A Saddle Sore

i use a selle italia slk seat. i usually ride 1-1.5 hrs and its fine. i rode 3 hours a few days ago and i think i got a bad saddle sore from it...

first it was just a little bump towards the inside of my sit bones. it hurt to put pressure on it. i didnt really notice it till i went out to ride when i sat on the seat. i rode with it and just dealt with it for about 40 minutes till i decided to quit. so that was a bad idea. ive been off the bike since (been a few days).

now it has kinda inflamed up. its a much bigger bump now and hurts pretty bad. how do i get rid of it? ive been putting anti-bacterial ointment on it.

 

If it doesn't go away (or get any better) after being off the bike for 3-4 days, you might want to have it looked at by a doctor. Other than that, make sure you aren't sweating at night, because that can contribute to the problem.

 

sweating at night? that would mean no more sleeping with my girlfriend

 

Sounds like an ingrown hair or saddle sore. Drawing salve can help(messy stuff though) but in general make sure you clean up down there right after a ride with soap and water or disposable wipes if you're on the road. Another good trick is to clean up with a bit of rubbing alcohol on a clean cotton swab. If it stings then you've got broken skin and the rubbing alcohol will help avoid infections. Do this for a few weeks after rides and you'll toughen up the skin down there. Good chamois cream can help avoid the micro-tears as well. I always carry some rubbing alcohol in my race kit, and for cyclocross where it's not always convenient to shower right after an event. Cleaning up down there when you first get off the bike can save a lot of discomfort and lost training time later on.

Good luck,
-Dave

 

Prevention is certainly better than cure, but once you've got a saddle sore, a drawing salve will help get rid of it quickly. Ichthammol used to be the product of choice, but it can be harder to find these days. Pharmacies/drugstores usually carry Magnoplasm or an equivalent and it's less messy than ichthammol (works better too). Put a large blob on the gauze of a Band-Aid, press into place on the sore then stick down the Band-Aid. Repeat every 12-24 hours until the sore goes. You may need to stay off the bike until it heals. Should be much better in 3 or 4 days.

 

C'mon guys! What happened to squeeze real hard and get back on the bike?

Actually, for a professional second opinion try this.

 

You definitely want to minimize the moisture while the sore is healing, so once you no longer need the drawing salve (never used myself; I've had good results with Bag Balm), after showering pat down with some baby powder. After sex, repeat.

 

Lol....Dave Z is really a funny guy. Good advice too.

 

i got told to use a hotwater bottle twice a day, worked a treat for me

 

I liked the "Send Pictures.....Don't." Just what we all wanted to see, the hairy beast!