saddle sores

[litgirl84]

I know this is a newbie question, but at what mile point/ time of ride do you need to apply a chamois cream? I'm building up my time on the bike and want to get to the point of long rides and, of course, I want to avoid the feared saddle sores.

[OakLeaf]

Totally individual. The better your saddle and shorts fit you, the less you're likely to need. Chamois cream helps prevent chafing - which isn't necessarily the same thing as saddle sores. Sometimes chamois cream can clog pores and block air circulation and even contribute to saddle sores.

When you start to get a little bit of chafing, use it, before you get a lot of chafing. If you never do, consider yourself lucky and forget about it.

... a homeopathic cream recommended on another bike site called "Traumeel".

Traumeel is not supposed to be applied to broken skin! It's to heal bruises, sore muscles and joint pain, NOT for external damage.

[goldfinch]

Traumeel is not supposed to be applied to broken skin! It's to heal bruises, sore muscles and joint pain, NOT for external damage.

It doesn't matter, there isn't enough of anything in it to do anything anyway.http://saveyourself.ca/articles/real...s/traumeel.php

[OakLeaf]

Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but never mind the active ingredients, 22% ethanol doesn't seem like something I'd want to put on a sensitive area, nor does it seem like "nothing."

[goldfinch]

Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion, but never mind the active ingredients, 22% ethanol doesn't seem like something I'd want to put on a sensitive area, nor does it seem like "nothing."

I think that it is 13.8% alcohols of several different types. I don't think that is a big deal. But fair enough, knowing it has alcohol in it is information of value. Nevertheless, I wouldn't use it because there is no evidence that it has enough active ingredient of anything to matter.

[Kathi]

I apply my chamois cream before I ride. For long rides I work it into my chamois as well as my skin, for short rides I don't worry about the chamois.

Guess I'm lucky, I don't have any issues but I also won't ride without the chamois cream.

[Wahine]

A lot of the ultra riders that I know use an acne cream with a drying agent in it. I personally don't use any creams because I feel it makes things worse in the long run. I will however use bodyglide in areas for long rides. It seems to breath well and prevents friction sores just fine for me.

But as already mentioned a good saddle fit and shorts fit is the best solution but often hard to accomplish. I find that it's really important to find shorts that fit up in your crotch area and don't move around. So although it seems counter intuitive, a too thick chamois will make chafing worse for me because the fabric gets bunched up and doesn't fit close in to my crotch.

It's also really important that your saddle height is correct and you're not rocking too much on the saddle.