FAQ ~ Saddle Sores
One way to avoid chamois
friction
Mario and I go head to head
I'm having a little trouble with saddle sores, is
this a common thing, is it "normal", or am I doing something wrong?
Quite a few riders, who will all remain anonymous!
First off, it warms my heart that people are "comfortable enough" with me that we can share such discussions; especially the ladies.
Again, these are non-medical opinions and based on anecdotal evidence, with a little empirical research.
Saddle sores fall in to two camps. First we have "localized chaffing", more a friction-type affliction; and secondly we have pustules, not nice! These are caused more by blocked pores and saddle pressure.
First we'll cover chaffing. Prevention is much better than cure, so lets try and stop it happening in the first place.
Prevention
What might be causing it could be slightly rucked, ill fitting, or worn, shorts.
There is always going to be movement between bum, short and saddle.
But if it becomes too much, that creates friction which leads
to heat, a "burnt" skin layer and, when mixed with sweat, a rash as much as anything else.
Just to clarify, the bum isn't the problem, the main
"saddle sore" area is the perineum.
If not "protected" this often turns in to a sore, that becomes inflamed and much more sensitive. So let's stop that happening.
Clothing
Buy
the best quality BIB shorts you can afford. Shorts without
shoulder straps have no place in yours, or anyone else's cycling wardrobe.
For our team shorts we went for the top quality, Decca pro level items, as worn by the Katusha team. You don't compromise on this stuff.
Lubricate your "middle soft-tissue" area with something either designed for the job, (chamois cream) which is expensive, or Savlon, which is not.
Under no circumstances whatsoever, use Vaseline! It's petroleum based and will eat your sensitive, technical short material alive.
Hygiene
If it's not a chaffing problem, then it gets a little more
serious. Pustules are often pressure sores that have gone
wrong! And obviously, sometimes you have to release the
pressure.
Hot
shower, sterilized pin, mirror, tissues and a steady nerve.
Don't spend too much time wondering "isn't nature marvelous".
Just get in, get the job done, get the antiseptic cream (Savoln or Zinc & Castor) on it and get yourself a cup of tea and sit quietly for a while.
Position
Position can also be a problem. Surprisingly, a lower
saddle is more of a problem than a higher one. Low saddles can
cause pressure sores, high saddles can cause friction-chaffing.
It's also possible you could be sitting too far back, or too far forward. Get your position checked out by someone who knows.
You should be sitting on your sit bones. They are designed to take the pressure. You shouldn't be "balanced" on your perineum, which is not.
Saddles are obviously another factor to consider, as there are so many types these days, not all will fit you as you would like. If you get the chance, ask around, swap around, or check the one you have for deformations. They do wear out!
The Low Down
Never wear the same (unwashed) shorts two days running. Shower
as soon as you can after getting off the bike, but obviously after
you've uploaded Strava. Apply a cream before you go out.
If it gets serious, and you will know when that point comes, get to your doctor and get it sorted. Saddle sores are not normal, you shouldn't be having them on a regular basis. The last thing you want is a cyst or boil forming. So get it sorted.
And be careful of some of the specialist creams. One of our riders, having never suffered, all of a sudden began to have serious troubles. When asked "what's changed" they said nothing, absolutely nothing. Same kit, same bike, same everything.
When pressed, we tracked it down to a new chamois product, as they'd ran out of their usual one. The new one was very oily, very expensive and was clogging the sensitive pores.
Changed the product, all sorted in a week.
