Chafing chamois seam

still just me

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:07:48 GMT, oughtfour <luster@rnospam.net>
wrote:

>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!

From the counter-intuitive camp, you might try tilting back, saddle
lower and forward so that you rest on the wide part of the saddle more
fully.

OughtFour

"Pat" <tmail@tmail.com> wrote in message
news:6bvv5hF3chqf3U1@mid.individual.net...>
> Just wondering--is it your shorts? Are they slipping around a bit? Worn
> out and too loose?

Thanks. I own 3 pair of shorts of varying makes and vintages. I get the
chafing with all of them. The fit seems OK.

Seem to me the hunt for the "right" shorts could be at least as frustrating
as that for the right saddle, with the added bonus of not being able to
return the shorts that don't work.

dustoyevsky@mac.com

On Jun 20, 8:18*am, "OughtFour" <lus...@rnospam.com> wrote:
> "Pat" <tm...@tmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:6bvv5hF3chqf3U1@mid.individual.net...>
>
> > Just wondering--is it your shorts? Are they slipping around a bit? Worn
> > out and too loose?
>
> Thanks. I own 3 pair of shorts of varying makes and vintages. I get the
> chafing with all of them. The fit seems OK.
>
> Seem to me the hunt for the "right" shorts could be at least as frustrating
> as that for the right saddle, with the added bonus of not being able to
> return the shorts that don't work.

Again, since you didn't have a problem until the old saddle died,
let's get back to that old saddle...

My sputtering ESP seems to be telling me that this saddle is thought
to be irreplaceable due to age, not being in production any longer, or
maybe it was one of those all-leather models that got wet and turned
into an ass-hatchet that was (as ass-hatchets are well known for) very
uncomfortable in ways other than chafing. ffft zzztt ssssszzz

And the brand/model of the old, at least semi-comfortable saddle
was...? --D-y

OughtFour

<dustoyevsky@mac.com> wrote in message
news:aeba191d-621c-4909-af2e-a09ba5dc8643@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...

>Again, since you didn't have a problem until the old saddle died,
let's get back to that old saddle...

It was a Serfas Cosmos, something like this http://tinyurl.com/4pvuzx .
That's a conventional-looking saddle with (or so I thought at the time) just
a tad more padding than I actually needed. But no chafing issues, despite
being wider than any of the replacements.

No cuttout either--I've never had that problem.

I didn't run out and get another one because I thought I could do better. I
didn't think I needed quite so much padding and the saddle itself was built
a little lopsided. (VERY little, but you still notice things like that.)

The Bontrager I first replaced it with was of the same ilk but gave a little
better support, one thing I liked about it.

Do you think I should return to something a little more cush? I'd miss the
support, but obviously need to find something I can live with.

Thanks.

>My sputtering ESP seems to be telling me that this saddle is thought
to be irreplaceable due to age, not being in production any longer, or
maybe it was one of those all-leather models that got wet and turned
into an ass-hatchet that was (as ass-hatchets are well known for) very
uncomfortable in ways other than chafing. ffft zzztt ssssszzz

And the brand/model of the old, at least semi-comfortable saddle
was...? --D-y

dustoyevsky@mac.com

On Jun 20, 10:41*am, "OughtFour" <lus...@rnospam.com> wrote:

> It was a Serfas Cosmos, something like thishttp://tinyurl.com/4pvuzx.
> That's a conventional-looking saddle with (or so I thought at the time) just
> a tad more padding than I actually needed. But no chafing issues, despite
> being wider than any of the replacements.

Bingo. Wider.

Conventional?

<http://saddlemuseum.blogspot.com/20...e-italia-turbo-
special.html>

Well, those used to be "conventional", but the shape is what is of
interest.

> No cuttout either--I've never had that problem.

No cutout, but a mighty deep valley, compared to "conventional",
flatter saddles. It was a shape that worked so well you didn't even
notice! <g>

> I didn't run out and get another one because I thought I could do better. I
> didn't think I needed quite so much padding and the saddle itself was built [oops, he said a little crooked].

> Do you think I should return to something a little more cush? I'd miss the
> support, but obviously need to find something I can live with.

If you still have the old one, take measurements for remote buying, or
take it with you to the bicycle store and get the very closest thing
you can IRT shape, and width, "cush", everything and maybe even color.
If they have one that is slightly lop-sided the way your old one was,
go for it.

Meanwhile, treat your sore place. IME what works is alcohol rubs. A
fair number per day, and it's good to run around uncovered while the
stuff evaporates completely. Kills some germs at least, helps toughen
the skin (like guitar players have known for many years).

Others have good results from ointments, etc. but I tried all that and
if anything, anything moist (incl. Assos, the saddle creme of
champions) made it worse.

(bear with me dept.): Make sure your shorts are clean. Tide Free or
Arm and Hammer "dermatologist tested" Free work for me, I air dry
because it's the dryer mostly, not the washer, that kills lycra. Put
them chamois-out in the bright sun (UV rays for germ killing) for a
half-hour or so, lycra under the padding so it doesn't get sunburnt.
This is to head off the next problem you might encounter with ongoing
irritation, a saddle sore.

The Anti-Monkey Butt Powder works. It's got calamine and talc for
moisture absorption (like with poison ivy) and dry lubrication.

Your integument is compromised, you need to fix that as well as go
back to what worked.

Think about your posture while you ride, and if you're rubbing, get up
off of that thing!

You may have simply changed your saddle height and/or tilt when you
replaced the old saddle enough to "find" a setup that was wrong,
wrong, wrong. Putting a duplicate on there, in the same position,
might just fix things. Good luck! --D-y

thejen12

On Jun 20, 8:41*am, "OughtFour" <lus...@rnospam.com> wrote:
> <dustoyev...@mac.com> wrote in message
>
> news:aeba191d-621c-4909-af2e-a09ba5dc8643@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
>
> >Again, since you didn't have a problem until the old saddle died,
>
> let's get back to that old saddle...
>
> It was a Serfas Cosmos, something like thishttp://tinyurl.com/4pvuzx.
> That's a conventional-looking saddle with (or so I thought at the time) just
> a tad more padding than I actually needed. But no chafing issues, despite
> being wider than any of the replacements.
>
Go back to a wider saddle.

Jenn

OughtFour

"thejen12" <jennrod12@hotmail.com> wrote

>Go back to a wider saddle.

(as did dusty ofsky--thanks for your thoughts all)

That would be the logical conclusion, eh? Though none less than Sheldon
Brown writes that wide saddles and too much padding each can _cause_
chaffing. (So who to believe: the late Captain Brown, or my own lying butt?)

I think I will try fiddling with the position of the second saddle (which I
still have) but if that doesn't do the trick, scare up a Serfas or
reasonable facsimile thereof.

Thanks again.

dustoyevsky@mac.com

On Jun 20, 7:35*pm, "OughtFour" <lus...@rnospam.com> wrote:
> "thejen12" <jennro...@hotmail.com> wrote
>
> >Go back to a wider saddle.
>
> (as did dusty ofsky--thanks for your thoughts all)
>
> That would be the logical conclusion, eh? Though none less than Sheldon
> Brown writes that wide saddles and too much padding each can _cause_
> chaffing. (So who to believe: the late Captain Brown, or my own lying butt?)
>
> I think I will try fiddling with the position of the second saddle (whichI
> still have) but if that doesn't do the trick, scare up a Serfas or
> reasonable facsimile thereof.

I knew a couple, back in the day, man and wife. Normal looking people,
etc. etc. She rode the man's Turbo saddle of the day, he rode the
ladies', which was considerably wider.

If you know (or found out, in your case) that something was working
for you and that lovin' feeling went away with a change of equipment,
why would you not (budgetary considerations, for one) go back to what
worked? Especially with the penalty you're paying?

Oooh, if I could just put a Serfas saddle on and cure... wait a
minute, wait just a second here.... --D-y

OughtFour

Paul M. Hobson wrote:
> 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.
>
> Dumb question: why can't you get a new version of your old saddle?
>
>
Not dumb at all. As I said upthread, there were (other) things I didn't
like about by old saddle, and I thought I could do better.

In retrospect, maybe not.

almost_fast@yahoo.com

On Jun 20, 10:41*am, "OughtFour" <lus...@rnospam.com> wrote:
> <dustoyev...@mac.com> wrote in message
>
> news:aeba191d-621c-4909-af2e-a09ba5dc8643@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
>
> >Again, since you didn't have a problem until the old saddle died,
>
> let's get back to that old saddle...
>
> It was aSerfasCosmos, something like thishttp://tinyurl.com/4pvuzx.
> That's a conventional-looking saddle with (or so I thought at the time) just
> a tad more padding than I actually needed. But no chafing issues, despite
> being wider than any of the replacements.

There's a Serfas Cosmos saddle on ebay right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/bike-seat_W0QQi...tem120274708846

thejen12

On Jun 20, 5:35*pm, "OughtFour" <lus...@rnospam.com> wrote:
> "thejen12" <jennro...@hotmail.com> wrote
>
> >Go back to a wider saddle.
>
> (as did dusty ofsky--thanks for your thoughts all)
>
> That would be the logical conclusion, eh? Though none less than Sheldon
> Brown writes that wide saddles and too much padding each can _cause_
> chaffing. (So who to believe: the late Captain Brown, or my own lying butt?)
>
> I think I will try fiddling with the position of the second saddle (whichI
> still have) but if that doesn't do the trick, scare up a Serfas or
> reasonable facsimile thereof.
>
> Thanks again.

I think Sheldon meant "too wide" a saddle, but in your case the wider
saddle
sounds like it's just right! Have you ever tried the Specialized Ass-
o-meter to
see how wide a saddle you really need? Get measured at your local
Specialized dealer.

Jenn