# Chamois cream alternative?



## Milzy (8 May 2018)

Good evening. 

A gentleman in a sharp suit told me to try using this Lanacane anti-chafing gel as an alternative to Assos chamois cream. 
He says all the creams are too thick and squidgy, the Lanacane is supposed to build an invisible barrier between pad and bum. 
Should I trust this guy? Anybody tried this instead of traditional creams??


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## Cycleops (8 May 2018)

Sounds like a snake oil salesman to me.


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## Salty seadog (8 May 2018)

Any moisturising cream works for most people. I use sudo creme on a long and hot ride day which also has the antiseptic qualities and a tub lasts for ever. Even E45 cheap as chips will be good enough.


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## Milzy (8 May 2018)

Salty seadog said:


> Any moisturising cream works for most people. I use sudo creme on a long and hot ride day which also has the antiseptic qualities and a tub lasts for ever. Even E45 cheap as chips will be good enough.


A few have mentioned the Sudocrem. I don’t like it’s texture or smell really. I have lots of E45 in.


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## Salty seadog (8 May 2018)

Milzy said:


> A few have mentioned the Sudocrem. I don’t like it’s texture or smell really. I have lots of E45 in.



I know what you mean about the sudo creme but I think it is the best due to it being antiseptic and long lasting once applied.

Also if the texture and smell is a problem after application I suspect that's not your bum it's on .....


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## ianrauk (8 May 2018)

another fan of Sudocreme here.
And it doesn't smell that bad.


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## Heltor Chasca (8 May 2018)

Sudocreme may cause matting and posterior dread locks in hirsute bee keeper types.


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## Soltydog (8 May 2018)

I tend to use Assos whilst cycling & sudo when off the bike if needed. I've tried other creams on various folks recommendations but I tend to prefer Assos. Never tried Sudo for cycling, might be worth a go at less than half the price


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## Ming the Merciless (8 May 2018)

Don't use any cream at all


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## Slick (8 May 2018)

Keep it simple stupid so another for the much cheapness and quality of E45.


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## Blue Hills (8 May 2018)

Milzy said:


> A few have mentioned the Sudocrem. I don’t like it’s texture or smell really. I have lots of E45 in.


You can smell stuff on your **** ?

In truth I have never understood the need for these creams on rides.

I thought they dated from a time when folk had to ensure that the traditional shammy, as opposed to synthetic pad, retained its "just off the animal" properties. Have even heard of some folk experiencing a bad reaction to assos cream. To much amusement.

If a ride causes issues, no harm applying stuff afterwards.


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## gds58 (8 May 2018)

My wife looked at the ingredients in my expensive chamois cream and realised that it was very similar to E45 so I reckon that should work just as well for a fraction of the cost!


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## RoubaixCube (9 May 2018)

Udderly Smooth is my Chamois Cream of choice.

though the last time i probably used any chamois cream was probably at the start of the last DD ride. Never used it for the FnRttC rides -- though I probably should.


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## Soltydog (9 May 2018)

Blue Hills said:


> In truth I have never understood the need for these creams on rides.



I used to be the same, but after an unpleasant experience on a long (100 miles) ride I decided that maybe I should start using some  I'd done long rides before with no issue, but 2015 I rode every day, so the increased mileage must have increased the chaffing. I'd rather pay a few quid for a pot of cream every month or so just to be on the safe side now, riding with saddle sores isnt much fun


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## Heltor Chasca (9 May 2018)

YukonBoy said:


> Don't use any cream at all



This is a serious train of thought. The head coach of TrainerRoad doesn’t think it should be used either. His opinion is that it should be used ONLY IF there is a problem.

That said, I use Bristol Butt’r which is good and you don't need to use much.


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## Joffey (9 May 2018)

Butter


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## Salty seadog (9 May 2018)

@Joffey 

You are Marlon Brando AICMFP.


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## steveindenmark (9 May 2018)

I exfoliate with gaffer tape.

Some people on here need to MTFU.


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## GuyBoden (9 May 2018)

In the olden days, some riders were of the opinion that using cream softened the skin on the rear and no cream should be used, so that the skin on the rear hardened and formed callouses....


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## rrarider (9 May 2018)

As a cyclist who still owns and wears a couple of pairs of traditional shorts with an insert made from a piece of goatskin, I'm fairly sure that the chamois cream was mainly lanolin. I still have a small quantity of chamois cream bought long ago. I use a little bit sometimes but quite often just make sure that the leather is slightly damp. Anyone who has used a genuine chamois leather to clean windows or a car, knows how hard it can get when dry. I gave up a long while ago in trying to educate the 12 year olds who work in a well known bike store, that chamois isn't a bit of blue plastic, but is in fact a piece from a dead animal.


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## normgow (9 May 2018)

Back in the day when our shorts had chamois leather inserts, a favourite lubricant was "Nupercainal" which was antiseptic and analgesic because it also contained novocaine which had a numbing effect. Its real use was for the treatment of haemorrhoids but was also recommended in cases of premature ejaculation.
At the time, I'm talking about the 1960s, this could be bought over the counter at any chemists.


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## Blue Hills (9 May 2018)

the things you learn on here


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## Profpointy (9 May 2018)

Salty seadog said:


> @Joffey
> 
> You are Marlon Brando AICMFP.





Salty seadog said:


> @Joffey
> 
> You are Marlon Brando AICMFP.



You're a bad man. Ych a fi !


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## Salty seadog (9 May 2018)

Profpointy said:


> You're a bad man. Ych a fi !



Had to Google that.


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## Milzy (9 May 2018)

I can’t be young donkeyd with such things usually as I do lots of 2 hour rides. However with one coming up which may take between 8-9 hours, need to be prepared for the worst.


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## GuyBoden (9 May 2018)

normgow said:


> Back in the day when our shorts had chamois leather inserts, a favourite lubricant was "Nupercainal" which was antiseptic and analgesic because it also contained novocaine which had a numbing effect. Its real use was for the treatment of haemorrhoids but was also recommended in cases of premature ejaculation.
> At the time, I'm talking about the 1960s, this could be bought over the counter at any chemists.



Germoloids was another fav for the numbing effect.........it still contains Lidocaine, but the old stuff seemed stronger.


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## kipster (9 May 2018)

Battles udder cream, used on cows, no ill effects on me, half the price of chamois creams. Doesn't smell great but so what no ones sniffing it


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## Blue Hills (9 May 2018)

How's your yield since you started on it?


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## Ming the Merciless (9 May 2018)

Heltor Chasca said:


> This is a serious train of thought. The head coach of TrainerRoad doesn’t think it should be used either. His opinion is that it should be used ONLY IF there is a problem.
> 
> That said, I use Bristol Butt’r which is good and you don't need to use much.



Did not use on LEL , did not use on PBP. Simply do not use it. I carry a small tub of vaseline in case any rubbing does start up. I find getting out the saddle on hills is usually enough to let the chamois dry if I am wearing padded shorts. Though I often do not use padded shorts, just wearing normal shorts with merino underneath.


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## PaulSB (10 May 2018)

Blue Hills said:


> In truth I have never understood the need for these creams on rides..



I’ve found long rides in high temperatures cause me to sweat a lot and the chamois pad gets damp and can cause chaffing

Sudocream is the best solution I’ve found. The only cream which doesn’t melt away under hot and damp conditions.


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## Blue Hills (10 May 2018)

Agree paul that sudocream is pretty remarkable stuff. Well remember it healing something I had as if by magic. Doesn't it do bad things to your cycling gear though?
I think I must be lucky on this issue. No creams and (not casting aspersions on anyone) always shower before cycling.

Suppose I sort of wonder whether there might, for some I stress, be a parallel with punctures. Many many punctures are the result of pre-existing debris, not stuff picked up on the ride.

I stress that i am not a doctor 

All the best


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## ianrauk (10 May 2018)

Blue Hills said:


> Doesn't it do bad things to your cycling gear though?
> 
> All the best



It doesn't no.

I did two 100+ mile rides over the bank holiday weekend over two days. I didn't use any arse cream as I don't seem to need to in dry conditions.
However if the weather is going to be wet then I do use a little.


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## T4tomo (10 May 2018)

rhubarb is also a good alternative.


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## Milzy (10 May 2018)

T4tomo said:


> rhubarb is also a good alternative.


And custard?


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## PaulSB (10 May 2018)

@Blue Hills I don’t use sudocreme often enough to know if it damages kit. My only thought is if it’s safe on a baby’s bum a decent chamois shouldn’t suffer!!


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## crazyjoe101 (10 May 2018)

I never used to use anything until one long ride inexplicably caused problems, it seems that some times kit can sit on you in a weird way and you don't notice until it's too late (in my case anyway).
Since then I've used a small bit of Assos for every ride and have been much more comfortable, one tub has last me at least 6,000 miles. Sudocrem post rides if it's needed.


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## RoubaixCube (11 May 2018)

Milzy said:


> And custard?



That would depend on the quality of the kebabs or the curries youve had a few hours ago??? Maybe it was one vindaloo too many.


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## Milzy (14 May 2018)

All I can say is the stuff I used did feel like some kind of barrier was there. Worked a treat.


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