Chafing chamois seam

Since the leather on my old saddle failed, I have tried three different
replacements and experienced the same problem, painful irritation where the
seam of my shorts rubs and chafes my tender flesh.

I've never had this problem before but now I wonder how I ever avoided it. I
wonder if there is some characteristic I should be looking for in my hunt
for the right saddle, or counterintuitive saddle-positioning trick.

I know saddles are personal and subjective, but at this point would be
grateful for any advice, personal stories, whatever.

I put about 1000 miles on my first replacement saddle, wondering all the
time if it was right, before the saddle settled the question for me during a
century ride by really hurting me. This was a Bontrager saddle somewhat like
the Serfas that had failed.

I decided to try something really different next and got a Forte Pro SLX (
http://tinyurl.com/m9d3l ), a racy saddle from Performance. When that
flunked the ride test I got a Forte Pro RS1 ( http://tinyurl.com/4jll74 ),
an Arione knock-off. Again, ouch.

As you can see, these are very different saddles. However, in every case the
problem was chaffing along the seam that stitches the chamois to the shorts.
Otherwise these saddles were all fine, though I'm not sure how suitable the
SLX would be for a century ride.

I own three pair of shorts of varying makes and vintages, and all chaff. I
don't think the problem is the shorts. The stitching on all of them seems to
be in good shape.

I like to do long rides and have been looking at saddles that seem to offer
good support. Should I try something with more padding? Is there something I
am missing?

Thanks for whatever light you can shed.

On Jun 19, 7:51*am, "OughtFour" wrote:
Since the leather on my old saddle failed, I have tried three different
replacements and experienced the same problem, painful irritation where the
seam of my shorts rubs and chafes my tender flesh.

I've never had this problem before but now I wonder how I ever avoided it.. I
wonder if there is some characteristic I should be looking for in my hunt
for the right saddle, or counterintuitive saddle-positioning trick.

I know saddles are personal and subjective, but at this point would be
grateful for any advice, personal stories, whatever.

I put about 1000 miles on my first replacement saddle, wondering all the
time if it was right, before the saddle settled the question for me during a
century ride by really hurting me. This was a Bontrager saddle somewhat like
the Serfas that had failed.

I decided to try something really different next and got a Forte Pro SLX (http://tinyurl.com/m9d3l), a racy saddle from Performance. When that
flunked the ride test I got a Forte Pro RS1 (http://tinyurl.com/4jll74),
an Arione knock-off. Again, ouch.

As you can see, these are very different saddles. However, in every case the
problem was chaffing along the seam that stitches the chamois to the shorts.
Otherwise these saddles were all fine, though I'm not sure how suitable the
SLX would be for a century ride.

I own three pair of shorts of varying makes and vintages, and all chaff. I
don't think the problem is the shorts. The stitching on all of them seems to
be in good shape.

I like to do long rides and have been looking at saddles that seem to offer
good support. Should I try something with more padding? Is there something I
am missing?

Thanks for whatever light you can shed.

Have you tried making adjustments to your saddle height and tilt? I've
put on new saddles that chafed and found that if I lowered them a
fraction of an inch it took some of the pressure off my crotch. If the
nose of your saddle is too high, that can also cause chafing. The
usual recommendation is to start with a level saddle and go from
there.

Smokey

On Jun 19, 9:51*am, "OughtFour" wrote:

Thanks for whatever light you can shed.

http://www.antimonkeybutt.com/

Instead of wet, try dry.

Just make sure you get the _Anti_ MBP, not the other stuff. --D-y

On Jun 19, 10:55*am, "Bill Sornson" wrote:
wrote:
On Jun 19, 9:51 am, "OughtFour" wrote:

Thanks for whatever light you can shed.

http://www.antimonkeybutt.com/

Instead of wet, try dry.

Just make sure you get the _Anti_ MBP, not the other stuff. *--D-y

Finally, some helpful advice around here...

Bill "gonna miss this place if RR drops Usenet" S.

You're welcome, Bill.

Forgot to mention: use tons of it and don't worry about ignorant
comments-- although I haven't heard any and due to a long-running
problem that has kept me off the bike at times, my seat bag is AMBP-
colored.

Oddly enough, I never had a real problem until I started using Assos
Lancecreme, and that udder stuff that comes in the green can, a few
years ago. No fun at all, the AMBP helps tremendously.

Available in finer motorcycle stores (and Whole Foods, too). --D-y

On Jun 19, 8:51 am, "OughtFour" wrote:
Since the leather on my old saddle failed, I have tried three different
replacements and experienced the same problem, painful irritation where the
seam of my shorts rubs and chafes my tender flesh.

I've never had this problem before but now I wonder how I ever avoided it. I
wonder if there is some characteristic I should be looking for in my hunt
for the right saddle, or counterintuitive saddle-positioning trick.

I know saddles are personal and subjective, but at this point would be
grateful for any advice, personal stories, whatever.

I put about 1000 miles on my first replacement saddle, wondering all the
time if it was right, before the saddle settled the question for me during a
century ride by really hurting me. This was a Bontrager saddle somewhat like
the Serfas that had failed.

I decided to try something really different next and got a Forte Pro SLX (http://tinyurl.com/m9d3l), a racy saddle from Performance. When that
flunked the ride test I got a Forte Pro RS1 (http://tinyurl.com/4jll74),
an Arione knock-off. Again, ouch.

As you can see, these are very different saddles. However, in every case the
problem was chaffing along the seam that stitches the chamois to the shorts.
Otherwise these saddles were all fine, though I'm not sure how suitable the
SLX would be for a century ride.

I own three pair of shorts of varying makes and vintages, and all chaff. I
don't think the problem is the shorts. The stitching on all of them seems to
be in good shape.

I like to do long rides and have been looking at saddles that seem to offer
good support. Should I try something with more padding? Is there something I
am missing?

Thanks for whatever light you can shed.

The best thing is diaper rash ointment. It is essentially zinc oxide
cream that doesn't break down while riding. Apply liberal amounts to
your chamois. Actually, apply very liberal amounts. You can get it at
your local pharmacy. A big tub of it is about $12.00.

On Jun 19, 12:25*pm, " wrote:
On Jun 19, 8:51 am, "OughtFour" wrote:



Since the leather on my old saddle failed, I have tried three different
replacements and experienced the same problem, painful irritation where the
seam of my shorts rubs and chafes my tender flesh.

I've never had this problem before but now I wonder how I ever avoided it. I
wonder if there is some characteristic I should be looking for in my hunt
for the right saddle, or counterintuitive saddle-positioning trick.

I know saddles are personal and subjective, but at this point would be
grateful for any advice, personal stories, whatever.

I put about 1000 miles on my first replacement saddle, wondering all the
time if it was right, before the saddle settled the question for me during a
century ride by really hurting me. This was a Bontrager saddle somewhat like
the Serfas that had failed.

I decided to try something really different next and got a Forte Pro SLX (http://tinyurl.com/m9d3l), a racy saddle from Performance. When that
flunked the ride test I got a Forte Pro RS1 (http://tinyurl.com/4jll74),
an Arione knock-off. Again, ouch.

As you can see, these are very different saddles. However, in every case the
problem was chaffing along the seam that stitches the chamois to the shorts.
Otherwise these saddles were all fine, though I'm not sure how suitable the
SLX would be for a century ride.

I own three pair of shorts of varying makes and vintages, and all chaff.. I
don't think the problem is the shorts. The stitching on all of them seems to
be in good shape.

I like to do long rides and have been looking at saddles that seem to offer
good support. Should I try something with more padding? Is there something I
am missing?

Thanks for whatever light you can shed.

The best thing is diaper rash ointment. It is essentially zinc oxide
cream that doesn't break down while riding. Apply liberal amounts to
your chamois. Actually, apply very liberal amounts. You can get it at
your local pharmacy. A big tub of it is about $12.00.

This company sells replacement pads for shorts, very hi-tech, perhaps
what goes into the best, or the most expensive shorts today.

http://store.aerotechdesigns.com/prrecrpad.html

For just the top layer, I somewhere saw a stock of just the true
chamois, european cut and sewn. Just $5 each. Velo-Orange,
Melpintoimports?

Harry Travis

"smokey" wrote in message
...

Have you tried making adjustments to your saddle height and tilt? I've
put on new saddles that chafed and found that if I lowered them a
fraction of an inch it took some of the pressure off my crotch. If the
nose of your saddle is too high, that can also cause chafing. The
usual recommendation is to start with a level saddle and go from
there.

Thanks. Nose down as much as I could tolerate did seem to help a little on
my test rides. Also, counterintuitively, seat forward. I'll fiddle with
height, though I'm afraid it may already be on the low side.

Thanks for your advice.

On Jun 19, 11:25*am, " wrote:
On Jun 19, 8:51 am, "OughtFour" wrote:



Since the leather on my old saddle failed, I have tried three different
replacements and experienced the same problem, painful irritation where the
seam of my shorts rubs and chafes my tender flesh.

I've never had this problem before but now I wonder how I ever avoided it. I
wonder if there is some characteristic I should be looking for in my hunt
for the right saddle, or counterintuitive saddle-positioning trick.

I know saddles are personal and subjective, but at this point would be
grateful for any advice, personal stories, whatever.

I put about 1000 miles on my first replacement saddle, wondering all the
time if it was right, before the saddle settled the question for me during a
century ride by really hurting me. This was a Bontrager saddle somewhat like
the Serfas that had failed.

I decided to try something really different next and got a Forte Pro SLX (http://tinyurl.com/m9d3l), a racy saddle from Performance. When that
flunked the ride test I got a Forte Pro RS1 (http://tinyurl.com/4jll74),
an Arione knock-off. Again, ouch.

As you can see, these are very different saddles. However, in every case the
problem was chaffing along the seam that stitches the chamois to the shorts.
Otherwise these saddles were all fine, though I'm not sure how suitable the
SLX would be for a century ride.

I own three pair of shorts of varying makes and vintages, and all chaff.. I
don't think the problem is the shorts. The stitching on all of them seems to
be in good shape.

I like to do long rides and have been looking at saddles that seem to offer
good support. Should I try something with more padding? Is there something I
am missing?

Thanks for whatever light you can shed.

The best thing is diaper rash ointment. It is essentially zinc oxide
cream that doesn't break down while riding. Apply liberal amounts to
your chamois. Actually, apply very liberal amounts. You can get it at
your local pharmacy. A big tub of it is about $12.00.

Well, I tried the diaper rash ointment, too. Didn't seem to work for
me, not to say it won't for others.

If you look, you should be able to find Zwitsal, a Dutch product. My
mother-in-law brought some to the US for us, by test it works a lot
better than most of the grocery/drug store stuff found in the USA.
Babies R Us?

There is one other superior product that is "medical", not common but
available and having failed to trip my memory, I'll re-post when the
name pops up. Both it and the Zwitsal were "emergency" use with our
kids when they were in diapers-- notwithstanding "it's just zinc
oxide". --D-y

"OughtFour" wrote in message
news:6ou6k.6671$7A1.2227@trndny04...
Since the leather on my old saddle failed, I have tried three different
replacements and experienced the same problem, painful irritation where
the seam of my shorts rubs and chafes my tender flesh.

http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?p...jor=1&minor=18

The San Marco Concor is also OK but it has a more limited seating position
where it is comfortable. The Regal has a lot greater positioning error where
it is still comfortable.

Just want to say thanks for all the suggestions of powders and ointments
and such. I suppose it may come to that, at least for really long rides,
though I'm hoping (still) to find the right saddle & position to
minimize the burn first. At this point 40 miles is about all I can get
away with! I did better than that on the Bontrager.

Thanks again, and keep it coming if there is more!