My SO has put quite a few miles on this week and woke up today extremely chafed. He has some stuff he got from the doctor awhile ago (cream) and put some on last night, but is there anything else he can do? He doesn’t really like bike shorts (he says when he gets going his thighs pump up so much the tight bike shorts hurt, but I think he was using the compression type), but I think they might help with the chafing.
Bag Balm and bike shorts are the key; even without a lot of training, they got me through a 400 mile week this summer with no sores. If the shorts are binding when he rides, they don’t fit right. They should fit so there’s no extra cloth to rub or bind, but not be tight. They also come in different levels of elasticity; you can get them with almost no compression, or lots of compression. For what it’s worth, I prefer the Pearl Izumi shorts with the blue padding.
My guess is that it is an acclimation thing. I’ve been putting on 100-250 miles a week and occasionally, have a little tenderness, starting out you can get a little sore though, I would definitely wear bike shorts though. Take the time and effort to find a pair that fit and are comfy, the effort will be well worth it and probably cure the chafing. I have a pair of baggy’s so that I don’t have to subject the world to my fat ass in a lycra.
Go to a running store and get a product called “Bodyglide” skin lube. It comes in a package similar to solid deodorant and it’s used by marathon runners to prevent chafing. Use a lot of it. Back in my cycling days we used to use something called Carbolated Vaseline.
Another vote for Bag Balm, and bike shorts.
He probably already has a gel seat… but if he doesn’t, he ought to.
That’s not at all necessary. Some experts mean that
Do have a look around at that site. Sheldon Brown really knows what he’s talking about, and has quite a few good tips, not all of them related to saddles.
You can also get padded liners instead of biking shorts. They aren’t as tight as bike shorts and you can wear a loose pair of shorts or pants over it.
THanks for all the suggestions. I should have mentioned I was looking for a quick solution (beautiful Sunday, I wanted him to ride with me that day), we stopped at a bike shop on the way to the trail and he found a nice pair of Borah bike shorts that worked. Thanks!
Rick or SuperNelson: I’ve been having chafing issues when on my bike lately too. Bag Balm was suggested as a cure on another message board, but I don’t know where to get it. I’ve looked in a few drug stores in the skin care section, but I couldn’t find it. Where did you find it?
Greenhorn, I saw it at Wal*Mart in the dog care section.
What about a split saddle?
Split saddles are more designed to ease pressure on a woman’s soft parts or a man’s duct work than to relieve chafing. Some split or cut-out saddles may actually increase chafing.