[mancsi]

I am training for Cavendish’s Sportive in August, the 100 mile adventure out of Chester.

The issue is I am suffering saddle sores, without being too graphic along the groin line, between ball and leg! I cycle 25 mile commute daily and have been doing 50 – 75 miles (hilly) at weekends. I use udderly chamois cream, shower after every ride and use talc when necessary, also I use clean bibs daily!

Advice help/tips?

Topic

[Simon E]

Talc?!? Stop using that sh*t.
Talc?!? Stop using that sh*t.

Try riding without the cream. To clear existing redness I use Weleda nappy cream after washing.

[paulrattew]

Get a bike fit if you are not

Get a bike fit if you are not 100% sure that what you have is perfect – your position may be agravating the situation.

Might be that the saddle you are using just isn’t right for you.

Try changing to a different brand of shorts – different shaped pad may help.

May be an issue where is is worth going to the doctors – there may be an underlying issue that they could help with.

May be worth checking yourself for ingrowing hairs down there – sorting these out may help.

Let the sores recover – take a break for a week or so to let them heal up

[DanTe]

Everybody on here that’s

Everybody on here that’s getting saddle sores has tried using other saddles and high quality bib shorts??

I guess I’ve been lucky and never really had a problem even having done a few 200+ mile days and 800+ mile weeks.

The spez romin pro Evo saddle kind of locks you in place so much less shifting around.

[EddyP]

I am training for the London

I am training for the London Bikeathon https://bloodwise.org.uk/event-challenges/cycle-bikeathon/south-east/london-bikeathon at the moment and sadly have the same problem at the moment 

A friend of  mine advised me to give Vagisil a go and it works rather well, both in terms of prevention and relief. I have also used Tea Tree Oil in the past and that has helped as well. Failing that, simply strap a cushion to your saddle. 

[victoria_b]

I really feel for you, I did
I really feel for you, I did the Prudential last year with the wrong saddle and I was in SO much pain. Can’t say I’ve had any joy with chamois cream really, though I rate Assos over Udderly Smooth. The best thing you can do is book a saddle mapping session – if that’s wrong, no amount of padding or chamois cream will help! You can read more about it here: https://vamper.cc/cyclefit-pressure-mapping-puts-an-end-to-saddle-pain/

[Stumps]

I fall into the same boat as

I fall into the same boat as you, tried allsorts of under garments and no unders, creams etc, even shaved (very nervous if you dont have a steady hand) but in the end i just have to grin and bear it with lashings of sudocrem on when i first go out.

[mancsi]

Cheers for the help. Any

Cheers for the help. Any creams for post rides, is it cortisone cream? I dont want my GP involved, just over the counter? Sudocrem is one ive used often 

[tritecommentbot]

Saddles are overrated. I

Saddles are overrated. I hardly bother really sitting on mine any more until I’m wrecked and moody and just want to pedal efficiently at the end of a ride. I just sort of rest on it lightly. Or up hills, I tend to plant myself down pretty hard on it then. I’m a bigger rider too, 78 to 85kg at any given month.

 

I started doing stretches recently to increase the amount of time I can spend with more of my bodyweight on on the bars. The Indian knot one seems good for me.

 

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/article/izn20130617-Phil-Burt-s-Big-Four-0

 

I know it’s a roundabout solution, but for me I can go 100 miles+ easily without any saddles sores. Some bruising/tenderness on the sitbones the next day or two after a major ride, but that’s preferable to sores in tender places.

 

I know from distance running how bad it can affect you. I used to jump in the shower after marathon training and feel like a cat suddenly jumped on my nads! Only would realise when the hot water hit me that my shorts had grazed the skin badly down there. Terrible stuff. Funny, but it becomes a major issue.

[roeboy]

I use Vaseline on a ride and

I use Vaseline on a ride and Conotrane afterwards and it manages to keep the worst at bay. Interestingly I suffer the worst on my right hand side which maybe an indication that a bike fit is required (as one leg is longer) and I also suffer less in winter in bibs either because they’re more comfortable or I sweat less in the cold ?? Good luck 

[le Bidon]

It’s strange how this differs

It’s strange how this differs from person to person. I ride 250-300 miles a week and never get anything, only feeling like I need to smear myself up with chamois cream on rides longer than 100 miles. I use the Muc-Off stuff, which may be expensive, but it smells so bloody nice.

[Podc]

First saddle sore I ever got

First saddle sore I ever got was also the first time I used chamois cream. I tried it a few times afterwards and suffered more and decided there must be something in it that my skin doesn’t like (I was using the Chapeau menthol stuff). I found Sudocrem helped clear them up.

 

More recently I have tried Castelli dry chamois cream and it causes no such problems 🙂

[Carton]

le Bidon wrote:

Good job at not being too graphic.

The “graphic” way of framing it, which the OP apparently spared us from, must be really something.

Proper rest is usually a pretty good idea.

[le Bidon]

Perhaps try a new chamois

Perhaps try a new chamois cream? Do you wear underwear (when cycling)?

Good job at not being too graphic. Is that what the area between by nutsack and leg is called? Hah!

[Author]

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