JohnDThompson 

I used to use chamois oil on leather chamois. I haven't found it necessary to use anything with a synthetic chamois.

CAT7RDR

Tried Noxzema and Queen Helene and both are Okay, but Bag Balm I have found will last all day in the saddle and I sweat like the dickens too.
I no longer ride on my fluid trainer out of boredom. When I did, no creme is going to help with soreness being in one position. I had to frequently shift in the saddle or raise up.

Koyote

Why are you replying to me? I never claimed it was necessary.

drz400

50 to 100 miles. Summer high 90° humid. Lows in the winter till it gets snowy. I ride with good shorts, Ive never had saddle sores.
I've had saddle soreness, but never sores.I just never seen such a product.

Steel Charlie

Any hypoallergenic, perfume free body lotion or cream will work just fine.

Iride01 

There is probably a lot of stuff you've never seen. I'm sure there is a lot of stuff I've never seen. No need to be aware or surprised of them if you aren't having an issue they'll solve.

rsbob 

Chamois butter also goes great on toast with jelly

Love Chris Horner.

markynels

Ok I'll admit, I went pretty deep down the rabbit hole after seeing a few posts on chamois creams here today, and elsewhere. Some good insight here, from the archives.

Bontrager's recipe debuted in Outside magazine's August 2007 edition, and consisted of;

• 13 oz petroleum jelly
• 1 oz triple antibiotic ointment
• 1 oz hydrocortisone cream
• 1 oz lanolin

I placed an order on Amazon a moment ago (Vaseline + Polysporin complete (with lidocaine) + Lansinoh lanolin) which should arrive at my home tomorrow. My wife travels to Spain to meet me at the end of this week at which point I'll finally be able to give Nox a run for its money, first with all-out efforts on Peñas Blancas, followed by Coll de Rates when we travel up the coast to Calpe. Looking at roughly 25hrs in the saddle over those 2 weeks, so I'll be back with what I hope is a conclusive review (if anyone, apart from my behind, care!).

Sy Reene

Much of the purpose-made chamois creams are water soluble to a large degree. Good luck with petroleum jelly and getting it out of your shorts afterwards.

Rolla

A little dab'll do ya. I use it on long rides, especially in the summer.

chaadster

I’ve used chamois cream habitually for more than 20 years, and while I’ve ridden successfully without it at times, I don’t care to find out what would happen if I abandoned the practice altogether.

Chamois Butt’r brand is my go-to and preferred cream.

Atlas Shrugged

Leaving a greasy ass print in every coffee shop you stop at won't make you any friends either. A tube of name-brand Chamois creme really won't break the bank.

himespau 

Outdoors, I haven't had as much need for it. Indoors (where I do most of my riding), it's an every ride or else kind of thing.

79pmooney

I put the Bag Balm liberally on me, not the shorts and just in the areas that contact the seat. I've never seen it go through the chamois. (And the shorts wash up nicely on just the delicate cycle I use for all my cycling gear.)

chaadster

So I guess the only question remaining in this thread is which shammy jam is the kreem delle creames of underside unguents, the prince of perineal paste, the big chief of grundle grease?

Mtracer

It's all good until it isn't. I didn't use any chamois cream when I first started riding, then about halfway through a 30-mile ride, I got some chaffing going. Nothing to do but finish the ride with my undercarriage feeling like it was on fire. I'd much rather use it and maybe not need to 9 out of 10 times than not have it the 1 out of 10 times I needed it.

I tend to get more of a skin to skin chafing rather than something between my skin and the chamois. So, I apply it to me, not the chamois. I've settled on the Assos cream. Pretty spendy, but I probably get about 1,000 miles from a container of it (~$30). So, that's something around 3 cents per mile. More than worth it to me.

I've had a few saddle sores, even with cream. Though rare and the last one was caused by my saddle slightly rotated to one side. So, cream isn't going to solved a poor setup.

If you have never used it and don't have a problem, then no reason to start using it. If you get some irritation or saddle sores, then certainly give it a try. I'd certainly use something water soluble and anti-bacterial.

zandoval 

Call it what it is...

Butt Butter!

You will eventually get your turn. That nice comfortable seat saturated with your gear all soaked with sweat will introduce you to the Flying Butt Pliers...

pdlamb

Like so many things, if you don't need it, don't worry about it. Simple.

If you need it, it works, and works well. I prefer Chamois Butt'r to the Euro style -- no need to get my attention down there!

"I remember this time" story. On a week-long, 300 rider supported ride, and one of the things the pre-ride booklet recommended was chamois cream. I was walking past a first aid tent where a rider had just found out he needed it, and was loudly pleading for the first aid tent to give him some! They didn't have any, so I stopped and mentioned the mechanics' tent up the hill was associated with a bike shop and was selling Chamois Butt'r. Last saw him hobbling up the hill -- it was probably the best $15 he ever spent!

Still wonder why people pony up a few grand to go on a ride like that and don't bother reading the information they send you...

Kai Winters

I too use Noxema since watching the Chris Horner video and prefer it to others I've tried.
If you don't use it that's fine. I really don't care. Do what you want and live your own way.
But I like the "tingly" sensation I get when using Noxema.

Sy Reene

One could I suppose opt to just carry a packet if it's found to be needed. $1.25

pdlamb

Though I buy the larger tubes for pre-ride home use (a couple pairs of bike shorts with problematic seams and/or chamois), I always have a packet like this with me on the bike. Works well when sweat washes the initial application away, or I start to feel chafing in an unexpected spot, etc. And even that tiny packet is good for multiple applications.

Sy Reene

Just make sure when you reach into your back pocket for a gel, check that you really grabbed the gel.

Keefusb

I have found that Bag Balm is the best, but A+D Diaper Rash Ointment also works well in a pinch.

martianone

Usually don''t use any - however once in a while on a longer ride (>80 km) in very hot or humid weather [of if it is hot and rainy] will start out with some Assos Cream.
Butt Butter is fine too, my partner prefers it and the little packs are convenient.

Sy Reene

Gotta love the names of some of these. I think I have a container of Gooch Guard in some cabinet around here. I think a lot of the success might be due to clever naming of the same basic ingredients (+/- those found in Noxzema)