

In reply to ianstevens:

I like the Assos one, but it's a bit "minty fresh", and the tubs do dry out over time.

In reply to Si_G:


I quite like that aspect of it. Maybe I go cycling to much (unlikely) but I find the tubs don't dry out and I usually get 10 months out of one. Currently using Buttonhole from PlanetX as it was cheap, also good.

In reply to ianstevens:


I've been laid up with one injury or another, it's been frustrating.

In reply to Si_G:

Sorry to hear!

In reply to TobyA:

I can't help thinking that wearing baggies over cycling shorts is part of the problem. If you're so self-conscious or fashion-conscious why not get some mountain bike baggies with the removable inner chamois? That way there's less chance of your nether regions overheating and getting sweaty.

In reply to Rigid Raider:


Don't think it makes any difference - I have one pair of baggies with a fixed inner chamy/short. I have another pair of Decathlon baggies where you choose a separate inner and can attach by buttons, but I find decent bib shorts with either MTB specific or just general trekking style shorts over them work fine. Have used that combo for years with no problem, indeed glad to report I did 35 quite rough Kms today around Ladybower with no problems. Perhaps only when I get south of a certain latitude I sweat too much.

In reply to TobyA:


Keeping things UKC - bravo!

In reply to TobyA:

Assos Chamois cream - absolutely spot on. They sell it down at Full Gas cycles in Stocksbridge too.

In reply to TobyA:


The surgical spirit was an absolute godsend for me. I know it's not fashionable but would urge you to try it. I was suffering like hell with them until I starting swabbing my biffin's bridge with it twice a day. It dries the sores out and generally hardens the skin. Doesn't sting either - slightly warm if it goes up the rusty bullet-hole though.

In reply to TobyA:

Secret Training do an excellent cream - http://www.secret-training.com/shop/accessories/secret-training-strip-anti-...