More Saddle Woes

[Trekie]

Hello all,
First time posting here. I've learned a lot just reading however I need some advice. I do do a search of the forums but can't find this specific issue.

Let me introduce myself. I've been riding pretty consistently for the past 2 years. My husband and I do shop rides on the weekend, have a great group of people we ride with on week day evenings (work gets in the way of so much fun....) and we do various charity metric centuries. We've done a couple of bike tours and have more scheduled.

My issue?
Last year on a bike trip, I experience my first chafing episode. Not on the underside/bottom of my "girlie bits" where they meet the saddle, but in the front, within the crease at the top. All things being consistent (shorts, mileage, Butt-R), I chalked it up to the bike and saddle I was using on the tour.

Soon after the tour, I upgraded my saddle to the Selle Italia LDY Flite (I think? no cutout). I just can't seem to alleviate the chafing. Doesn't matter if it's a short 30 miler. Thing is, there is no other soreness, anywhere. Just the chafing in the front.

Think the saddle nose it too wide? We've adjusted the angle, that doesn't help. I use Butt-R liberally and have pretty good shorts.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[KnottedYet]

This may sound weird, but have you tried trimming your pubic hair? If you like the saddle overall, it might be possible to control the chafing without losing the saddle you like. Sometimes hair can be a problem. (search "brazillian" or "Lawn" for a couple threads on this issue.)

You can also try using Astroglide, which others on this board find helps in the more personal areas of the anatomy while butt'r handles the rest. (search "astroglide")

[Trekie]

Never occurred to me!
Will give it a try. A pair of trimmers is certainly cheaper than a Fizik Vitesse HP which was my next option.
Sure learned a lot today.
Thank you!

[Trekie]

Hey, Knotted!
Took your advice this week and gave myself a trim. I mean, a good one.
Still had the issue this morning. I'm beginning to think I'm weird.
If anyone else has any ideas, I'd appreciate it.... otherwise I'll just learn to grin and bear it.
Hope eveyone is enjoying their weekend rides!

[Skierchickie]

Trekie,

I'm having similar trouble. Chafing up front with a Butterfly Ti (not the only problem), chafing & swelling up front with a Zero X, changed to the original saddle that came on the bike, and developed a sore spot sort of inside a fold (within a mile!). And swelling. Rode the next day (ow!) and picked up a WTB Deva to try. Waited a few days, until I felt mostly healed, and the Deva felt moderately okay for 16 miles, but too wide (pinching/chafing feeling on the inside of my thighs). Waited almost a week, felt all healed up, and started feeling chafing by 10 miles on my next ride - tilted it down slightly (or so I thought - later found it was still pretty level - hate that darn seat post of mine - very hard to pick a tilt and have it end up where I thought I was setting it.). The previous sore was back. I'm going to try the men's version (Devo), definitely tilted down, tomorrow. I also am contemplating the Vitesse HP - the Arione looks really nice, but I'm afraid it would be too narrow for me. My hubby just ordered one, though, so I'm going to try to steal it for a ride before ordering anything for myself.

I've been using chamois butt'r, KY-like stuff, and I just got new Descente shorts with the Spectra chamois, which I've worn the last two times. Oddly enough, the actual sore spot did not appear until I trimmed that area - decided I hadn't trimmed thoroughly enough, and did it again the morning of the second occurrence. Not sure what that means - I like the lack of pulling hair, but yikes. The chafing is bad enough, but the sore is excruciating.

I apologize if I've been too specific


Oh, I should mention that I use aero bars whenever possible, and that is the biggest part of the problem, although the drops don't help.