ldarlee

At a recent meeting my bike club had a guest speaker who's an ultra-distance rider. Among others, he's ridden several 24-hour and 300+ mile events. One of his recommendations was a product called Lantiseptic Skin Protectant, which he uses as a chamois cream. I'd never heard of it and was curious if anyone out there had tried it.

Weatherby

Heard of it. Bag Balm is another. Both have antiseptic properties and are quite viscous. I used to use Bag Balm and am trying the original Udder Balm right now. They all make a bit of a mess (petroleum)

Ingredients

Lanolin, Beeswax (Apis Mellifera) , Disodium EDTA , Fragrance , Lanolin Alcohol , Mineral Oil
(Paraffinum Liquidum) , Oxyquinoline , Petrolatum , Purified Water , Sodium
Borate , Sorbitan Sesquioleate

Hydrated

I don't use it regularly, but I keep some Lantiseptic on hand for when I need it. Lantiseptic is a medical grade product that was originally meant to prevent and treat bedsores... so it's perfect for saddle irritation too. It isn't even in the same class as Bag Balm, Chamois Butt'r, etc... it doesn't just have some antiseptic properties, it is expressly formulated to prevent skin infections or slow those that already exist. And it is very clingy because it is designed to help prevent damage to skin that is exposed to moisture over the long term. It really stays put.

Riding in the Georgia heat day in and day out can sometimes cause some irritation during the summer. I sometimes need it when I've put long consecutive days on the bike in the summer heat and things get touchy down on the bottom.

Tips for buying:

• You usually have to buy it from your pharmacy, and even then they'll prolly have to special order it for you. It is EXPENSIVE through most pharmacies. Shop online and you can get it much cheaper.
• Be careful when talking to your pharmacy about ordering. Lantiseptic makes many different products, and it gets confusing. You want the Lantiseptic Skin Protectant... not Lantiseptic Daily Skin Protectant... not Lantiseptic Skin Cleaner... etc.
• Buy a jar if you think that you'll use it very often. Buy the single "serving" packets for convenience if cost isn't a factor.

And you'll remind your friends of their Grandma's because the stuff will make you smell like a nursing home!

Weatherby

Bag Balm and Laniseptic both have Petrolatum and Lanolin as carriers for a very similar antiseptic.

Medical grade in this context means nothing. Regulatory controls for cosmetics are a compete joke. I have been to more of these types of processing facilies than I care to count. Bag Balm is intended for veterninary use.

Lantiseptic is a thicker antispetic ointment than Bag Balm (50% lanolin vs 37% formulation) and is a touch more expensive but both are much cheaper than the Assos and other speciality creams. These ointments can stain due to petrol in them. Give either a try. Lantiseptic is never on the shelf at any of my local pharmacies. I can walk to the feed and grain and get bag balm.....I only use it on really long rides.

az_cyclist

I used an individual pack of Lantiseptic on the (LA Wheelmen) Grand Tour lowland double last year. As I later found out, I needed to move my saddle forward just a bit more. I use Chamois Buttr, and carry individual packs of it with me to reapply at lunch or as needed. The Lantiseptic was a better lubricant. I have friends that use it for doubles and brevets

Carbonfiberboy 

I use Bag Balm. However on a BF rec I special ordered some Lantiseptic from a local drugstore. I found it to be too thick and sticky: made my shorts stick to me. I didn't like it, went back to Bag Balm which doesn't do that.

unterhausen

I only used lantiseptic once. It worked well for me once I had gotten saddle sores. I ordered a couple of tubes of it, backside is still a little unsettled from the 300k last weekend

mluciente

The best chamois cream. It is thick, yes. But that is why is lasts. It is waterproof, so it will protect in the rain and severe heat. The only stuff I use.

thebulls

I used to use Lantiseptic regularly from about 2005 to 2007, but I found that it tends to clog up my pores and cause saddle sores. Plus the petroleum in it may make it so the fabric in my shorts doesn't last so long. Finally, it is so sticky that your shorts stick to you. But what you want for a saddle cream is something to reduce friction between your skin and the chamois, not increase it. If you put enough Lantiseptic on to be slippery, then it tends to seep through your chamois and cause embarassing white stuff on your shorts, saddle, etc.

It is great stuff for helping heal abrasions. But I only use it if I need it. I still carry a packet or two, just in case, much as I carry Ibuprofen. For regular saddle cream, I use Chamois Butt'r, which is easier to put on, more slippery, and doesn't seem to cause saddle sores. I typically put Chamois Butt'r on before the ride. For rides up to 300km, that does the job for me. For longer rides, I'll reapply about every 100km so that abrasion never starts.

Two unexpected places that Lantiseptic really shines: First, if you've been in a multi-day drenching downpour like PBP '07, then you can end up with feet that are deeply wrinkled and painful, and Lantiseptic slathered all over your feet will go a long way toward helping them heal and relieving the pain. Second, in a multi-hour drenching, I find my hands sometimes get all wrinkled up and painful, so the Lantiseptic helps there, too.

I've also used Bag Balm but as far as I know, it's not available in the handy little (expensive) packets that Lantiseptic is available in. And I don't like the smell as much as Lantiseptic, although it's not a bad smell.

Nick

bmike

yes, works great... have used it on bikepacking trips, brevets, and long long rides.
put some small tubes in your kit. or buy a tub and put some into some baggies.
make sure you have some rubber gloves in your kit, or, put enough for one coating into a zip lock. flip inside out to apply, discard the baggie.

unterhausen

now that I have more experience with it, I don't think I would use lantiseptic as a first resort. I use a normal chamois cream at the start of the ride, and for any reapplications if problems haven't occurred. I only use the lantiseptic if I have problems with saddle sores on the ride. It works great for that. I generally don't have much trouble with saddle sores after the first warm 200k, this year has been different.

skiffrun

As far as I know, the author of this series of blog posts (Research Trailer Park: Search results for lantiseptic) still uses Lantiseptic almost exclusively. (As far as I know, the "Cap'n" is still also using Lantiseptic. Also a couple other local randonneurs with Mondial awards on their desks.)
Maybe I'll ask Mike if I see him in the next few months.

I typically use Chamois Butt'r, but I keep a (mostly used) tube of Lantiseptic handy & carry with me on longer rides. I also make sure to carry "Lantiseptic application devices" with me. Spare bread bags & spare zip-lock bags are excellent "application devices" as they keep the very sticky stuff from becoming nearly permanently applied to one's fingers.


If the above link didn't work, or it has too many articles for your reading pleasure, try this link which includes only the most "interesting" one (Research Trailer Park: Settled: The Great Lantiseptic Debate).