Long Distance Cycling - Riding shorts

I'm having problems with saddle sores and I'm thinking it may be the shorts. I have about 5000 miles on the PI shorts, the padding looks OK, but I was wondering if they could be worn out. If they are can any of you give me some suggestion on what kind of shorts to get, without breaking the bank.. The rash keeps coming up about 2" in front of my right sit bone, right where the thigh and butt meet. I when and had a fitter look at me again and he said everything looks OK. On close inspection the rash or abrasion is right about where the seam is. I tried the shorts liners that they have and they bunch you up to much. I've also used Bag Balm and that didn't help. So any suggestion would surly be appreciated.

Are you getting a rash, like an abrasion? or are you getting sores, like ingrown hairs or boils? There is a major difference. The rash should be easier to cure and it sounds like you may be onto something with the seam of the pad.

Shorts or bibs are highly personal, so one man's bread is another man's poison. If the PI's were cheap or gel pads, then that might be the cause. You usually pay more for better pads and comfort, although you can go too far in that direction without noticeable differences too. Off the bike do you wear boxers, briefs or go commando? IMO, briefs prolong the effects of the irritation and in fact can be partially responsible for it.

Zagnut

No I wear boxer shorts and yes it is an abrasion.I paid about $90 for the
Pearl Izumi Ultra Sensor shorts.

after 5000 miles they may just have loosened up on you. Loose shorts = friction = abrasion

after 5000 miles they may just have loosened up on you. Loose shorts = friction = abrasion

+1

I just replaced (and upgraded) a worn out pair of bibs. I went with the Performance Ultra bibs. $75, and they're very comfortable. Wicking fabric, lightweight padding and awesome mesh upper wtih straps that don't cut into my shoulders after all day in the saddle.

My shorts usually last about 5000 kms before they move into the "Short Distance" category. Another 5000 kms or so, and they are in the "Trainer" category. By those standards, your shorts are almost in the "Trainer" category.

Now, for me, the padding in PI shorts is too lumpy. I prefer fairly thin, very smooth padding.

And ... you don't wear underwear under your shorts do you?

Also to consider are the brand. Each brand has a chamois with a different shape. For example, I've found that my Santinis feel better than my Performance Elites. Everyone's ass is different.

Thanks for the replies, I going to go down to Performance today and look at their bibs today. Man I hope they work.

Also to consider are the brand. Each brand has a chamois with a different shape. For example, I've found that my Santinis feel better than my Performance Elites. Everyone's ass is different.

A friend of mine said that a pair of very expensive Castelli bibs he bought had a chamois that felt like "I stuffed a section of folded up newspaper down my shorts."

It's not always a matter of $$ equating to comfort. I know other people who swear by the same brand/model that he hates.

I just got back from Performance and I was ready to buy their Elite bibs, but he talked me into the Castelli bibs. I just went around the block and they feel nice. I'll have to wait until later in the week to put 40 miles on, or so, to give it a thumbs up, or down. The more I thought about my PI shorts, on the way down to the store, the more I thought about how long shorts last. I think, if I stayed the same weight, they would have lasted longer, but after losing 30#, I think they were stretched out and that's what caused the friction, like chipcom said. Anyway, I have my fingers crossed, that this will do the trick and I'll let you know, thanks again.

If I were you, I'd also get some chamois cream.

And while the bike itself may fit, it's quite possible that your saddle is not a good shape for you. If you're getting chafed in that spot, you're probably also cutting off some circulation. Some saddle experimentation may be in order.

Also keep in mind that friction and rubbing is only half the reason why you can get sore; the other is bacterial. So after every ride, get out of the shorts ASAP and jump in the shower; and (in case it isn't obvious) wash the shorts after every ride.

A friend of mine said that a pair of very expensive Castelli bibs he bought had a chamois that felt like "I stuffed a section of folded up newspaper down my shorts."


I have a pair of Castelli shorts. Your description is 100% on the money... uncomfortable wandering around with them... :(
but they are fantastic on the bike. :love:

I have a pair of Castelli shorts. Your description is 100% on the money... uncomfortable wandering around with them... :(
but they are fantastic on the bike. :love:

Ah, see. He hates them both off and on the bike. Says they're the most uncomfortable things ever. I wouldn't know because I can't shoehorn myself into a pair. I'm a ways off from "race weight."

My biggest issue with bib fit is overall length. I'm pretty tall (6'6") and kinda big (240 pounds) so there are some issues to contend with. Aerotech, the gold standard of cycling clothes for the portly gentleman, makes their bibs too short in the shoulders. If I buy them long enough, then they hang on me like clown pants.
Performance is the one company I've found where the overall fit is perfect and the chamois isn't uncomfortable.

A well known big guy in randonneuring, one time said that Assos shorts solved every problem on 400k through 1200k rides. Of course they cost 250.00. I haven't had the good fortune of having family gift me a pair on bday or christmas so I guess I'll never know. Boure has done okay...but after 200miles I always have an issue

Lot of my mate's had problems but switched to Assos, or Gore as they use the same pad in their expensive models, and had a breeze at PBP-07!
Good pads are quite thick, soft to the touch but rigid enough to leave some space when you lift the bum of the saddle. That way they spread some of the load, get the air circulating and don't wrinkle. How ever one need to put in a lot of long hours to toughen up the skin and mold things together. I do and have no problem with my hi end Shimano pants. To dissolve grease and kill germs you must go above recommended temperatures and wash them at 60 C! Good quality shorts can usually handle this no prob. Skip cream as modern pads are supposed to be used without it to draw the sweat (salt!) away from the skin. I have ruined many pants before I realised all this! Amen!

I've still not found the "Perfect" pair, but seem to do better with the Assos Bibs.... I tend to get BLISTERS right on the sit bone area.... I've tried Assos Cream and Gold Bond medicated powder... Still get them after about 60 - 70 miles.... last night I got a big one after 25 miles with a pair of Descente shorts... I keep myself clean, change as quick as I get off the bike, etc.....Still have "Butt Blisters"..... It's really depressing..... Spending a ton of cash on bib/short experiments !!

How much chamois cream should I use.... Really lather it on thick? or just a thin dressing??.... Frustrated here.

Perhaps some of you mentioning the blisters who are already using the creams and fancy shorts should consider looking at your saddle and saddle position, even your entire bike fit. A brooks saddle is nice and slippery and would perhaps cause less friction. I know I feel much cooler and never get that constricted or need to stand up feeling that i got when riding hard for a long time on a plastic saddle. I regret not getting one a long time ago - I just started using it a few weeks ago but have done numerous long rides on it since.

and as for shorts...

My opinions:

Good chamois does not mean thick chamois, imo. That does not mean thick ones are bad. A chamois is to avoid friction from the saddle, among other things, but not to provide a bunch of cushion for comfort. I've found usually thicker cushion is worse. Your saddle should be the comfort point not the chamois.

IMO, Pearl Izumis are way overpriced for the quality and should be avoided. You can get a far better short than the ultrasensor for roughly half to 3/4th the price. I think their quality has gone downhill over the years. Their other stuff like gloves, and cold weather apparel is also pretty weak compared to other brands out there.

Hammer bibs - if you can stomach the advertising - are about the best deal out there for bibs right now. They cost $50 or a bit less if you use a referal (check my blog for one - shameless self-promoting) They are made by Voler and use the top of the line chamois from the $100+ voler bibs. Great every day shorts and work fine for me on long rides (200mi+) type stuff.

Performance ultra bibs (i've not tried the elite) are great when on sale, even when not on sale they beat out most other bibs in their price range, imo. I bought these even though I was quite happy with the Hammer bibs, just to see how they are. The chamois is softer (both fabric and padding) than the hammer bibs and slightly narrower. I find them to be very comfortable, but durability is suspect. I've ridden about 450 miles in them on two separate rides and the stitching on the inside near where my leg brushes the saddle occasionally is fraying some but not coming undone. I do like the Escher fabric and also the cut of the short. It is cooler feeling than most bibs and shorts I've tried.

I've yet to try an ultra $ short like the Assos as I don't have any problems with the hammer or perf. ultra bibs even over long distances - for that matter the PI micro's never caused problems, they just arent as nice as the other two bibs fit and material wise. but as my mileage increases this summer to the 300 and 400mi a day rides I may try a pair of the Uno's to see if there are any benefits.

Note: before the bibs I had always used pearl izumi microsensor's shorts and also a few pairs of ultrasensors.

I've still not found the "Perfect" pair, but seem to do better with the Assos Bibs.... I tend to get BLISTERS right on the sit bone area.... I've tried Assos Cream and Gold Bond medicated powder... Still get them after about 60 - 70 miles.... last night I got a big one after 25 miles with a pair of Descente shorts... I keep myself clean, change as quick as I get off the bike, etc.....Still have "Butt Blisters"..... It's really depressing..... Spending a ton of cash on bib/short experiments !!

How much chamois cream should I use.... Really lather it on thick? or just a thin dressing??.... Frustrated here.


I don't and wouldn't use chamois cream.

1) What kind of saddle do you have?

2) Have you had your bicycle fit for you?

3) Does the padding in your shorts cover your sitbones, or does the edge of the padding run right across your sitbones?

Good pads are quite thick, soft to the touch but rigid enough to leave some space when you lift the bum of the saddle. That way they spread some of the load, get the air circulating and don't wrinkle.

IMO good pads are quite thin. I hate the thick pads ... they are just way too much.



The thing is, with my well-broken-in Brooks B17, I've ridden as much as 80 kms, several times, in regular shorts with regular underwear underneath. In fact, the first two times I did that, I rode with a bathing suit underneath ... we rode for 30 or 40 kms, took a dip in the ocean ... all wet and sandy I got back on my bicycle again and rode another 20-ish kms, got back on the bicycle all wet and sandy, and rode another 20 kms or so. And I was fine ... I did it again a few days later.

A good saddle makes all the difference!!

I don't and wouldn't use chamois cream.

1) What kind of saddle do you have?

2) Have you had your bicycle fit for you?

3) Does the padding in your shorts cover your sitbones, or does the edge of the padding run right across your sitbones?

I've never used chamois cream either nor seen a need to, but everyones butts are different and many people find the cream beneficial.

I've never used chamois cream either nor seen a need to, but everyones butts are different and many people find the cream beneficial.

The thing is, chamois cream, or something similar is only designed to add a protective layer to the skin, which can be beneficial in conditions where it is very hot (and you're sweating a lot), or very wet (pouring rain). It will not magically make the saddle more comfortable like some people I've encountered think ... the right bicycle fit, the right saddle, and the right shorts will go much further toward performing that miracle.

I've found that water works even better than chamois cream in very hot conditions. I was in the middle of a 400K brevet last year and starting to feel some irritation in my saddle regions. I stopped at a convenience store, went in and washed the area with water and a paper towel, and dried it all off (that's a key point too), and I was fine for the rest of the ride. I've used that trick on other occasions as well.

Baby wipes will work too if you're in an area with limited water.

The idea is to clean the area, and especially to remove the salt from the sweat .... without clogging your pores with a bunch of creams.

As for wet weather, if you've ever spent a lengthy time in the bathtub you'll see what water can do to your skin ... it makes it quite fragile. You can't be popping in to dry off every few kilometers on a wet brevet, so in this case, I will use a tiny dab of some sort of cream ... a very thin layer ... because again, you want to protect the skin, but you don't want to clog the pores.

If the brevet is a longer one, I'll bring a change of short or two along with me and change periodically through the ride just to give my skin a bit of a break.


And if you do develop a little bit of a rash, apply some zinc oxide cream when you are finished your ride, after your shower, just before bed ...... and wear boxers to bed. You should be cleared up by morning. :)

The thing is, chamois cream, or something similar is only designed to add a protective layer to the skin, which can be beneficial in conditions where it is very hot (and you're sweating a lot), or very wet (pouring rain). It will not magically make the saddle more comfortable like some people I've encountered think ... the right bicycle fit, the right saddle, and the right shorts will go much further toward performing that miracle.

I've found that water works even better than chamois cream in very hot conditions. I was in the middle of a 400K brevet last year and starting to feel some irritation in my saddle regions. I stopped at a convenience store, went in and washed the area with water and a paper towel, and dried it all off (that's a key point too), and I was fine for the rest of the ride. I've used that trick on other occasions as well.

Baby wipes will work too if you're in an area with limited water.

The idea is to clean the area, and especially to remove the salt from the sweat .... without clogging your pores with a bunch of creams.

As for wet weather, if you've ever spent a lengthy time in the bathtub you'll see what water can do to your skin ... it makes it quite fragile. You can't be popping in to dry off every few kilometers on a wet brevet, so in this case, I will use a tiny dab of some sort of cream ... a very thin layer ... because again, you want to protect the skin, but you don't want to clog the pores.

If the brevet is a longer one, I'll bring a change of short or two along with me and change periodically through the ride just to give my skin a bit of a break.


And if you do develop a little bit of a rash, apply some zinc oxide cream when you are finished your ride, after your shower, just before bed ...... and wear boxers to bed. You should be cleared up by morning. :)

I use baby wipes every morning after my commute to work and put neosporin on the spots where the saddle sores tend to creep up when not cleaned properly. I used to get little pimples when I did not do the above, but since have never had an issue.

The OP should consider trying neosporin, or something similar, on a daily basis after showering and riding and even when not riding every morning and night. It may help. Go out of your way to make sure the region is clean.

I use baby wipes every morning after my commute to work and put neosporin on the spots where the saddle sores tend to creep up when not cleaned properly. I used to get little pimples when I did not do the above, but since have never had an issue.

The OP should consider trying neosporin, or something similar, on a daily basis after showering and riding and even when not riding every morning and night. It may help. Go out of your way to make sure the region is clean.

Along those lines, I carry Ozonol with me on all my rides ... it is an antibacterial ointment with a painkiller. If I happen to get little pimples or something like that (which only happens rarely), I'll dab on a tiny bit.

It's also useful if you crash ... I've used it on road rash.

Of course, good quality bibs and good seat are a given.

I use Aquaphor (in baby section as it's primary use is for diaper rash) for a chamous cream and treatment of developing saddle sores. My son, a triathlete, put me on to it. Haven't had problems since I went to Aquaphor.

I use baby wipes every morning after my commute to work and put neosporin on the spots where the saddle sores tend to creep up when not cleaned properly. I used to get little pimples when I did not do the above, but since have never had an issue.

The OP should consider trying neosporin, or something similar, on a daily basis after showering and riding and even when not riding every morning and night. It may help. Go out of your way to make sure the region is clean.

Yes, I have been using Neosporin and it works great. The Bag Balm did nothing that I could tell. I came back with a rash after using it.
I took the Castelli Ergo Due Bibs back, they were to tight around the legs. the next size up were to big. All the leg on the Performance bibs were to big so I'm back to square one. I bought some Pearl Izumi Classic 3D race shorts and I'm going to give a try tomorrow. They have a different pad than my other ones, so they may work.
This is the first time I've run into this problem in 2 years and 8000 miles of riding. I clean as much as you can clean. I always have clean shorts on, but I never had to use any creams.
I put my Brooks B17 on the Specialized Roubaix with a set back seat post and the rails are to short and I can't get the saddle far enough back.
So anyway, I hope these new shorts do the trick tomorrow. I'm not completely healed up yet, but the skin isn't broken, it's just a little red. I let you know what happens.

I started with PI Ultrasensors but when I started doing longer rides, I had unacceptable chafing at the seams. Switched to Hincapie shorts which made a big difference-it's a wider chamois and hits my body at much better places than PI. I now use bibs for my longer rides as the fit is even better for me.

I've been very happy with Assos chamois creme. Reduces chafing for me.

Got a new pair of PI Ultrasensor Slice shorts this season. Fabric and pad seem much better. Fabric is still light-tight after several brevets and long rides. I also like the Hammer shorts. I notice that riders who slide around in the saddle do much better on Brooks. I think it depends on one's pelvic structure or something. Some people have butts that are absolutely still, and others rock back and forth. No value judgement: both styles will go 1200k just fine, but I think they may have different issues.

I use a great pile of Bag Balm. Couple of tablespoons. But only on long rides. I think it toughens the skin more to go without grease on training rides. I'll regrease about every 100 miles, although maybe I'm getting tougher having just done a 400 with only one application. But I get sores if I don't grease on long rides.

And it might not be your shorts that are giving you sores. It might be the padding or gel in your saddle breaking down or changing in some way. If you use a saddle with padding, that is.