Some years ago I was given a tube of “Brave Soldier” Friction Zone. It was different than anything I had used up to that time including Assos and Chamois Butt’r and some others. I stocked up on it. I am beginning to wonder if it is still available as I am down to the last of 12 tubes. I hope so, it is really great stuff. Very little is required to protect you over a long ride.

Happy days but I sure don’t want to turn back the clock!

A-Merckx to that!

I believe we are living in parallel universes. I stumbled onto the same remedy just recently through trial and error (many trials and many errors!) I would make the following additions: Use Noxema in the shower to get all the chamois creme etc etc removed. Follow that with an astringent (acne wash). Then apply the Gold Bond after drying. Also, go “commando” as often and as long as possible. Be patient. This takes time (maybe 2 weeks + or -).

Great input, and welcome aboard.

@wiscot

@Optimiste

@Rom

I remember the good old days, having to wash your jersey and shorts by hand in wool wash then having to wait ages for them to dry and the chamois ending up stiff as a board. on recommendation I used to rub in this cream I think called Jecovital to soften the chamois. Once you sweat a bit you’d almost pass out from the vapours.

modern chamois beats the old days hands down.

No doubt. Modern chamois also make it infinitely easier to minimize the introduction of bacteria. If at all possible, I wash my kit after each use – knowing it will be dry by morning. When I can’t (as when riding to and from work in full kit), I have plenty of hangers at my desk to let everything dry out during the day. Ideally, I’ll turn the bibs inside-out and put the chamois in direct sunlight. It’s as good as bleach.

Indeed, indeed. Old school shorts were literally a pain in the ass. After washing, the chamois resembled a popadum. Even a large amount of cream rubbed in did little to give anything approaching comfort. And padding under the chamois? Forget it. Kids today, they just don’t know how good they have it – wash, dry and good to go.

For modern times, I use Vitamin A&D ointment from the drugstore as chamois cream. Works a treat and cheap.

As for vapours, a friend’s Mum used to make us some special embrocation for cold weather races. Lots of wintergreen in there!

Speaking of things your mum made, here I am centre, with arm warders knitted by me mum, circa 1982. Who said merino was the new wonder material?

Great pic! Reminds me of my days as a pedalwan. Lots of acrylic, short shorts, white socks and black shoes. Bike: exposed cables, friction shifters, one bottle cage. Happy days but I sure don’t want to turn back the clock!

For prevention, I use a lanolin medicated cream Lanisol I think it’s called.

Think I’ve had trouble since changing to the Arione after my crash. Gleefully accepted gift as my previous was rooted and unable to afford another, I’m suffering from 80km on at the moment..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/CavilonTM-Durable-Barrier-Cream-Tube/dp/B0047W4FFI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404147151&sr=8-1&keywords=cavilon

@Mike_P

@eenies

@VeloJello My VHM is also medically trained and for this I will be forever thankful. Just over a year ago I developed a hard painful saddle sore which refused to go away. After a couple of inspections (far above and beyond the call of duty) she pulled a 20mm wee ginger ingrown hair out of it, a dab of Sudacrem and a couple of days later I was back on the bike pain free and whistling a happy tune. Fuck knows what I would have done without her.

Folks, can we PLEASE not get in to any more detail than this?!

This is how we can easily tell those of us who work either directly or indirectly with health care. This sort of thing is dinner table conversation.

At least he refrained from posting pictures……oh no; I said it.

Surprising for the UK the sun has been out a while and at the weekend I was reminded of that challenge when prepping for an event at 6 am of making sure that you put on suncream, chamois cream and embrocation in the correct places and in the right order……….

Ha ha. Very carefully I bet!

@Optimiste
Must make for pretty interesting office decor!

Yes.  I’m often asked if I also do dry cleaning.

@Optimiste

@Rom

I remember the good old days, having to wash your jersey and shorts by hand in wool wash then having to wait ages for them to dry and the chamois ending up stiff as a board. on recommendation I used to rub in this cream I think called Jecovital to soften the chamois. Once you sweat a bit you’d almost pass out from the vapours.

modern chamois beats the old days hands down.

No doubt. Modern chamois also make it infinitely easier to minimize the introduction of bacteria. If at all possible, I wash my kit after each use – knowing it will be dry by morning. When I can’t (as when riding to and from work in full kit), I have plenty of hangers at my desk to let everything dry out during the day. Ideally, I’ll turn the bibs inside-out and put the chamois in direct sunlight. It’s as good as bleach.

Indeed, indeed. Old school shorts were literally a pain in the ass. After washing, the chamois resembled a popadum. Even a large amount of cream rubbed in did little to give anything approaching comfort. And padding under the chamois? Forget it. Kids today, they just don’t know how good they have it – wash, dry and good to go.

For modern times, I use Vitamin A&D ointment from the drugstore as chamois cream. Works a treat and cheap.

As for vapours, a friend’s Mum used to make us some special embrocation for cold weather races. Lots of wintergreen in there!

Speaking of things your mum made, here I am centre, with arm warders knitted by me mum, circa 1982. Who said merino was the new wonder material?

@Rom

I remember the good old days, having to wash your jersey and shorts by hand in wool wash then having to wait ages for them to dry and the chamois ending up stiff as a board. on recommendation I used to rub in this cream I think called Jecovital to soften the chamois. Once you sweat a bit you’d almost pass out from the vapours.

modern chamois beats the old days hands down.

No doubt. Modern chamois also make it infinitely easier to minimize the introduction of bacteria. If at all possible, I wash my kit after each use – knowing it will be dry by morning. When I can’t (as when riding to and from work in full kit), I have plenty of hangers at my desk to let everything dry out during the day. Ideally, I’ll turn the bibs inside-out and put the chamois in direct sunlight. It’s as good as bleach.

Indeed, indeed. Old school shorts were literally a pain in the ass. After washing, the chamois resembled a popadum. Even a large amount of cream rubbed in did little to give anything approaching comfort. And padding under the chamois? Forget it. Kids today, they just don’t know how good they have it – wash, dry and good to go.

For modern times, I use Vitamin A&D ointment from the drugstore as chamois cream. Works a treat and cheap.

As for vapours, a friend’s Mum used to make us some special embrocation for cold weather races. Lots of wintergreen in there!

Very happy to be a pedalwan sometimes. This would be one of them.

@Optimiste

Must make for pretty interesting office decor!

I remember the good old days, having to wash your jersey and shorts by hand in wool wash then having to wait ages for them to dry and the chamois ending up stiff as a board. on recommendation I used to rub in this cream I think called Jecovital to soften the chamois. Once you sweat a bit you’d almost pass out from the vapours.

modern chamois beats the old days hands down.

No doubt. Modern chamois also make it infinitely easier to minimize the introduction of bacteria.  If at all possible, I wash my kit after each use – knowing it will be dry by morning.  When I can’t (as when riding to and from work in full kit), I have plenty of hangers at my desk to let everything dry out during the day.  Ideally, I’ll turn the bibs inside-out and put the chamois in direct sunlight.  It’s as good as bleach.

modern chamois beats the old days hands down.

A former pro put me onto Am-o-Lin baby cream. Soothes and protects.

http://bayer.com.au/scripts/pages/en/bayerrsquos_products/index.php?aktion=details&id=375&l1=&l2=

works a treat!  Not a regular sufferer, very occasionally in summer after 3+ hrs in the saddle.

Also, while I haven’t seen just about any of you in the flesh and, assuming as cyclists/Velominati, not only do we all look fantastic whilst kitted out but also nude, I’m getting some severely disturbing mental images here folks………

@unversio

Keeping the “entire” area shaved reduces an amount of friction that makes all the difference. Think of it as taking the Chewbacca liner out of your bibs for a change.

This. But keep that part of Rule #50 in mind about not shaving on the morning of an important race. Not so much to maintain virility, but to avoid rash. And waxing lasts a lot longer than shaving.

Waxing? In the crackle region?!  I’m sure the emotional scarring lasts longer too.  All that comes to mind is the chest waxing scene in “The 40 Year old Virgin”, but an order of magnitude worse. Although I’m sure if there are any Velominatas or VMHs reading this, who have also had a Kojak wax, they are likely rolling their eyes.

Keeping the “entire” area shaved reduces an amount of friction that makes all the difference. Think of it as taking the Chewbacca liner out of your bibs for a change.

This. But keep that part of Rule #50 in mind about not shaving on the morning of an important race. Not so much to maintain virility, but to avoid rash. And waxing lasts a lot longer than shaving.

A few years back I was getting a wee spot of rubbing in my left groin. Inspection found a skin tag that was chaffing on the saddle. So off to my doc to find out if I should just tie it off or what. No probs says he, we can just freeze it with a blast of nitrogen, book in on Thursday when we do those by the duty doctor. So books in does I. Trots in at the due time to find fist that the duty doctor that day was female, so a bit embarrassing. Anyway I adopt the proscribed position having dropped the Jockeys and she produces what can only be described as a decent sized fire extinguisher. At this point I became a bit concerned over the accuracy and spread of said device! Anyway all’s well that ends well and the thing did thankfully have a controllable blast.

Ouch…. Now Opsite spray post vasectomy. That REALLY stings…

Yes, price. That, and there are no hot chicks (Assos girl) hawking diaper cream.

A former pro put me onto Am-o-Lin baby cream. Soothes and protects.

http://bayer.com.au/scripts/pages/en/bayerrsquos_products/index.php?aktion=details&id=375&l1=&l2=

Is there a difference between diaper rash cream and chamois cream?

@Owen

@VeloJello Grew up in a family of doctors and have thus a warped idea of what should and should not pass the filter.

Why filter anything… This is a safe space, mostly.

 “Chewbacca liner”

That is both disturbing and brilliant.

@ChrisO

@unversi

Keeping the “entire” area shaved reduces an amount of friction that makes all the difference. Think of it as taking the Chewbacca liner out of your bibs for a change.

Yes I agree with that – not shaved as that increases the risk of ingrowing hairs, but trimmed short.

and to add to the OP go commando whenever possible. If I’m wearing shorts or anything loose it’s free underneath.

Ingrown hairs was my concern as well.  I’ll have to try the trim, since I am part Wookiee.

Keeping the “entire” area shaved reduces an amount of friction that makes all the difference. Think of it as taking the Chewbacca liner out of your bibs for a change

à la Belgium style

@VeloJello

@Chris Maybe not a cyst, but something in the groin area edging to eruption gets the lady excited… Badum Tish! I’ll get my coat.

Did you get the Lantern Rouge for shit VSP picks or shit jokes?

Both. It’s an art unto itself.

@ChrisO

@unversi

Keeping the “entire” area shaved reduces an amount of friction that makes all the difference. Think of it as taking the Chewbacca liner out of your bibs for a change.

Yes I agree with that – not shaved as that increases the risk of ingrowing hairs, but trimmed short.

and to add to the OP go commando whenever possible. If I’m wearing shorts or anything loose it’s free underneath.

Definitely good advice. Swing easy and air it.

Keeping the “entire” area shaved reduces an amount of friction that makes all the difference. Think of it as taking the Chewbacca liner out of your bibs for a change.

Yes I agree with that – not shaved as that increases the risk of ingrowing hairs, but trimmed short.

and to add to the OP go commando whenever possible. If I’m wearing shorts or anything loose it’s free underneath.

Fantastic writing, given it’s such a grim topic. I think this will probably resonate with a great many of us. I’ve recently been needing to use anti-septic cream due to a similar, but less “close to erupting” sore. Careful when you buy new shorts folks!

Sage advice. I don’t recall who posted it here first, but I found this video helpful.

(Don’t even ask about the acne cream bit)

@eenies

@VeloJello My VHM is also medically trained and for this I will be forever thankful. Just over a year ago I developed a hard painful saddle sore which refused to go away. After a couple of inspections (far above and beyond the call of duty) she pulled a 20mm wee ginger ingrown hair out of it, a dab of Sudacrem and a couple of days later I was back on the bike pain free and whistling a happy tune. Fuck knows what I would have done without her.

Folks, can we PLEASE not get in to any more detail than this?!

Keeping the “entire” area shaved reduces an amount of friction that makes all the difference. Think of it as taking the Chewbacca liner out of your bibs for a change.

@VeloJello

@Chris Maybe not a cyst, but something in the groin area edging to eruption gets the lady excited… Badum Tish! I’ll get my coat.

Did you get the Lantern Rouge for shit VSP picks or shit jokes?

Yes?

@Chris Maybe not a cyst, but something in the groin area edging to eruption gets the lady excited… Badum Tish! I’ll get my coat.

Did you get the Lantern Rouge for shit VSP picks or shit jokes?

@eenies

@VeloJello My VHM is also medically trained and for this I will be forever thankful. Just over a year ago I developed a hard painful saddle sore which refused to go away. After a couple of inspections (far above and beyond the call of duty) she pulled a 20mm wee ginger ingrown hair out of it, a dab of Sudacrem and a couple of days later I was back on the bike pain free and whistling a happy tune. Fuck knows what I would have done without her.

Folks, can we PLEASE not get in to any more detail than this?!

This is how we can easily tell those of us who work either directly or indirectly with health care. This sort of thing is dinner table conversation.

Fungal cream to the groin area can be a pre-bedtime passion killer!

As can a volcanic proportioned about to erupt abcess/cyst

@VeloJello My VHM is also medically trained and for this I will be forever thankful. Just over a year ago I developed a hard painful saddle sore which refused to go away. After a couple of inspections (far above and beyond the call of duty) she pulled a 20mm wee ginger ingrown hair out of it, a dab of Sudacrem and a couple of days later I was back on the bike pain free and whistling a happy tune. Fuck knows what I would have done without her.

Folks, can we PLEASE not get in to any more detail than this?!

Im a fan of the Assos chamois cream…cooooool and refreshing baby!!!!

Not sure what the equivalent would be here – looking at the the contents something like Sudocrem but that’s an ointment not a powder.

I have been relatively blessed with an absence of saddle issues, and hope to continue this way inshallah.

But my training buddy Tim suffers badly. He is an occasional lurker on these pages so I’m sure he won’t mind my revealing his crotchal discomfort to the world. He appears to have tried every cream known to man, even going so far as precribed medication and has also sought bike fits and new saddles.

Like you Optimiste this is also a recent occurrence after years of blemish-free riding so it is something of a mystery. It’s even forced him to cut down on his riding – he’s planning a holiday with riding in Italy and is trying to balance doing enough to be able to enjoy it against doing so much he arrives in a severely damaged state.

Verifying the promise of Castelli’s Progetto X2 tomorrow “” 184km STV ready.

The X2 is good but I’ve found that they can be prone to coming unstitched where the two sections join to create at a hole through which your bits can get pinched by the saddle.

245km last weekend was not a good time to find that my two year old v-bibs have finally given up any pretence at cushioning. It was also surprising how little evidence there was of Butt’r after that distance despite having applied enough before the start to make one feel slightly odd.

@frank please get the V-Kit procurement issues ironed out, I need to restock!

http://bayer.com.au/scripts/pages/en/bayerrsquos_products/index.php?aktion=details&id=375&l1=&l2=

And I sure as hell don’t miss real chamois one bit and generally prefer Keith Bontrager’s recipe for chamois cream. It’s pretty cheap and works like a charm keeping the nether regions in good working order.

For me and my taint, Chamois Butt’r.  Applied with a masonry trowel.