Chafing solutions?
 

I'm not doing many long rides right now, just about 30 minutes to work and 30 minutes home each day, plus maybe more riding on my days off. I'm getting painful chafing however, that makes walking painful sometimes. What kind of things can I do to fix this? More comfortable seat? different attire? Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong section, this is my first post!

Your seat may be too wide. There's a reason for narrow seats.
Are you wearing cotton? It can be like sandpaper.
Maybe your seat is too low.

I would make sure you have the right seat height, and a proper width saddle for your riding position. General rule of thumb is the more upright your position, the wider your saddle can be.

I've noticed that, for me, the combo of cotton and summer heat makes for trouble in the "saddle regions." I wear UnderArmor boxer briefs under normal clothes and find that works extremely well in all conditions. They are pretty much like bike shorts but without the padding, so you can wear them all day off the bike, walk in them, etc too.

I've moved away from Denim to Sweatpants, because the knit jersey fabric moves
with me, pedaling..

got some nice looking poly smooth out fuzzy in, compound knit
& some blended with cotton.
they hold up OK, better than 100% cotton.

Seat width and seat tilt
 

This same question shows up in a lot of different sections on Bikeforums. Where are you chafing? If it is on your thighs, then the seat may be too wide. I've seen people take a bike with a decent seat and replace it with the type of seat you used to see on 1950's kids bikes. IMHO, they were truly wretched and that is why narrower seats became the norm in the 1970s as bikes got lighter and multi-speed. You could ride them further. Also check the tilt to the seat. If the front of the seat is tilted up, it can make riding any distance painful (particularly for men).

- proper seat (very individual, pick what works for you but in general wide, overly padded seats cause far more problems than they solve)
- proper fit (seat height and fore/aft positioning are especially important)
- undergarments (if you can't wear bike shorts and change at work then opt for close fitting, synthetic athletic trunk style underwear)
- if that doesn't solve the problem, you might want to try one of the anti-chaffing products on the market. They come in cream and stick forms. Some people go nuts with the stuff, you don't have to glob it on, just a thin coat rubbed in will do for commuting

cycling specific shorts - you can wear them under regular clothes and they also make "liners". this type of clothing is for moisture. the lining takes the place of underwear and is called chamois. you can also use chamois crème where you are getting the chaffing. there are also other sports lubes for chaffing that can be found at stores like Dick's Sporting Goods