Cycle North Carolina

**Posts:** 7

Avoiding / Reducing Chafing

**Posts:** 37

Check saddle width, a wide side can rub the inside thighs and maybe cause your problem. If you are riding the origional saddle that came on your Fuji, I would consider replacing because Fuji spec's their bikes with lessor saddles.

**Posts:** 17

I agree that your saddle may be a problem, but if the saddle is right for you maybe chamois butter isn't right for you. It wasn't for me, I had multiple issues with it. Most everyone I know that uses it, it works great for them. I changed over to bag balm and the problem went away.

**Posts:** 7

Steve, Tribon, thanks for your replies. I have tried about 1/2 a dozen different saddles, Specialized Body Geometry, super narrow "racing" types, and now I have a Nashbar saddle with a cutout in the center. It is still relatively narrow, and narrower than the typical Fuji spec saddle.

I'll check around for the Bag Balm and give it a try. Do you apply it in the same manner as the Chamois Butt'r?

**Posts:** 38

Fuji Dude--
I have not used any butter or lube products in quite a while--and have no problems. Many riders I know do not ever use any at all. I have used so much that it has oozed out my shorts. Lube is not the key. If you are overweight--that is where the friction is coming from--as you lose weight it will get better. If not, then it is your shorts, saddle, or tender keister. Do you wear bibs? Bibs tend to be better at staying tite to your package and decrease friction. Check your saddle height, too. Finally, mileage will toughen up your keister--keep that bad boy clean, dry, and out of bike shorts after you get done riding. Protect your keister Fuji Dude!!! If you think it is sore now, just wait til Weds or Thursday!!!

Have fun!!!
Hammer

**Posts:** 7

OK, maybe a little more background will help with the feedback...

I've been cycling for about 15 years, both mountain bike and road. Most of my riding has been relatively short, 25-30 miles. I've never really had problems with chafing before. I am not overweight, but I am large: 6'4" 220lbs.

The opportunity presented itself for me to ride CNC this year (a dream of mine for a long time!) and of course I realized I needed to increase my mileage to get ready for this event. Now I have been averaging 250+ miles per week, with rides of 40-50 miles. The longest I have ridden thus far in one day is 76 miles. (No century... yet).

So I think my problem has been caused by the recent increase in saddle time, and this seems to be true since the problems don't really start until beyond 40 miles or 2 hours.

I don't have any bibs, just good quality shorts like Performance Century, Bellweather, etc., with either simple chamois pads or more high-tech gel pads. But the problem area seems to be on the insides of my thighs, near the pads, but not on them.

Do I need to spend $100+ on even better bibs or shorts to solve the problem?

I really would like to come up with some sort of solution before Sept. 27!!!!

Thanks to all of you for your feedback and suggestions.

**Posts:** 37

fuji, some additional information please - What size bike frame are you on and what shoe/pedal/cleat system do you use? If you are using clipless, would you know the degrees of float? Finally, handlebar width, stem length, stem angle degree, and top-tube length.

**Posts:** 7

OK, don't mean to take up the message board with my personal "issues", but if I can find something that helps, then here you go...

I ride a Fuji Team Edition, 60cm, with Shimano R540 pedals on 175mm cranks with SPD-SL cleats. Not sure about the pedal float, but the Shimano specs say 6 degrees. Handlebar is 46cm, stem is 10cm, basically "flat" or parallel to the top tube. Top tube is 58.5cm.

I assembled this bike myself (bought the frame on eBay), but went through the "Fit Kit" at the LBS and had the bike adjusted per their recommendations. I've been riding this exact setup for about 6 years with no problems.

My fit kit measurements are inseam 90cm, arm 65cm and based on these measurements my bike dimenstions are withing the recommended range.

The chafing issue has just come up recently when I am in the saddle beyond 2 hours.

Not to be too graphic, but the problem is right in the "crease" where my thighs end and the other stuff starts.

Any other ideas or suggestions would be appreciated!

**Posts:** 37

Given you been riding the exact same set up for 6 years with no previous chaffing issues, it's probably not the bike fit causing he chaffing. My thought yesterday, as a professional bike fitter, was maybe it was. I don't have anymore recomendations for you, my initial thinking the other day was it was the saddle and I'm inclined to still lean in that direction. You're using good quality shorts, chamois cream, and seem fit, process of elimination makes me think saddle. Saddles with cut-outs can and often do cause chaffing and saddle sores in the area you've described. Here's something you may try, if you have access to a local Trek dealer, they offer a 60 day guarantee on their Inform saddle and they have a process in-store to determine the correct size side for you. Buy the saddle this week, ride it a few times on your longer rides this weekend, if the problem continues, return it next week and get a full refund of your purchase price. Make sure you buy the Inform Saddle and the shop has Trek's Saddle fitting apparatus so you will get both the correct size saddle and the guarantee.

Good luck.

**Posts:** 38

Fuji Dude--
you are AVERAGING 250 PLUS miles per week??? That is a lot of miles for a recreational rider! No wonder you are raw!!! Back off now and let your "creases" heal up before they get too raw before you even start CNC. You don't want to hear this but they will be raw CNC week. Sounds like you are rubbing hard on your saddle side-to-side. Not enough to have hurt on your previous shorter rides--which are now compounded on your longer ones and your lack of recovery between rides. Saddle may be too high and you may be rocking--that hurts my creases everytime. CNC is not very hard on your legs--if you are really "averaging 250 + per week you already have enough miles in your legs by far. It will be your creases that kill you--let them heal now and lower that seat.

Peace Out!!!
Hammer

**Posts:** 7

OK, you got me. I have had a couple of weeks of more than 250 miles, but I guess the average is closer to 175-200. I have been unemployed since April so I decided to ride away my blues instead of drinking ;)

I rode 65 miles today - sort of a test to make sure I was ready for CNC. Prior to the ride I changed saddles to one with a narrower front end, wore a brand spanking new pair of bibs and also didn't apply any sort of butter, balm, etc.

I'm a little bit sore, but not in the same places as before. Maybe I shouldn't have changed three things at once, but oh well - something seems to have helped.

I'm planning to drastically taper down my riding between now and CNC, get rested and make sure everything is healed up before Aug. 27.

I'm also going to go to my local Trek dealer and check out the saddle fitting service they have.

Thanks again for all of the good advice! Hope to see you sometime during the ride.

**Posts:** 66

Avoiding riding sores:

I'll chime in on this because I have fought the battle through ten previous CNCs and some other cross state rides. I was always fine for the first five days, then would get chaffing, soreness, or actual real saddle sores--(like over-grown pimples with similar multiplied discomfort). Several changes have greatly reduced or eliminated the problems over the last couple of years. Clean shorts every day are a given but:

A new seat--a Nashbar F1 with cutout (in my case)-- helped quite a bit.
A suspenson seat post also helped.
Bag Balm, applied to my skin in the areas of friction every morning was the latest addition and helped significantly. (I found I don't need to coat the shorts if I make sure the skin areas are covered--that is, sit bones and around the crotch. It is also much cheaper than the special lubes.)

I also carry Destin (zink oxide) ointment. (It worked for my kid's diaper rash and I have found it just as effective on chaffed skin if you do develop it.)

Finally, while my F1 seat works great for day centuries, I tried adding a foam seat pad--with the center cut out to match the seat--on BRAG this last spring and got through that ride with NO soreness. I expect to test that system again on CNC this year. Multi-hours for multi-days just takes a lot more care. Muscles condition but, at least in my experience as a still-working person, I never can get enough saddle time to acceptably toughen my butt.

Hope some of this helps.

**Posts:** 17

I use bag balm as I previously stated. I do not apply any to my shorts, I simply put it on where ever my skin will rub on skin. And a little where my sit bones hit the saddle. Before I rode CNC last year I had never used anything, after many people said I would be sorry I tried the chamois butter instantly had a reaction to it (yeast by evening). So I went back to using nothing during training. But after day two of the CNC I had the beginnings of saddle sores (never got beyond tender). I started using the bag balm on day 3 and was amazed that all my problems went away and have been using it ever since.