Machka 

Have you tried going cream free? Why do you think you need the cream? If your bicycle is set up correctly, if you've got the right saddle for you, and if you are wearing the right clothing for you ... chances are, you don't need it.

Try going without ... you might find you don't need to spend another cent on the stuff.

Nachoman

Don't most bike specific chamois creams contain anti-bacterial stuff, whereas petroleum jelly does not?

slowandsteady

I have used Bag Balm for years and don't get infections. Bag balm also contains an antimicrobial agent. Bag balm washes out of my chamois and has not limited the lifespan of the shorts one bit. I find it works better than water based chamois creams since it doesn't get diluted on hot sweaty rides. You can count on bag balm being there at mile 100.

slowandsteady

Plus lanolin and an antimicrobial agent.

2manybikes

Lubriderm hand lotion washes right out. It's water soluble. Put some on your hands and hold them underwater it comes tight off. I may have done close to 100 (one hundred) century rides (100 plus miles) At least 3/4 of them using lubriderm. If one has an imitation leather chamois, you can spread the lotion on the chamois the day before. Leave it over night and it soaks in (just like it soaks into your hands, or your butt). Then it does not feel strange when you first start your ride.

Gege-Bubu

Yes, I did. If I ride short distances like 35-40 miles I am sure i am ok. But when I ride over 50 miles (quite often) the sweat can cause the problem, not every time, not with every bibs, but enough to make my ride uncomfortable. That is why I'd rather put some chaff prevention cream on before the ride, than healing cream after

Dean V

I have never used chamois cream (30yrs riding) and never had a problem whatever the distance.

Busta Quad

Never used it either. Maybe folks just need better chamois?

caloso

Two pages and no Buffalo Bill reference? This place is going downhill.

rebel1916

Some of my friends can run a marathon with no nipple chafing. Mine are sometimes in agony after a 10K. Not sure what your personal experience has to do with it, but hurray for your sturdy tuchis.

rebel1916

It rubs the lotion on the skin or else it gets real chafed again. Best I can do.

Gege-Bubu

There is always a first time, and then one will never leave on a ride without a cream.
As I started cycling, I did not care about the cream. However, on one ride I got a light rush between the legs, it was not bad at all, but cream is my friend since then.

I hope you will continue to ride for another 30 plus years and have no chafe problem

Busta Quad

This could be very perplexing for non-riders. We spend good money for saddles, then more money for shorts with padding to "sit" on those saddles, and then spend more money for creams to put on the padding so we can sit on it without incurring gangreen.

GiantDefyGuy

That actually sounds quite nice!


I don't really use the chamois cream either, but there have been a few times where I used just regular hand lotion down there when I was anticipating having a problem that day. It seemed to work fine.....or else it didn't work at all and I wasn't going to have a problem that day anyway. LOL.

caloso

roadwarrior

Yes. And as some have mentioned, it is virtually impossible to get out of the pad unless you use hot water which is death for spandex shorts. Further, it gets on your saddle.

rbrsddn

I've used it for 90 mile rides with no issues. Have used it for 10+ years.

Machka 

Or better fitting bicycles.
Or better saddles.

Or they just need to wash themselves periodically during a long ride.

Banzai

There have been moments where I've thought that this thread should be merged with the screwy thread about anime jerseys. That one would go well with a discussion about lubricants...

Machka 

22 years of cycling, over 140,000 km in all sorts of conditions including four 1200K randonnees and all the shorter randonnees leading up to that ... and no need for creams.

I did try a whole bunch of different creams in the summer of 2003. I had completed two seasons of randonneuring by then, including my first 1200K, and was fine, but people told me I'd be more comfortable with cream. So I experimented with all sorts of them, and discovered that by and large, they were awful. I was more uncomfortable with the cream than without.

Sure, on some very long, hot or very long and rainy rides I might get a light rash, but that's easily taken care of ... good hot shower, soap and water, then a light application of zinc oxide cream after the ride. Good to go in the morning.

In all that riding, I've had one and only one saddle sore ... and that had to do with a combination of gel saddle, old loose cycling shorts, and pouring rain. Bad combination.

surgeonstone

Throw in a scrotum or two and you might find the need increasing. As I have gotten older, I find I need the creams more and more. Vsoline works though I have found the the thickness to pull at hairs in the nether regions. Chamois creams that are lighter work best for me when needed.
And when they are needed, they really, really help.

rebel1916

Yeah, I don't use it either. But why do you think your experience with a lack of undercarriage tenderness has any bearing on people who do experience said tenderness.

Busta Quad

You have two?

Paul Y.

Lubriderm. Works well, washes out easily. All good.

trek330

Bag Balm solved all my chafing issues.