San Diego Newbie! Chafing Question??

[drewkari]

Hi All!

I'm a newbie in San Diego! Just picked up my Jamis Xenith Comp Femme (hubby got a Comp too)

I'm sure this question has been asked a million times!! We've been on a couple rides...not super long distances, about 10 miles. I do have the correct bike shorts and am not wearing underwear, but I am getting chafing/raw/bleeding in my soft tissue . I had the bike professionally fit to me and am being aware of my body position while riding.

Is there extra padding I should get? Should I consider getting a different saddle? Any other ideas?

Thanks so much!!

[Ninabike]

You should not be having those problems. Do you have a good chamois in your shorts? Use lubricant like Chamois Butt'r or several others on the market. Also, you can use some over-the-counter antibiotic ointment like Bacitracin together with Chamois Butt'r. The most important thing is you probably need a saddle with a cutout.

[drewkari]

The most important thing is you probably need a saddle with a cutout.

Do you have one that you recommend?

[Kalidurga]

This has been mentioned before in similar threads, but either shaving or a close trim can also help. I notice a huge reduction in chafing when I *ahem* mow the lawn. If your condition is as severe as it sounds, that could also assist with treating and healing, in that it could help to reduce sweat and bacteria in that area.

As for a cutout saddle, it probably depends on what sort of riding you intend to do. Saddles vary from big cushy comfort models to thin, practically non-existent racing models. Are you planning to ride your Xenith for fun and recreation, or do you intend to work up to long distances &/or racing? That'll have a lot of influence on your saddle choice.

[drewkari]

As for a cutout saddle, it probably depends on what sort of riding you intend to do. Saddles vary from big cushy comfort models to thin, practically non-existent racing models. Are you planning to ride your Xenith for fun and recreation, or do you intend to work up to long distances &/or racing? That'll have a lot of influence on your saddle choice.

I am riding for fun/exercise, but it will eventually be long distances.

[Ninabike]

If you check out the "Saddles" treads, you will see many posts regarding preferences for saddles. A softer, saddle is not necessarily better in the long run. The softer the saddle, the more the saddle material squishes up into your soft tissue. What you want is a saddle that your "sit bones" (ishial tuberosities) fit properly onto without impacting your soft tissue. Some people prefer a cutout which relieves pressure in the frontal area. Other people do not. Personally, I like the Specialized Jett (size 143 for me). The sit bone area of that saddle is hard, but there is no pressure on the soft tissue. By the same token, there are others on this board who can't stand the Jett. Each person has to find what works for them. Don't be surprised if you go through multiple saddles. A good fitting is also a must, as the angle of your body on the saddle, affected by reach, etc. has a lot to do with saddle comfort.

[Biciclista]

also, if the bike is not fitting you properly, the BEST saddle would cause chafing. Make sure that the saddle is positioned in the best place for you and that the bike is not too big.

[wolfak]

I did a 15-miler tonight without my regular chamois butt'r and am hurting! Every time from now on! I might consider some hair removal as well.

[drewkari]

also, if the bike is not fitting you properly, the BEST saddle would cause chafing. Make sure that the saddle is positioned in the best place for you and that the bike is not too big.

Fortunately the shop we got the bikes from does a professional fit, and measured angles and adjusted fit before they let you walk out the door. I'm thinking it is probably the saddle

[RolliePollie]

Sounds like trying a new saddle might help a lot. Also, some type of lubrication...Chamois Butt'r or just plain lotion. When I started riding last year, I thought my "hoo hah" would never be the same. I had to wear skirts to work for a week until everything healed. Then I got a Terry Butterfly saddle and started lubing myself up.

This season I've discovered Queen Helene Cocoa Butter lotion...it's super cheap,it works great, smells pretty good, and washes out of my shorts easily. I use A TON. I put it on my chamois and on me. I've also used baby lotions, Astroglide, and Vaseline Intensive Care. Strangely enough, Chamois Butt'r irritates my skin...maybe it's the lanolin? Anyway, lotion would be an easy thing to try out. I tried "mowing the lawn" but that actually made things worse for me.

[wildhawk]

I had similar problems until I changed out the saddle - I went with a gel/foam cutout (Rav-X) and it is very comfortable. I have not used any chamois butter yet, but I haven’t encountered any chafing even after a twenty mile ride, so I will add it when I begin to need it. We are all built differently so it is hard to recommend a solution - try out different saddles is what I would recommend. Also, my saddle needed to be angled up slightly in the front and now it is a perfect fit for me. Good luck - I know how painful that chafing can be! And congrats on your new bike!

[drewkari]

So i ordered the Terry Butterfly today! I'm hoping this will help...guess we will see. Thanks for the suggestions!

[aicabsolut]

Are your shorts at all baggy? A really form fitting chamois will help prevent a lot of chafing. I raced this year in a borrowed skinsuit (my BF's) some of the time, and even though that would be for really short races, it would get pretty uncomfortable just because it was 1 size up from being a really tight skinsuit. The chamois would move around a little too much.

You might also want to tinker with the angle of your saddle to be sure you're putting pressure on the right spots and avoiding pressure elsewhere. That won't really change your bike fit. Just tilt the nose. The angle of the saddle that's the most comfortable for you may vary between saddle models too. For example, with my Jett, I had it nose down a fair bit. With the new Ruby, the way it broke in (really sunk in where I sit), I need to point the nose up so that when I get on it and it sags in a bit, I don't wind up shifting my weight too far forward.

[drewkari]

Are your shorts at all baggy? A really form fitting chamois will help prevent a lot of chafing. I raced this year in a borrowed skinsuit (my BF's) some of the time, and even though that would be for really short races, it would get pretty uncomfortable just because it was 1 size up from being a really tight skinsuit. The chamois would move around a little too much.

You might also want to tinker with the angle of your saddle to be sure you're putting pressure on the right spots and avoiding pressure elsewhere. That won't really change your bike fit. Just tilt the nose. The angle of the saddle that's the most comfortable for you may vary between saddle models too. For example, with my Jett, I had it nose down a fair bit. With the new Ruby, the way it broke in (really sunk in where I sit), I need to point the nose up so that when I get on it and it sags in a bit, I don't wind up shifting my weight too far forward.

My shorts are form fitting so I know that isn't the problem. Once I get my new seat on there I'll trying tinkering with it. I was worried that would impact the bike fitting I had. Thanks for the advice!

[aicabsolut]

It really shouldn't. Just try to avoid putting the nose so far down that you feel that you are sliding forward and have to hold yourself up with your arms, because that will lead to pain in your neck, shoulders, elbows, hands, etc.

Before you change saddles, measure everything. Your new saddle may be a different thickness and may have a longer nose or different rails so that you will have to change your seatpost and saddle fore/aft position to accommodate the differences. Measure the height from your cranks to the top of the saddle. Measure the distance from all parts of the saddle to the bars. That will give you a good starting point. Then get out and play around with it on your ride. Some saddles will flex more than others which may mean you'll need to do a little more tweaking based on feel. If you feel like you're bouncing off the saddle on the downstroke, you need to raise it up. If you feel like you're rocking or swaying against the sides of the saddle, you'll put it down.

You may also want to note where your knee is relative to the pedal spindle when your leg is at the 3 o'clock position. Generally, a fitter will put you where a plumb bob from the kneecap is even with the spindle, but your fit may ultimately have been different for several reasons. So make note of that too and double check your fore/aft with the new saddle after you set it up where the measurements to the bars are the same as what you had before. That will help account for any changes in WHERE you sit on the new saddle because of its different shape.