Chafing doesn’t cover it

[IBarrett]

Yesterday I did nearly 100 miles - my longest day in the saddle since coming back from a back injury. But the last 20 were agony because I have unbelievable chafing to the point where there is a clear imprint of my shorts pad on my arris

Apart from being unable to sit last night it’s feeling a little better today. But I need to know what caused it so I can avoid it next week.

I noticed my shorts pad was ringing wet - I assume from sweat, unless I’ve just become incontinent without realising it.
I have the same bib shorts in Spain and here in the uk. So I don’t think it’s them, and I wear a Planet X 365 sleeveless baselayer to catch some of the sweat.
I’m confused about how bum butter have avoided the chafing because the sweat is still going to (please excuse this expression) fill my pants.

Would a combination of a different baselayer and bum butter stop the chafing?
Or do I need to consider a different bib?

Or something else?

Help please guys because the pain last night wasn’t funny, despite what the family thought!

 

[Sharky]

No solution, but a suggestion. Have you thought of taking a spare pair of shorts with you and changing into them at the lunch stop of halfway point?

 

[User6179]

I wear a liner short under my bibs, have did this for 10 years and never had chaffing.

 

[vickster]

Sudocreme

Also are you very hairy, some pruning may help

 

[mickle]

I had a pair of short in which the pad had been stitched too far forwards leaving my ischial tuberosities hanging off the edge or rather sitting on the seam of the pad.. They were fine for the first few miles and then excruciating. It took me ages to establish the cause.

The point of chamois cream / bum butter is to stick the shorts to the surface of your arse. This eliminates any movement of skin against shorts and relocates it to the exterior of the shorts and the saddle.

I don't know what to suggest about the excessive sweating except maybe take off the cardigan.

 

[pawl]

I have ridden hundreds off miles back in the day when real chame was the norm.

I don’t get on with the current padded shorts,the padding appears to be to thick or does not cover the areas of my back side it should,and no I haven’t got a big posterio.The most comforting ones are a cheap unbranded pair.
I have bought shorts ranging from£50 to £80 but none are as comfortable as my cheapos,I have no idea where I got them from

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

It’s probably too late, but 7-10 years at a public school should toughen the appropriate areas sufficiently to avoid these kind of problems.

 

[cyberknight]

It’s probably too late, but 7-10 years at a public school should toughen the appropriate areas sufficiently to avoid these kind of problems.

View: https://twitter.com/pitchblacksteed/status/847719284520255489

 

[Blue Hills]

Op, are you talking about something more than chafing?

You mean rub?

Surface issues?

Or something deeper?

 

[Tin Pot]

But the last 20 were agony because I have unbelievable chafing to the point where there is a clear imprint of my shorts pad on my arris

Chafing is where the skin is sore from rubbing. It will be red, sensitive to touch, the skin damage may be worse, bleeding, infection being the worst scenario.

Imprints of pads would almost be the opposite of chafing.

 

[Dave 123]

Chamois cream before the ride, Sudocreme after the ride.

 

[FishFright]

I had a pair of short in which the pad had been stitched too far forwards leaving my ischial tuberosities hanging off the edge or rather sitting on the seam of the pad.. They were fine for the first few miles and then excruciating. It took me ages to establish the cause.

The point of chamois cream / bum butter is to stick the shorts to the surface of your arse. This eliminates any movement of skin against shorts and relocates it to the exterior of the shorts and the saddle.

I don't know what to suggest about the excessive sweating except maybe take off the cardigan.

Well that's my 'learn something new everyday' sorted . Thanks

 

[IBarrett]

Hi all and thanks for your comments - well, except for the public school reference @Tenacious Sloth :-)
Last night my backside was very sore and weeping and the shower had me gritting my teeth.
I had a poor nights sleep but today it seems a little better and dry. I can at least sit down again.
The redness is still very clear and pad shaped but I think it looks worse than it feels now.
I haven’t put anything on it.

 

[PaulSB]

Yesterday was hot. My suggestion is you sweated more than usual leading to a damp or wet pad which causes chaffing.

In this country I rarely use creams but when I’m touring in France would always use Sudocreme. Changing to a dry pair of bib shorts is a good suggestion - I wouldn’t have thought of this though now realise I’ve done this on a few occasions.

 

[Bazzer]

Another recommendation for sudocreme.
If I anticipate being in the saddle for >4 hours, I apply it liberally to the areas I know will be affected before the ride. It can feel a bit yucky to begin with, but that soon disappears.