Attention cyclists: delicate question....
 

Been trying to spend more time in the saddle, but suffer from the dreaded "nutsack chafe". How do you serious riders avoid this???

(I got the gel seat and bicycle shorts already—but they don't help. At least not enough.)

My neighbour douses himself with a bucket of baby powder before he rides, and when he takes off he looks like Johnny Depp in scene from "Blow". Not sure I want to go that route.

My freind who who I ride with uses vaseline..

I find a harder (non-gel) saddle actually is better. The gel ones simply contour to your soft tissue and increase the amount of rubbing that goes on - at least this is what I found...

Try different shorts (including bib shorts) until you find ones that work. *shrug* Don't know what else to tell ya. Have you tried adjusting seat and riding position? A few millimeters makes a big difference. You want your ass bones on the seat and carrying the weight - you don't want your soft tissue (buttocks, muscles, etc.) carrying any weight. This will make you uncomfortable and could help create extra movement "down under" that might be related to your problem.

I'd experiment with:

- saddle
- saddle position (geometry)
- shorts type

The lotions and creams and powders don't do jack - at least I don't think so. Once you're riding hard stuff gets sweated off anyway. If you're riding more than an hour I'd say it's not doing anything. Or else you're not riding hard enough... ;) Just keep your shorts/gear clean and shower up right after you ride.

I find a harder (non-gel) saddle actually is better. The gel ones simply contour to your soft tissue and increase the amount of rubbing that goes on - at least this is what I found...

Try different shorts (including bib shorts) until you find ones that work. *shrug* Don't know what else to tell ya. Have you tried adjusting seat and riding position? A few millimeters makes a big difference. You want your ass bones on the seat and carrying the weight - you don't want your soft tissue (buttocks, muscles, etc.) carrying any weight. This will make you uncomfortable and could help create extra movement "down under" that might be related to your problem.

I'd experiment with:

- saddle
- saddle position (geometry)
- shorts type

The lotions and creams and powders don't do jack - at least I don't think so. Once you're riding hard stuff gets sweated off anyway. If you're riding more than an hour I'd say it's not doing anything. Or else you're not riding hard enough... ;) Just keep your shorts/gear clean and shower up right after you ride.

http://images.teamestrogen.com/ri/30...g/PP-CB8OZ.jpg

Butt Butter

or really

Butt'R

Butt everyone calls it Butt Butter

use saddle with hole in between. stay away from padded foam or gel. not good for long distance. the less cushion the better. also, pick a saddle that supports your butt bone only and slim up front. get a jar of assos brand chamois cream. it has a cooling agent. hope it works out for you. good luck.

If you purchased your bike recently or use a regular shop take your bike there in your shorts and shoes that you ride in. Get properly fitted and a saddle that they recommend if yours is not comfortable. (if your shop is crap and they are not professional you are waisting your time). If your bike does not fit you or is not set up properly you may be doing more damage to your body than good. If you still have chafe try any of the products your local shop sells for this.
If you are sure your bike is set up correctly then I would say it is your shorts or saddle. I can due 3-4 hour rides 4-5 times a week and have no problems in htis area.

Forget the gel saddle and shorts. Non-cyclists think the softer the saddle and also the shorts, the more comfortable you'll be. The exact opposite is true. As a matter of fact, a lot of touring cyclists, those who vacation on their bikes, swear by Brooks leather saddles. Those things when new is like riding on concrete saddle but when worn in are wonderful, I've heard.

Get a good leather saddle. I use the men's Terry Fly seat. They're about $100 or so. Also, invest in good bib shorts. I wear Pearl Izumis that cost about $135. Assos, which a lot of cyclists love, are about $200 or so. My PIs suits me just fine though. Lastly, your riding position can be the cause as well. Is your saddle pointing up slightly? It probably should not.

Ditch the gel-seat, put a proper saddle on it. Check out http://www.pricepoint.com for good cheap gear.

Also check out Chamios Butt'r, Dznuts, etc...

As mentioned above:
- Is your saddle level or pointed upwards? I ride mine pointed downwards, put the pressure on the buttbones
- Also, I ride a cheap hard saddle with basic roadie shorts from Performance Bikes, never had a problem

shorts and a saddle,

correct fit

(shorts come in styles these days that look like regular walking shorts but with a nice pad, so you can walk around in public without displaying your johnson,)
(not that I mind showing off the johnson, mind, you)

different shorts and saddle.

the first time i did a 100 mile ride, my shorts rubbed my head raw, raw like you would not believe. i could not not take it any more and had to stop at around 90.
new shorts, a good pair, and never had the problem again, or maybe it just toughened up:D. anyway, pearl izumi's is one brand i used. dont go cheap, get the best even if it means less pairs. i did go to bibs too.

Ride down to Campione Cycle.
Talk to Guisseppe.

really top quality shorts an absolute. saddle position is critical and pay attention to it's position relative to handlebar height. I found mine a bit to low so I was always pushing myself backwards onto the seat to keep my weight properly positioned.

and when I'm going to do a really long day >75miles, I use a small piece of the pad from an old pair of shorts and stick it under the nutsack to give a little more bufer.

The shorts are a must and it might be that its the actual material that is causing the chafe, certainly if its real chammy then that might be a problem..I used vaseline back in the day.

Saddle angle and your overall position on the bike is crucial.. check the stem length and height.. too much forward lean and its the nuts that take the load....

As others have said its worth fining a decent bike shop that can set you up properly and comfortably.

The type of saddle, if you are sitting on it incorrectly ill not solve any of the problems.. nor will good shorts.

Good advice, all.

Mille Grazie!

Vaseline. Spin at times, lift off the saddle at other times. It'll help you last longer (for your ride, that is). ;)

About 5 miles to the end of the MS150 (175 miles over 2 days) last year, I was going along with a random group of people. One of the guys says "I need to pull over for a Butt Butter break".

They make small, single use tube. He had the big size as the picture above. So, we're parked at the side of a major road in a little dirt patch. He puts on about an oz of the stuff into his hand, I mean a huge amount, and sticks his hand in his shorts, and starts slathering it on his junk, his thighs, everywhere! Yup, right there in the street!

A site to behold...

I thought showing off the Johnson was the entire point of cycling.

Another vote for "Ditch the gel saddle, and get the bike fitted properly".

Brooks Swift saddle are very comfortable... they are heavy but comfy.

It is true stay away from gel saddles....

I take the car, no butt cream needed

That doesn't mean you can't, if that's your thing.

I bet we'd cut down on road rage incidents by 75% if everyone driving out there was enjoying the smooth, creamy sensation of buttered up junk.

This thread could probably be merged with the soap in the prison shower thread of several years ago (Butt Butter.... geez, there's a mental picture).

Please, no flaming, I am KIDDING!

Seriously. My flight physician, while checking me for my every six month physical during the time Lance Armstrong was dealing with the testicular cancer, remarked during 'that part' of the exam about how I had never been into 'biking'..... he seemed to know I had not been smashing the junk on that type of seat.

I, smiling, said I can usually do 500 miles a day on the Gold Wing, less on the Harley, especially above 80MPH. He laughed, said no, road biking, like pedalling with the 'read my lips' pants on the rock hard seat. I asked him if there was a relationship between that style of seat / riding and that type of cancer, and he looked at me like I was really that dumb. Of course, the traumatic injuries from prolonged exposure to that type of riding, he said, WERE the main cause of that type of cancer. I had no idea. I asked if those guys knew that. He said 'Obviously not'......

Ever since then, it seemed to me like I saw a lot of the 'hole-in-the-middle' type of seat, or wider, more butt-friendly seats rather than the nut rack seats. And again I ASSumed it was the Lance Armstrong connection that had done that.

Is there really no connection?

A good pair of shorts & better seat, you may have to try them out to find the right como.. One benefit that I found fro long time riding, is that I shoot blanks, the Doc said (after they got the results) could fix it, I saide Hell No, I have a free pass....

Seems this board has gotten pretty darned sensitive lately.

I used to have some issues as well till I changed to the Selle Italia Max Flite. It has an anatomical opening in the middle. I cannot link to the saddle itself but if you click on products you can see the Max Flite.

http://www.selleitalia.com/eng/index.html

The issue there is not chafing, it is all of your man parts "going to sleep". There is a nerve in the "t'iant" area. If you are a heavier rider, you cheeks split and you ride on the perinium.

There is nothing quite like finding out your junk is numb. Usually you can shift and it helps, but the real solution is a seat that contacts your butt, not the inner area.

One of the guys at work, while we were training for the 2008 MS150, was doing his first 50+ mile ride. His junk went numb, but he didn't stop. He caused some nerve damage, cause it didn't wake up for 5 days!!! He was freaking out. Talk abut erectile disfunction. Oh, and yes, this can lead to ED.

Does that explain why so many cyclists dress like chicks or that just a coinky-dink? ;)
no offense, I just can't get past the concept that guys voluntarily wearing tight spandex is cross-dressing.

Back 30 years ago when I was racing (road and velodrome) I had one brooks seat that I switched back and forth on my different bikes (paramounts).
The seat was made of extremely hard leather, but was soft in the three places it had to be. It was broken in just for me and no one else was allowed to use it.
I used to pack the underside with saddle soap after every ride to keep it soft where it had to be. Never had any problems at all with comfort or my junk and I put in over 100 miles a week every week, and several times a year we'd ride from North Orange County to San Diego. Took about 8 hours or so straight thru. That hill at camp pendleton was a killer.

We wore racing outfits when we raced because they were required. No spandex tho, that wasn't done. I don't even think it was around back then, if it was it would have been considered to "faggy". Just saying it like it was.

When I was training and not racing, I wore a loose fitting team paramount jersey and touring shorts that maintained a bit of modesty.

Yep, things were different when I was your age.
Now get off my lawn.

It's not spandex, but it's very similar. But it lets the sweat out in such a way to help keep you cool. The pads in the shorts work very well. You get used to it after a short period of time. I feel bad for the others around me, cause I'm the fat one in spandex...

OH, but don't get me started on the guys that shave their legs....

Anyone who states that it is for anything other than looks is making an excuse!

red-beard <----- does not shave

just loose the saddle and cycle standing... builds character, one way or another

No spandex?
WTF are you wearing? Cut off bluejeans? Underwear? Bathing suit? Army fatigues? Dress pants?
Note to homophobes: Wearing proper cycling gear is not an indicator of sexual orientation

Eddy Merckx didn't need spandex, neither do i.