Chafing.... solutions please!

John Sanderson · Post by **John Sanderson** » 28 Apr 2009 09:47

I think i've definitely learnt my lesson on this one but...

My prize for completed the LMTT is a rather painful and raw looking bit of skin on my thigh where the sweat/friction/seam on my Beacon shorts combined to cause some serious tenderness!

Ordinarily i'd embrace this chance to have time off the bike - but I have a 10TT on both Weds and Thurs nights, followed by a crit on Monday.

Any advice on what I can do to speed up the healing / minimise the discomfort over the next few days....?

Ed Moss · Post by **Ed Moss** » 28 Apr 2009 10:17

I use this stuff http://www.udderlysmooth.co.uk/ or the Assos stuff everytime I ride and touch wood have never had a problems.

Not sure what you can do this week, maybe knock the TTs on the head as you may spend too much time in one position if you still have any discomfort.

It's still early in the season so no point in putting yourself out for the rest of the season with a nasty rash....

Ringo · Post by **Ringo** » 28 Apr 2009 10:31

i don't usually have a problem when i'm out on the road, but when i'm on the turbo i usually use johnson's baby lotion. just spread it over your problem area and it will reduce friction and chaffing. it's also alot cheaper then the proper cycling stuff and does the same job.

Si-D · Post by **Si-D** » 28 Apr 2009 12:31

I also swear by the use of the ASSOS Creme (or 'minty arse lard' as I heard it called once!)

Rubbing it into the Chamois after each wash, and applying direct to the skin before your ride.

If your shorts have a seam thats a bit rough and rubbing you then I'm not sure whether any amount of 'lube' will help.

The only thing you can do now is protect the sore skin using some medical guaze and tape to create a patch to cover the area.
And don't wear those shorts on long rides in the future.

John Sanderson · Post by **John Sanderson** » 28 Apr 2009 12:56

And don't wear those shorts on long rides in the future.

Unfortunately it's my 'Beacon' shorts that have left me wounded! On the plus side none of my road races are over 1 hour...

I'll give the solutions a go - thanks for the recommendations!

pprince3145 · Post by **pprince3145** » 28 Apr 2009 17:44

Assos creme is great but expensive

I use simple baby lotion now - just as good.
Rub a healthy dose into the chamois - job done

Johnnyc · Post by **Johnnyc** » 28 Apr 2009 20:18

I found Assos to be fairly good - Udderly Smooth didn't seem to last as long but was ok.

I now use this stuff

http://www.inmotionproducts.com/product ... _id=RECDM5

Lasts for ages, and you get 500ml as compared to 140ml of assos.

Missiles · Post by **Missiles** » 28 Apr 2009 22:19

Tony Le Mesmer wrote:Assos creme is great but expensive

I use simple baby lotion now - just as good.
Rub a healthy dose into the chamois - job done

If young Daniel starts getting nappy rash, we'll all know why. Meanwhile, Daddy's backside will be............... no, maybe I'll not go there.

PeteB · Post by **PeteB** » 30 Apr 2009 11:12

Another chamois creme you can try is DZ Nuts, its quite expensive but works great.

George · Post by **George** » 30 Apr 2009 19:55

Forget the ungents. Get shorts that fit.

Ringo · Post by **Ringo** » 30 Apr 2009 21:08

but shorts can rub even if they fit perfectly. if salt crystals start to form then even the best fitting kit won't help you.

John Sanderson · Post by **John Sanderson** » 01 May 2009 12:34

Picked up some Sudocrem last night - seems to be helping! And cheap at only £3.20 for a fair sized tub of the stuff!

George · Post by **George** » 06 May 2009 20:20

Ringo wrote:but shorts can rub even if they fit perfectly. if salt crystals start to form then even the best fitting kit won't help you.

When the salt crystals start to form in my shorts, I usually reckon it's time I washed them.

Chamois cream is for chamois. Last time I had a pair of shorts with that in was 25 years ago.

Ringo · Post by **Ringo** » 06 May 2009 22:39

George wrote:
Ringo wrote:but shorts can rub even if they fit perfectly. if salt crystals start to form then even the best fitting kit won't help you.
When the salt crystals start to form in my shorts, I usually reckon it's time I washed them.

*scanning for sarcasm*

you obviously don't sweat much then George. sweat crystals don't form from not washing your kit (though who doesn't wash their kit after every ride). they form during long periods of continued hard effort in warm conditions. I usually have problems during long sessions on my turbo or in the winter when i put on too many layers.

George · Post by **George** » 09 May 2009 13:02

Ringo wrote:you obviously don't sweat much then George. sweat crystals don't form from not washing your kit (though who doesn't wash their kit after every ride). they form during long periods of continued hard effort in warm conditions. I usually have problems during long sessions on my turbo or in the winter when i put on too many layers.

Needless to say, Ringo, I was deliberately misunderstanding your earlier comment in pursuit of humour. And, even people as old and slow as me do sweat enough to experience the salt-crystalising thing. However, where the white salt staining appears is actually slightly removed from the areas of kit that get soaked in sweat. The sweat spreads out through the fabric and evaporates at the margins of the soaked area, and that's where the salt crystals form. So, for example (sorry for the gory detail), sweat runs down the 'channel' formed by your spine and soaks the area of your shorts above the back of the insert. From there is spreads out and evaporates off to the sides. So you get an inverted V of white salt crystals on either side of you bum crack. But that isn't where people usually suffer chaffing. Chaffing is usually where you get folds in your skin, e.g. between scrotum and inner thighs. These are places where your kits is often at least damp, if not soaked, and no crystalisation is taking place. So the salt crystals can't be blamed.

Kit that fits well makes chaffing much less likely. But, admittedly, it doesn't rule it out altogether. I usually apply Vaseline before a ride. But I see no point in chamois cream if you don't have a chamois.

Besides, it wouldn't come as a complete surprise to me if I were to learn from John that the shorts he was wearing were the old Carvalho shorts (Carvalho being the supplier we were using until about 2 years ago). Their shorts had inserts with seams in them. These seams absolutely crucified me, because they ran directly under my 'bum bones', so I was sitting right on top of them the whole time. No amount of treatment with anything would have corrected that problem for me. And the shorts were, in themselves, a perfect fit. The only answer was to stop wearing them.

Ed Moss · Post by **Ed Moss** » 09 May 2009 13:26

As I understand the Chamois Cream (remember that horrible stuff that was like a mixture of swarfegea and oil) we used in the 80's was to nourish the real chamois, or as I'm sure we all remember it was like sitting on a crisp bag.
Since the advent of synthetic inserts the formula has changed and it's designed to be put onto you body, not the insert before riding.

George · Post by **George** » 09 May 2009 14:02

Ed Moss wrote:Since the advent of synthetic inserts the formula has changed and it's designed to be put onto you body, not the insert before riding.

Thanks for the explanation, Ed. Apologies for my ignorance on that particular point. (I stand by the rest of it, though!)