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Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on April 10, 2012 at 7:17am

Looks pretty good. Boxer and jeans? Ouch. I was hurting pretty bad when I was using that combo to commute, but never got a saddle sore. Life has been good since I switched to knickers without that seam that runs along the ...umm..area.

 

Though, I have contemplated bike shorts with a chamois. That sounds luxurious, in some odd way.

 

Ah - what method have you used to fit your saddle height and fore/aft? From what I've seen (anecdotally), having your saddle set too high will cause rocking - therefore- rubbing; I suppose this would make you more prone to saddle sores. A user here recommended using the Lemond method for setting height - .883 ( I think) of your cycling inseam. It's what I use and it's been excellent. No rocking hips and I'm very comfortable.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on April 10, 2012 at 7:55am

I swear by Bag Balm.  I used to use it before every ride, but now I use it every morning and night as preventative maintenance.  No saddle sores since in the last 6 years.  I also wear unpadded lycra shorts under padded cycling shorts.  Don't wear cotton.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Courtright on April 10, 2012 at 8:02am

Just for a complete conversation on the matter: take a look at your saddle, as well.  It you have a large, amply padded saddle, that could be a contributor to chafing and other related problems.  Riders who log a lot of miles eventually learn to prefer (i.e., adapt to) harder, narrower saddles (to a point).

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on April 10, 2012 at 8:24am

Another +1 for Bag Balm, high quality bike shorts, firm & narrow saddles, and correct saddle fore/aft/ height adjustment. (for road biking or touring)

But, you've got to get ride of the boxers and jeans combination. At least using briefs and trousers/slacks/dickies will make a world of difference.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Studer 8.0 mi on April 10, 2012 at 9:05am

Definitely look at your saddle (an overly padded saddle can cause real problems), but also look at your overall bike fit.  A lot of saddle sore issues can be resolved just by making sure your bike is set-up right (e.g., seat post at correct height, saddle and handlebars positioned correctly, etc.).
 

Separately, I'm a big fan of Assos saddle cream on longer rides.

 Steve Courtright said:

Just for a complete conversation on the matter: take a look at your saddle, as well.  It you have a large, amply padded saddle, that could be a contributor to chafing and other related problems.  Riders who log a lot of miles eventually learn to prefer (i.e., adapt to) harder, narrower saddles (to a point).

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Permalink Reply by Brad V on April 10, 2012 at 9:33am

+1 on bike shorts, right next to the goods.  I ride my bike to ride my bike, which means I don't need to worry about appropriate attire for anything else... bib shorts for me (tights/pants over the top of that for cold weather).  Regular padded shorts (underneath other pants/shorts?) or just the mountain-bike/baggy style shorts with padded liner are other options.

Second, shower ASAP after your ride.

Lastly, wash the shorts after every ride.  I've heard some people just take them into the shower.  I just wait until I have a full load and wash everything at once. (yes, one load of just bike-specific stuff, I don't know what happened)

I don't use the balm products.  Maybe I'm just lucky but I've been good up to 40-50 miles without it.  I've only had issues when I didn't shower right away.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on April 10, 2012 at 9:36am

I do that, especially when on extended bike tours, but I use wool bike gear that should be handwashed anyways.

Brad V said:

  I've heard some people just take them into the shower.  I just wait until I have a full load and wash everything at once.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 10, 2012 at 9:54am

1: Clean & Dry -before, during and after the ride.

Moisture and soil are your enemies and we are talking about an area that is right on top of a waste-disposal facility within the same property.  It's also an area that doesn't /breathe/air very well and tends to collect sweat and moisture.  Clothing that allows the crotch to breathe and naturally dry helps.  Some fabrics tend to wick better than others.  Cotton is a great fabric for many things but it sucks moisture and tends to hold it next to you.  There are many better options  Cotton jeans don't breathe and they hold moisture.  Not only that but they also have very thick seems which is the next issue...

2.  PSI  -as in Pounds per Square Inch.   You want to spread out the load a bit and not concentrate it in the wrong places.  Your body does well when weight is borne on the sit bones.  Good saddles give you the ability to place your weight on your sit bones directly onto the saddle without putting it on other spots that don't bear the weight very well.  I mentioned jeans before and they tend to create hot-spots of high-PSI in all the wrong places -the best places where saddle-sores tend to develop.    A too-soft saddle will not allow the sit bones to settle down onto the saddle base and instead let them sink in too far and then other areas that don't bear weight very well or don't respond well to that weight borne on them for very long (they get hot, pinched, wet, and that means a rash.)  A too-soft saddle is often worse than one that is too hard -it might feel nice for those first few miles or in the LBS showroom but after a few miles this soft saddle is going to be kicking your butt -literally.

3.  Bike fit.   You  need to have the right saddle in the right location for the type of seating position you have.  A thin road-bike saddle will be a hatchet for your crotch if you are riding an upright bike.  A wider saddle is needed to spread the weight out if you are sitting upright with more weight on your butt.   A wide saddle will not be right for a road bike with drop bars as that width will rub on your inner thighs with every pedal stroke when you aren't putting that much weight on the seat anyhow. A drop-bar bike has your body putting more weight on your pedals and less on your butt. 

4.  Take another shower when you get home and dry everything back out as best you can.  If you are starting to get a rash it's not going to get any better (and just keep getting worse) until you can get it clean and dry and let any rash/damage heal. 

All of this becomes more important the more miles/hours you put in and the more often you repeat the exercise. 

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Permalink Reply by Robert Guico on April 10, 2012 at 11:35am

Jim S said:

Ah - what method have you used to fit your saddle height and fore/aft? From what I've seen (anecdotally), having your saddle set too high will cause rocking - therefore- rubbing; I suppose this would make you more prone to saddle sores. A user here recommended using the Lemond method for setting height - .883 ( I think) of your cycling inseam. It's what I use and it's been excellent. No rocking hips and I'm very comfortable.

Thanks Jim. I have no method for setting the height, besides "adjust 'til it's comfortable". But in general I'm measuring things like the angle of my knee when the pedal is at the very bottom... not so much according to inseam. I might change that.

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