Yesterday was my first long ride. Before a month ago, my longest ride was about 40 miles. The last two Saturdays, I did rides in the 50+ range. Then, yesterday I did the Shiner Bash which is a 90 mile ride from Austin, TX to Shiner, TX. The ride was great. Roads were kind of crappy in a lot of places, but I had a blast. Now, today, I have some pretty good saddle sores/chaffed areas. It’s at the top of my leg, in my crotch, on the inside. Yesterday, I thought I used a pretty good amount of chamois butter. I wore my tri shorts since my cycling shorts aren’t as comfortable.
What can I do to prevent saddle sores in the future? Get better shorts? Use more chamois butter? Just get used to it?
There’s a big difference between chafing and a saddle sore. Are you talking about a large boil in your crotch or just some bad chafing? Hopefully it’s the latter and you didn’t truly pick up multiple sores. They should be treated if they are indeed sores, because they can turn into an abscess (sp?).
To prevent them, keep the hair in that area all but gone, as I believe it starts out as an infection in the hair follicle (folliculitis?). Strip your bibs/shorts off asap after your ride. Use a bit of assos chamois cream before your ride, just rub it in to the pad. Then, right before your ride, use a liberal amount of chamois butter. Other than that it’s mainly a matter of being fit to your bike properly and having a saddle that fits you.
Check out the thread linked below, specifically the link on post#19.
Ok, I think it is more like chafing. I have two, red spots that hurt to touch right in my crotch area right up just beneath where the sack meets the body. There isn’t anything zit-like about it, but it just burns a bit. It is much better than it was yesterday, though, but I get them in the same spot pretty much every time I do longer rides. Doesn’t matter if I’m on the bike on the road or on a spin bike.
Things I have heard/learned…
Let those chafed spots heal. Neosporin or the like may help.
Use plenty o’ buttr when you ride again. Try Assos too as Sojourner suggests.
Get out of your shorts immed after riding.
Wear only clean shorts.
Keep the area cool and dry when not riding.
Maybe turn your saddle nose a tiny bit left or right, away from the side where you’re hangin’.
With a little luck you’ll never develop actual sores.
I should post the pictures of the bloody chamois I finished the half paved, half dirt Cone Azalia 125 km road race on. The rough roads you did coupled by the long hours in the saddle likely are the culprit. When it gets warm you sweat, the moisture softens the skin, you rub it with a chamois for 4 hours and you end up bloody. Keep it clean and free from excessive moisture (commando when you can) and you’ll heal up soon.
If it’s just chafing, you’ll be fine in a couple of days. Ramping your mileage that quickly can definitely do it, but you also may want to investigate a new seat-There is no substitute for taking an hour of your life and riding 5 minutes or so on as many saddles as they’ll let you try before they kick you out. The right saddle is almost as important as the right spouse-you’ll spend more time on it, that’s for sure.
Everybody is on the right track … often overlooked / underrated:
Combination of correct saddle for you, shorts and more than anything proper bike fit! Sometimes a seat thats a little high will give extreme chafing in exactly the same spots you mention!
I already use an Arione Tri saddle which is a pretty good saddle. It is much more comfortable than my last saddle. I may go in and bug my bike shop for a few hours next weekend.
Make sure your saddle isn’t too high - this is a common cause of these sorts of problems. Chamois butter and all that crap only treats the symptoms. Better to solve the root cause.
I hate to mention it but I too have been afflicted by these horrid little blighters in the last couple of weeks. Plus I have all of the classic root cause metioned on this thread - new bike / saddle, increased mileage etc …
I don’t use chamios creams, butters or gels but rather have always relied on a good old dose of vaseline to the nether-regions (which has worked well up until now). I am riding maybe four times a week (2-3 indoors) and try to maintain a suitable level of cleanness in the aforementioned region.
Has anyone any thoughts in terms of the use of Vaseline, whether I need to dump my existing shorts (they are washed every time and clean on) etc etc (I will be lowering my seat slightly to see if that helps) …
Any assistance would be appreciated as IM Germany (my A race) is only 8 weeks away and there are many many miles to be travelled before then, hopefully on a comfortable “seat”.
I suffered for a year with chronic saddle sores ( the nasty type ) , one after another , both sides , same area as yours . I put it down to any or all the causes mentioned and assumed I must be predisposed to the blighters . I eventually got the LBS to assess my bike position & he immediately told me to drop my saddle height because my hips were rocking badly . One month on , no new sores have developed & i’m a much happier cyclist . Have someone check your saddle height is right .