saddles and sores

[DarrenBnYYC]

Physical problems should always be addressed first with a bike fit.

I wonder if the pro cyclists who have suffered from saddlesores would agree with your advice?

And for what it's worth to the OP, I'll give totally different advice - the fit or type of saddle you are using might have little to do with your affliction. It might be more about skin/body chemistry, even your diet - much like how those things can suddenly lead to acne outbreaks in some people. I have felt your pain, and what worked for me was protecting my skin with bag balm and sudocrem, on and off the bike respectively.

[tomenator]

Try Glide?   I've thankfully never had a problem like the one you describe but I did start getting an abrasion rash in the nether region but, here's the weird part, only from riding my fixed gear bike. I swapped saddles with a few of my other 'regular' bikes and that made no difference; something about the forced spinning and resultant bobbing I suspect.   I don't ride the fixiie that much or that far so it's not been a big issue but I started applying Glide before each ride and the cleared it right up.  Available in most sporting goods stores. 

[mgholson]

Never tried Glide, I regularly use Bag Balm, but also have used all kinds of lubes and they typically don't help when I've got sores. 

Did a killer Time Trial last night on aero bars and a B-17.  Since switching to the B-17 the sores our healing and nearly gone, way less pain.   

[LongTallEandM]

1) Reflect Sports "Hooha Ride Glide" prior to your ride

2) Clean shorts always, or shorts that laid in the sun (UV kills bacteria)

3) Sudocrem antiseptic healing cream (an Irish product available via Amazon) after your ride if needed

[RussSeaton]

You're not supposed to oil it at all. I endorse your idea to try a new B-17. Don't use anything except Proofide on it. Don't let it get too wet,

Proofide is oil.  It has emulsions and solids and waxes added to it to make it solid.  But its oil.  Thick oil.  I like Neatsfoot oil on Brooks saddles.  Or any oil designed for leather shoes.  As for letting it get too wet.  When you ride, you sweat.  The sweat builds up in the chamois.  The chamois rests on the saddle.  So you are soaking the saddle every time you ride.  And when pedaling you abrade the saddle and rub the wet shorts into the saddle.  You probably soak the saddle more on a long ride than you do leaving it out in the rain.

[paddleboy17]

It is not my damp shorts that I worry about. 

I worry about the rooster tail of water coming up from my zippy fast bike (no fenders) that saturates the underside of the saddle.  That is why I am experimenting with a Cambrium on it.  My touring bike has fenders, so no rooster tail of water to deal with.


But your butt covers the top of the saddle enough to protect it generally from rain.

[mgholson]

Russ, you're right about sweat, but I think you're off on the amount.  The sweat builds at a slow pace, the saddle absorbs some but I've never seen a leather saddle saturated from just sweat, that's just me though.  I once got caught in rain on my old B-17 and it became like a wet towel almost. 

So a couple updates.  I've been riding the 20 year old B-17 that was recently gifted to me and it is working very well, but I believe it was too dry, the leather was getting cracked around the rivets, I used plain oil in the cracked areas.  The saddle does have alot of sag but not as much as the old super worn out one I used to have.  On a recent ride with my Dad I switched bikes with him for a bit, he has a 168mm wide Romin Evo that is new.   Wow, talk about a totally different saddle.  It was very comfortable but in a totally different way.  B-17 feels like it spreads pressure out all over, the Romin centered it exactly on my sit bones and I felt almost zero pressure everywhere else.  I only rode it for 5 miles but it felt great.  Need to try one for a longer ride. 

I have relearned about chaffing with the B-17 but fortunately it was very easy to treat and went away in a day. 

I attempted to stiffen up my old sagging Romin saddle by wedging a ball of rubber bands between the saddle seatpost. Could feel a big difference, it was easier to keep my weight on my sitbones.

[Pat Lamb]

Russ, you're right about sweat, but I think you're off on the amount.  The sweat builds at a slow pace, the saddle absorbs some but I've never seen a leather saddle saturated from just sweat, that's just me though. 

I'm afraid Russ is right.  I killed a Brooks one time on a century ride.  Miserably humid, my shorts were dripping from sweat 30 miles into the ride and then it got hot.  Proofide didn't keep the sweat from soaking the saddle through by the time I sagged in the last 15 miles.  Since then there's a saddle cover in my bar bag on any ride over 25 miles.

[dkoloko]

I could comment on several others' comments, but I'll just make one comment.

The saddle you rave about after a 50 mile ride, may not prove to be any better than the one you used before when you ride 50 miles (or so) a day for weeks or more on tour.

[RussSeaton]

It is not my damp shorts that I worry about.

You're worrying about the wrong thing.  Very common.  Most people worry about the wrong thing on almost everything.  You ride in the rain a few times a year for a few hours.  Saddle gets very wet.  For a few hours.  EVERY time you ride, your shorts get sweaty.  The sweat soaks into the chamois.  Your chamois sits on the saddle.  You rub the chamois into the leather saddle on every pedal stroke.  A few hours of rain compared to hundreds or thousands of hours of sweat.  Its all water either way.  Sweat puts more water into the saddle than rain ever can.

Another example.  I have various shorts and t-shirts.  All of them get soaked with sweat almost every day in the summer.  Due to sweat.  I rarely ever get rained on.  Yet I wear these shorts and t-shirts outside.  If moisture harmed these clothes, where should I worry?  Rare rain or daily sweat?

Another example.  Rain.  You mentioned rain.  But you were not too concerned about the rain falling from the sky.  You were concerned with the rain thrown up by the wheels.  As most people know, rain gets you wet after it falls out of the sky.  The initial fall does not really affect you.  Its all the bouncing around after it hits the ground that gets you soaked.  Some folks rant and rave about rain jackets.  But jackets don't do much to protect you from all the water on the ground.  And I use a saddle bag so no rain can get from the rear tire to the under side of my saddle.  Most folks I see riding have saddle bags.  They mount below the saddle and behind the seatpost.  So your concern with rooster tails is almost nonsense.  The rooster tail hits the saddle bag and never ever hits the under side of the saddle.

[paddleboy17]

Russ,

You skimmed when you should have read.

A few years back, I participated in an event ride, and I rode my beloved Paramount, aka the zippy fast bike.  15 miles into a 65 mile ride, a torrential ride dumped an amazing quantity of rain in 20 minutes.  There was indeed a rooster tail of water, and while I did have a saddlebag, my saddle did get really wet too.  I have always used proof hide on the top and bottom of the saddle.  By the end of the ride, I could hardly believe the damage done to my saddle.   Once the saddle dried out naturally, a week later I might add, I was able to retention the saddle and take up most of the stretch.  There are few disturbing looking stretch marks, that have not done any lasting damage.  If the saddle ever gets wet like his again though, it will be a lost cause. 

The amount of moisture coming off of my backside spread over the area of my backside is trivial.

[driftlessregion]

I agree that sometimes body chemistry is the main culprit. I get severe heat rash after about 60 miles despite periodic professional bike fits and the use of various potions. Lantiseptic works the best but bleeds white through the shorts.
The disagreement of my statement regarding the need for a fit seems like splitting hairs to me.
I had the same experience ruining a brand new B17 due to getting caught in a 3 hour rain. Now I never ride without fenders.