Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Avoiding & Dealing with chafing on Rando rides

Well I'm touching this topic after the last few rides which have been in very high humid climate and these were short training rides, but I had chafing issues which I had not had for a very long time. We will be having our Rando events soon & by that time the Indian rain will be at it full glory. And riding through them will be a challenge if this continues. and the rains could very well aggravate the problem.

So what's the best way to deal with it in case of such long rides & how can it be avoided.

Use lubricants before your skin is irritated. Carry a extra clothing if possible -change out half way through the ride.

Wash yourself mid-ride. I discovered this little trick on a hot 400K ride. About 200 km into the ride I was starting to feel a bit of chafing so I went into a toilet, using the paper towel and water from the sink, I washed my sitting area, and dried myself off well. I was fine for the rest of the ride.

I've done that on rides since with much better results than any time I tried using lubrication of any sort ... and I tested a lot of different creams etc. in 2002 and 2003. However, if it is raining a light layer of some sort of cream might help protect the skin.

On rides over 300K, I'd bring a spare pair of shorts ... wash yourself, dry yourself, and change into a fresh pair of shorts.

I agree completely with both Rich and Machka. Several folks I know change into fresh shorts every 200k on longer rides. Also, fenders will help keep your shorts from getting soaked too quickly, and a wet chamois (pad) almost guarantees chafing.

Best of luck to you. Let us know how your brevets go.

SP
Bend, OR

Thanks for the tips... will indeed try it them out on the upcoming BRMs.

I rode the the 300k in the blistering heat of March in about 16hrs total. I didn't have any issues then but this season things will be different. Before Oct we are planning to have about 3-4 BRMs 200,300,600 & maybe a 400. The other issue I'm facing is a bike...yet confused whether to get a new cross or rando bike or keep riding my race bike.:(

Also try to find a saddle that doesn't have any material in the area where chafing is ocurring. Brooks saddles, if you can tolerate them in other ways, are slicker than most other saddles and seem to help with this.

well I have my eyes set for a San Marco Rolls saddle.

My ride partner has that & it's supremely comfy.

Wash yourself mid-ride. I discovered this little trick on a hot 400K ride.

Thanks so much for planting the seed of an idea!

Since I returned to riding 3 years ago, I accepted (reluctantly) the new "Depends-Style" padding in riding shorts and the idea that lubricants were necessary. I'm not in the league that most of you are, but I do ride regular centuries and here in the American South the heat and humidity can be a factor.

After reading your post I decided to "go dry", and what a change for the better! Yesterday I rode a solo century with temps in the 90's. I carried a small Nalgene bottle of rubbing alcohol and a few paper towels, and stopped every couple of hours and swabbed the nether regions with alcohol. Amazingly refreshing, and at the end of the day, no chafing and MUCH less discomfort!

I also carried a little cornstarch in a plastic baggie and lightly dusted the load-bearing areas to reduce friction.

Since I returned to riding 3 years ago, I accepted (reluctantly) the new "Depends-Style" padding in riding shorts ... snip...

...snip... After reading your post I decided to "go dry", and what a change for the better!...

I'm with you there, Seawind... riding down here in the summer can be brutal. I've gotten up to ride at sunrise only to find that the temp is still 78F. I ran a 5K race last year where the heat index was 105F at 8:45 a.m.!

But I've found that thick cushy chamois is big trouble when the humidity rises. I have some shorts with a gel chamois, and I hate them... they are a sure ticket to pain city when it's hot and humid. That stupid gel chamois isn't like wearing a Depends... it's like wearing a wet soggy Depends. (Not that I'd know what that feels like... but I have a good imagination!) I've found that shorts with minimal chamois work much better to keep me dry and comfortable in the sticky heat down here.

Remember, chamois is not supposed to provide padding... it is supposed to minimize friction.

Man think about India then!!! esp the coastal regions, the humidity levels are 100% on many days.

I think I'll use the Dry trick & probably some Butter Shea cream on my 300BRM. But the thing is it'll be in July & that means torrential rains in Bombay.

So how does one keep dry in such a situation. what's my plan is ride with a rain jacket & a rain full pant lowers (over the shorts)....but I think it may make sitting on the saddle a bit difficult. But this contraption keeps me dry on my motorbike commute to office so it will definitely keep me on the bike too. You think it's a good idea???

I'm betting you're going be wet any way it goes. Around here, putting on rain gear just means you're going to be soaked in sweat instead of rainwater. Maybe a couple of spare dry shorts in waterproof bags?

After reading your post I decided to "go dry", and what a change for the better! Yesterday I rode a solo century with temps in the 90's. I carried a small Nalgene bottle of rubbing alcohol and a few paper towels, and stopped every couple of hours and swabbed the nether regions with alcohol. Amazingly refreshing, and at the end of the day, no chafing and MUCH less discomfort!


You might also try baby wipes ... I use them if I'm on a ride where there's not a lot of water available.