Castelli Chamois Dry Lube

Chamois cream. You either get it, or you don't. If you do, this new Castelli Chamois Dry Lube is really rather good, as good as anything else on the market. It's perfect for increasing comfort in the saddle for your epic rides, and it's easy to apply so you won't make a mess in the bathroom.

The Dry Lube – not to be confused with the stuff you put on a bicycle chain – is part of Castelli's new Linea Pelle cream range, which also includes two types of embrocation and muscle-warming cream. Yes, that's right, the Italian company no longer just makes clothing. It's even doing luggage and saddlebags too.

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Each one comes in a typically stylish tube with a dispensing pump button, making it easy to release as much cream as you need, and avoiding accidentally discharging too much. It gives you about a fingertip's worth with easy squeeze, and two squirts are about right to lather up the undercarriage. It's the least messy chamois cream I've ever tested, much easier than those that come in a tub and other tubes.

Castelli has manufactured the cream using natural tea tree oils, which it reckons provides a calming sensation for the skin and reduces friction. Reading the ingredients is, well, you need a degree in chemistry to make head or tail of any of it: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Coco-caprylate, Cetearyl Glucoside... that's just a few of them.

All those mysterious ingredients blend together to form a cream that's wet when it squirms out of the tube, but doesn't feel soggy or greasy once applied, as is often the way with chamois creams. Instead of feeling wet, it dries out quickly to leave a nice protective barrier.

Castelli doesn't make a preference for skin or chamois application, you'll surely have your own preferred method. In case you're wondering, I opt for the direct approach – it's less messy and you hit the right spot every time.

The aim of any chamois cream is to make riding in the saddle more comfortable, and it does this, according to Castelli, by stopping chafing. It also "helps fight infection without turning your chamois into a wet nappy" says the company.

I can quite happily bosh out a 200km ride without any chamois cream, but doing such a ride is made marginally more comfortable with a bit of cream lubricating the shorts padding. Where I find chamois cream really useful is when you're riding every day, sometimes twice a day, when a lot of saddle time can lead to irritation.

This is where a chamois cream provides a nice little comfort boost and prevents chafing from occurring, or – if it has already occurred – provides a nice alleviating effect. It's a good preventative and also a remedy.

> Check out our reviews of more skincare and embrocation products here

All chamois creams do pretty much the same job, but some achieve better results. For Castelli's first attempt, I'm very impressed. It's easy to apply, it isn't messy and it keeps working long into a ride. Everything you want from such a cream.

The price, £15.99 for a 100ml tube, is on the high side, and is more expensive than my go-to chamois cream, the rather excellent Sportique Century Riding Cream. That comes in at £9.99 for a 100ml tube, and it's also available in a 180ml size for £14.99.

Verdict

A very nice chamois cream with easy application