Saddle sore

[Innes]

Hi all, I'm needing some help in seat adjusting with the possibility of changing seat. Currently I'm cycling between 25-50 miles 3 times a week. I've started to chafe quite seriously in the creases at the top of my inner thigh/gentlemen's area on both sides. I've stopped wearing underwear with my bib tights. My sit bones really start to ache after about 20 miles. My ride is a Carerra Subway. I'm thinking about adjusting the seat rearwards or maybe bar ends, both will stretch me out slightly. I guess my category of cycling is leisure/pootling along but getting a sweat on and feeling like I've worked when I get home. This current situation really spoils things and at the moment I simply just want to get home, no enjoyment whatsoever. Please help!!

 

[ANT 666]

Use padded shorts/tights no undies and bung on some sudocrem or some other nappy rash type cream.

 

[Cuchilo]

Assos skin repair

 

[Tiny01]

Smear a bit of this around the old John Thomas buddy coupled with padded shorts you should be good for a few miles

 

[goody]

Are your Bib tights a good fit? any bagginess or loose material will cause chafing. Good fitting bib shorts (or bib tights) chamois cream or similar and a decent saddle (not the budget heavily padded armchair looking things) should do the trick and a few hours gettting 'saddle fit' should do it.

 

[alicat]

Sounds like you need a different saddle. Take a break until everything heals then try a new saddle.

 

[Tanis8472]

If you have just started you might also be over doing things a bit to start with.

 

[Kajjal]

As mentioned above bib shorts need to be close fitting without being overly tight. Wearing underwear with them will rub you raw.

Make sure you wash them after each ride.

Also look at measuring your sit bones to get a saddle the right width.

Less likely is your bike setup.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Brooks B17. Come back in 10 years and tell us how it's going.

 

[Globalti]

Yawn. Can't wait that long.

 

[DWiggy]

Sometimes if the saddle is a fraction to high that can cause discomfort, 5mm in height can make all the difference

 

[DWiggy]

I've also just got a new saddle, a charge spoon and for £17 it was money well spent, it so comfy

 

[steveindenmark]

This topic goes around and around.

We do not know the solution but it can be any or all of the above.....and a few more.

My advice is start with the cheapest and work up to the dearest.

Bear in mind you may have caused enough bruising that a week or so out of the saddle may be a good idea and thats free.

Dont wear undies with cycling shorts. Cycling shorts are made without sticking up seams, undies are not. I often wear two pairs of cycling shorts for double padding. It works for me.

PLENTY of cream, all over the area, not just the effected area.

Play around with the seat height, pitch, forward and back. Very small adjustments can make a big difference. Take your seat tools on the ride and adjust as you go along. When you have got it right, take careful measurements and write it down. Mine are on my workshop wall. I cannot lose my workshop wall. I use a ruller and a spirit level to measure the seat.

The last thing is replacing the seat. Its and usually the cheapest, most useless thing on a new bike because the manufacturer know that many people change them for their favourite saddle.

Not everybody has a Brooks arse. I have 3 Brooks saddles and they are great. The B17 took 2 years to break in and is great, but it almost got binned many times. I have now changed over to Charge Spoon which I love. They are cheap, colourful, not leather, dont squeak and everyone is great out of the box .....for me. I would rather take a gamble on a £20 Spoon than. Brooks saddle which are very expensive.

I can ride a century without too much discomfort and do it again the following day, so I must be doing something right.

These are only my opinions, but I hope they help.

 

[jefmcg]

If you have broken skin, you may have to give yourself time off the bike. I had a saddle sore that would not go away; not too serious, but nagging. I was "lucky" enough to have a minor off, that kept me off the bike for a few days. The sore cleared up during that time, and never came back.

BTW, can we make this the official emoticon of saddle sores?

 

[ayceejay]

The sit bones problem is probably normal and will go away at a certain point without any remedial fiddling. The soreness is most likely caused by moisture and could be because of the underwear, a 'chamois' pad is meant to absorb the moisture but it can't if you wear underpants. My suggestion is NOT to use any cream in this area but to make sure you wash after every ride and give the area some air.