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Chamois cream … Idiots guide

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  • March 4, 2012 at 10:14 pm #15262
    Farky

    After over 20 years on a bike I thought I’d ask what for many is a personal question.

    Am I missing something by not using chamois cream/butter etc?

    I do get hot around the nuts and have had the occasion to apply creams after a ride but never used anything during it.

    Do you apply the stuff to the chamois or your nuts?

    And if you use a synthetic pad rather than actual natural chamois, does it effect your pad in any negative way?

    Question on pads too.

    There are so many pad types, chamois, synthetic, gel insert, 3d, etc etc.

    What’s the best for a balance of sportive comfort and a lack of chaffing?

    I’m looking shorts IRO about £50 as its a budget I reckon is sensible for my use but for would you spend more for this kind of use and why? (other than style, brand, etc).

    Never bought shorts based on anything but a chamois pad and good value for money so I just want to make sure I’m not missing out on something in making my purchase. I know a lot of this can be subjective and personal but any advice is worth consideration.

    Cheers.

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  • April 29, 2014 at 8:49 am #668679
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    Chris James

    I’ve never used any in
    I’ve never used any in getting on for 30 years. I have very sensitive skin and just about anything can give me eczema, so smearing some unknown cream around my nether regions is a gamble for me! I dare say oilatum, diprobase, cetraben etc would probably work okay for those with eczema.

    However with non budget shorts (i.e. approx £50 upwards) and a saddle that suits (in my case either a Brooks B17N or a Fizik Arione depending on which bike I take out) I can be out all day without discomfort, other than my legs being knackered! Maybe I am lucky?

    I know the old style chammies did dry out, so cream would be required to soften them. ‘Modern’ inserts don’t have the same problem so are less demanding.

    April 29, 2014 at 6:53 am #668677
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    BigAl68

    Waitrose baby bottom butter
    Waitrose baby bottom butter and a bit of sudocrem on occasion. Possibly this is due to having had a baby in the house than any other reason but works a treat.

    April 28, 2014 at 6:28 pm #668675
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    jmaccelari

    I’ve used the Assos Chammy
    I’ve used the Assos Chammy cream – very good, but expensive and am currently using Butt’r. No complaints about it…

    I only put it on my ‘sit’ area/derrière where I contact the seat. A good dolloping and it definitely saves my butt from chafing…

    April 28, 2014 at 4:32 pm #668673
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    Neil753

    For time trials and the
    For time trials and the longer Audax events, I always used the following “recipe”.

    Mix 25 parts Johnsons baby lotion to one part Savlon, using an electric whisk.
    Apply to real chamois 24 hours before event.
    Store in plastic bag to prevent dust or other contamination from landing on chamois.
    Add more of this solution immediately prior to event.
    Apply E45 librally to skin.

    In my experience, this combination has always been good for at least 24 hours, and cheap too.

    April 28, 2014 at 3:19 pm #668671
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    Matt eaton

    I’ve only ever used Vaseline,
    I’ve only ever used Vaseline, purely because that’s what I had in the house. It served me well enough on the century ride I did in the autumn.

    I think that a large part of being comforatable is to do with saddle selection and set-up. I haven’t been riding much road lately but a couple of weeks ago did about 35miles on a run out without any sort of cream or lube and didn’t encounter any real discomfort. I’m incluined to think that if you are getting sore/uncomforatable after a couple of hours or less the way your bike is set up or your choice of saddle might need a little tweaking. Doubtless a cream will help but it might be treating the symptoms rather than the cause.

    Using nappy rash cream after a ride makes a lot of sense. Some of the downstairs issues cyclists can suffer with are essentially nappy rash, especially if you get wet on a long ride. I occasionally get infected pores, but I suspect its more closely related to my job, which sees me sitting at a desk or in the car most of the time.

    April 28, 2014 at 1:59 pm #668669
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    The _Kaner

    …soaked in vinegar…just
    …soaked in vinegar…just like conkers…hardens them puppies up no end…
    (Actually use Assos, wouldn’t be without the ‘chilling breeze’ effect it has on the old nads area)..just be mindful of the puckered sphincter reaction it seems to have…

    April 27, 2014 at 9:56 pm #668667
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    surly_by_name

    Have tried a variety of
    Have tried a variety of different brands but keep going back to Assos. Seems to have the “right” texture and there’s nothing like that fresh feeling when you step out the door having just applied it (maybe it’s the witch hazel that gives it that tingle).

    There was a good article on cycling news many years ago (2006) by Keith Bontrager (you can google it) on the subject. As well as a cheap home made variety (“a large vat of petroleum jelly with some antibiotic ointment and some pain reliever”) he gives tips on how much to use (basically, lots: “[s]mear the stuff onto the chamois in a large quantity – three fingers worth, minimum. It should feel weird when you put you shorts on. That won’t matter. But you want it to last all day, so you need a lot. That’s why I don’t want to use any expensive Swiss stuff. It would cost a fortune.”).

    April 27, 2014 at 10:48 am #668665
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    chokofingrz

    Handcream works just as well,
    Handcream works just as well, and is a tenth of the price of “Beurre pour le Derrière” or whatever they’re flogging it as nowadays. Just don’t let your wife find any short and curlies in the tin.

    April 26, 2014 at 8:39 pm #668663
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    allez neg

    Lard
    Lard

    April 26, 2014 at 12:01 pm #668661
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    Nick T

    madonepro wrote:Just sit in a

    madonepro wrote:
    Just sit in a bowl of vinegar, hardens the ass a treat…

    All that does is harden your conkers.

    April 26, 2014 at 11:43 am #668659
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    madonepro

    Just sit in a bowl of
    Just sit in a bowl of vinegar, hardens the ass a treat…

    April 26, 2014 at 11:29 am #668657
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    Oscarzero

    I use Morgan Blue Solid.
    I use Morgan Blue Solid. Basically a big medicated jar of vaseline. Apply to sit bones and either side of neither regions. Keeps working even on longer 100k plus rides.

    April 25, 2014 at 7:40 pm #668655
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    brokenorange

    Cooks wrote:I use Deep Heat,

    Cooks wrote:
    I use Deep Heat, because I’m a badass.

    For you badasses toothpaste works a treat 👿

    Seriously though +1 for sudocreme. Haven’t tried any specialist creme though.

    April 25, 2014 at 6:56 pm #668653
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    pdf500

    Re: AndyP
    I’d say it is the
    Re: AndyP
    I’d say it is the other way round: the seats in our eight are awful, even with the cut-outs.

    April 25, 2014 at 6:41 pm #668651
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    philly

    the Rapha stuff smells great
    the Rapha stuff smells great and does a good job but it is v pricey for what it is. The Assos stuff is great. Can’t go wrong- slap some on your…assos! 😀

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