enuff of the dope talk, let's talk about my crotch...!

by orangekick on Jun 7, 2007 3:00 PM EDT

What's the best way to avoid saddle chaffing?

Oddly enough, I don't get chaffed on rides less than 50km, anything more I'm screaming bloody murder. Typically I like to ride 3 hours a day-- 4 hours depending how chaffed my bottom becomes-- back 10 or 15 years ago chaffing wasn't a issue because the chamois was made from leather.

yes, those were the days.

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Here is a good resource

Chamois Creme

The Gravity Assisted Flyers

by Clydesdale on Jun 7, 2007 3:04 PM EDT reply actions

Never was a product more appropriately

named

This stuff is the bomb and has never let me down - not on 6 hour mt. bike rides or 5 hours on the road in the rain. It's also got a nice menthol affect which puts a little hop in your pedal stroke.

"I don't know too many monkeys who could take apart a fuel injector."

by Drew on Jun 7, 2007 3:29 PM EDT reply actions

okay, I'll look into this,

fwiw, I tried some cheap Nashbar stuff without success. I've also tried some cheap "greasy" handcream without success either.

by orangekick on Jun 7, 2007 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Never go cheap

you get what you pay for. Assos is very reasonably priced and you'll get a lot of use out of it. A little goes a long way.

"I don't know too many monkeys who could take apart a fuel injector."

by Drew on Jun 7, 2007 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Specialized -- Alias

I just came back from the local Specialized dealer with a new Alias saddle -- I told him my situation and then he proceeded to sit me down on this pad where my bones make an imprint. He takes a measurement and then tells me I have really wide hips-- surprisingly wide, so he recommends a 155mm width Alias saddle.

I haven't tried it yet, but will report back tomorrow.

by orangekick on Jun 7, 2007 4:04 PM EDT reply actions

I had the same experience

Although, it happened when I first started riding, and it was fairly obvious to me as soon as I sat on an Avatar (one step cheaper than the Alias) that I'd found paradise. I still don't know how guys ride on saddles that jam up between their ass-bones.

I switched to the lighter Alias one year after starting with the Avatar. The Alias flexes slightly, having the effect of putting a little pressure, not much but a little, between my sitbones. I rode like this for a year and decided I liked the slightly heavier, no-flex Avatar better. I bought an Avatar for both my road and cross bikes and I'll never change again. I find my legs are less tired at the end of races with the Avatar.

by Tiki on Jun 8, 2007 8:27 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah, you're right...

Although I'm still too tender (I'm still saddle-sore from a previous ride) my initial impressions are the same as yours. I went for a short and easy 70km ride around the city (plenty of stop and go/riding out of the saddle) I found that I didn't add anymore injury to my already injured undercarriage.

How do people tolerate a saddle wedging up between the sit bones is beyond me-- and I was saying, the first 50km is tolerable but a ride that's anything longer is pure hell. I also found that riding on my sits bones that my saddle height needed to be changed-- I lower it by a centimeter (nearly a half-inch).

...and not having the soft fleshy area between my sit bones exposed to the inevitable chafing of a narrow saddle I suspect lubing myself before a ride will be unnecessary.

so yeah, I found the answer to my problem.

Thanks for your thoughts.

by orangekick on Jun 10, 2007 8:39 AM EDT up reply actions

I use this stuff and I love it

http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=3921

"I need a dump truck baby to unload my head" -- Bob Dylan From a Buick 6

by ELVISGOAT on Jun 7, 2007 4:25 PM EDT reply actions

seconded

good stuff.

by Sui Juris on Jun 7, 2007 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions

thirded

I usually don't bother for the shorter rides, but the 3,4,5 hour rides are much nicer with it.

-K-

by KevinK on Jun 7, 2007 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Chamois Butt'er

is how I roll.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris Fontecchio on Jun 7, 2007 10:31 PM EDT reply actions

I use chamois butter also and

find it works great.

"The ox is slow but the earth is patient."

by Teel 22 on Jun 8, 2007 10:45 AM EDT reply actions

Chamois butter and lobster, mmmm...

or a nice rack of lamb fried in a vat of chamois butter then settled in a bed of lettuce with a little herb garlic sauce. mmm...

by Tiki on Jun 8, 2007 12:23 PM EDT reply actions

I rarely have issues, but for long

summer rides, I use Powerglide.

Vlaenderen die Leu

by Peter Fontecchio on Jun 8, 2007 1:59 PM EDT reply actions

Oops..

it's called "body glide". I was getting my sports drink and anti-chafing agent mixed up..

Vlaenderen die Leu

by Peter Fontecchio on Jun 12, 2007 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Horrible mental

picture there.

The Gravity Assisted Flyers

by Clydesdale on Jun 12, 2007 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions

In my intro I initially said:

"back 10 or 15 years ago chaffing wasn't a issue because the chamois was made from leather."

"back 10 or 15 years ago" I was riding on a Turbo saddle on my race bike and a Avocet Racing 1 saddle on my training bike-- much wider saddles -- I used to ride 100km per day, everyday and I never had the complaints that I do today.

Cycling has sure changed in the past 13 years where I didn't ride, but I no so sure it changed for the better.

by orangekick on Jun 10, 2007 8:48 AM EDT reply actions

Well...

the energy drinks taste better.

Got a problem? Va fa Napoli!

by Chris Fontecchio on Jun 11, 2007 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions

just back from a 134km ride

...and my bottom is... okay, kinda-- I went out without "butt'r" to really test the my new ultra wide Specialized Alias saddle and I have to say that this is 90% of my problem solved, the other 10% I'll get back when I use lubrication on my next ride.

I'll eventually try some other brands because I'm not perfectly comfortable but this saddle-- it transitions from wide to skinny a bit too abruptly for my taste, but you have to admire the engineering. Especially, the little butt pad measuring fixture where the bikedude determined I had a big ass.

whodathunkit...?

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/user/orange-kick

by orangekick on Jun 11, 2007 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions