LuMax

QM Sports Care Antifriction Cream Plus



I don't use chamois cream every day, usually just on very long rides or on hot or humid days when I know that I am going to be sweating a lot.

I was a big fan of Assos chamois cream until they changed the formula sometime last season. It used to be a pale-green color, now it is pale-yellow. It worked exceptionally well for me during my nearly 4000 mile 2011 season (including 8 Centuries). Then I tried the new pale-yellow formula and developed a mild, itchy rash each time I used it. I think that they switched to a plant based formula, and since I have a few mild food allergies I assumed that it was a reaction to the new formula so I had to stop using it. The rash and itching would always disappear shortly after a shower.

Since then I have been trying out other chamois creams and ordered a tub of the QM4A+.
It is also vegetable based so I was concerned about possibly having a reaction to it. I tried it for the first time yesterday.

I was impressed with how thick it was.
After I applied it I attempted to wash the extra off of my hands; bathroom hand soap could not dissolve it even after three hand washings. I had to go out to the kitchen and use Dawn dish washing soap to get this stuff off of my hands. When I put on my expensive bibs (Assos T FI.Mille Long Cycling Bib) it felt as though the chamois was being bonded to my ass with industrial strength glue. There was no feeling of anti-friction or lubrication; it felt as though my chamois had just been permanently adhered to my butt cheeks. I then left on my 60 mile, 3000+ feet of climbing training ride (in 90 degree weather) hoping it would get better.



Instead of allowing my chamois to slide around a bit like every other chamois cream I have ever used, the QM4A+ kept my chamois stuck to my butt so that any friction from the saddle would pull on my skin through the bibs. Near the end of the ride this was producing a significant amount of discomfort, nothing I have ever experienced before even when breaking in a new saddle. Still the QM4A+ would not release it's vise-like grip on my skin.

When I got into the shower I used my regular bar soap and had to wash my crotch area multiple times to remove this product. Usually chamois cream rinses off pretty easily, not this stuff. Apparently non-water soluble, it took appreciable effort to remove it. I also noticed that I now had two sore spots (there are actually discolored 'bruised' spots) on the skin over my 'sit bones' from the chamois pulling so much. Even this morning more than 18 hours after my ride the skin is still quite sore and discolored (bruised) from this chamois cream. I am going to have to skip my ride today most likely. I have logged many miles in these bibs and on my saddle (both with and without chamois cream), so I am certain that they were not the problem.

This stuff actually caused the exact type of saddle-sore injury that it is supposed to prevent!

Then I tried to wash my bibs last night.

Thinking this stuff would not wash out easily I pre-treated the chamois with "Shout" laundry pre-treater, but after washing it was apparent that there was still plenty of the QM4A+ in the chamois. You could see it and smell it. My sister recommended "Resolve" maximum strength to me so I made a special run the grocery store and then literally saturated the chamois with it, even scrubbing it a bit with a plastic scrub brush. I then let it sit for over an hour prior to laundering. After the second wash cycle you can still see and smell the QM4A+ in the chamois.

In my opinion this stuff has actually damaged my $250 Assos bibs. How else am I supposed to wash it out if the strongest (rated #1 by Consumer Reports) laundry pre-treatment doesn't? What's next, soak my bibs in my parts cleaner out in the garage?

I have now tried Chamois Buttr, DZ Nuts, Assos, Udder Cream, and have never experienced anything like QM4A+, it should really come with a warning label. I actually like the DZ Nuts, but I'm not a big fan of the 'warming sensation' when I am headed out for a ride on a 90 degree day. Would love to find some 'old formula' Assos. From now on it is probably DZ for cold days and Buttr for hot ones.

I will post a photo of the chamois, but using my camera phone the discoloration in the chamois is not very apparent. You can even feel a bit of 'grease' on your fingers after touching the chamois.



Disclaimer: I do not work in the cycling industry, and have no conflicts of interest with any cycling or cycling related products.

DropDeadFred

do you actually need the cream?

Adrianinkc

Maybe you didn't put enough on? DZ stuff is great, I'm trying one called endur-it currently and it kinda does what you are describing.

LuMax

@DropDeadFred - Not for short training rides.
But on long (100 mile +) days or when it is really hot or humid and I am sweating a lot, the build-up of salt and sweat in every chamois I have tried usually causes chafing or irritation (monkey butt). The other chamois creams seem to completely alleviate this issue, especially the 'green' formula Assos for me.

NWS Alpine

Interesting. Sounds like some nasty stuff.

I use the Euro version of Buttr and I love it. Nice and cooling in the South FL heat. Washes out easily.

Shimagnolo

To the OP: Send a copy of that post to the mfgr and ask for reimbursement of the damaged bibs.

Chickenstrip

Where's the thread about the guy that put actual butter in his bibs?

Shimagnolo

That sounds like an improvement over what the OP reviewed.

Seattle Forrest

My guess is Icy Hot.

Poison ivy extract would be worse, but you'd have to make it yourself.

tagaproject6

They should have colored it brown, just to drive home the crapiness of the product.

GiantDefyGuy

That sucks, and good write-up. I've never used any of the cremes, so I can't really give any input.

I'm here because of this picture. Is that really the chamois you get in Assos shorts? It looks like it's just 1 layer of egg-crate foam with 2 simple shapes pressed into it. All this time, I had been expecting assos chamois to be some "work of art," and I find this picture extremely disappointing. What am I not understanding?

AndyB.

I like that your misspelling in the title forced the word mangina to be included in this thread.

island rider

Those shapes aren't pressed in, they are sewn in, but yes, that about sums it up. And yet, they are a work of art. Funny huh? Seems like it would be an easy thing to replicate. But nope.

OP - Have you tried just using them again but with some of the Assos cream on? I would guess that the rest of that crap will work its way out of your chamois after a while and in the meantime the new cream should insulate you from the effects.

ganapati

Tiger Balm!

rpenmanparker 

I chafe without some lubrication no matter what the chamois (shouldn't we just be calling this the pad these days?) design. I really like Body Glide, a stick that looks like deoderant but works very well. I find it is necessary to put it on the chamois AND on me. Buy it at sporting goods, bike, runners, stores and at online drugstores.

Ricanfred

My thoughts exactly....

tony2v

Try dznuts Bliss, it's for women's sensitive skin and no tingling:
https://dz-nuts.com/store/review/prod.../2/category/4/

zigmeister

Great writeup, but could have done without the shot of your bibs...

Anyway, I've kind of got used to and like the new Assos. I would like to try something without menthol though next time.

Have you tried Sportique and their century cream? I used a few samples of it, found it to be mild and "slick" on the bum.

Psimet2001 

I highly recommend using Enzo's ButtonHole Chamois Cream.

https://www.enzoscyclingproducts.com/chamois-cream

In the interest of full disclosure - I know the product inventor. He rides with my USAC club, but I do not profit in any way from his sale of cream. We just go the opportunity to use it early on. I still pay for every tub that I use.

What I like about it is that he formulated it as a sort of cross between the old Assos and DZ. He had the same problem in that he loved the old Assos and missed it when it was gone. Then he used DZ and got tired of paying so much for it.

I personally LOVE it, and so does everyone else that I have given it to. Enzo gave me a bunch of samples and I started sending them out in every wheel box I ship as well as when I am on rides and meet people who haven't tried it.

It's funny because a lot of guys from here that have moved away still hit me up for it by the case load - just so that they don't run out and that they can give it to their teammates/friends. He now distributes through Performance Bike online, as well as almost every good bike shop in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, etc.

Seriously....try it.

Mayday328

+1 on Enzo's. While I don't use it myself the shop I used to work for outside Chicago sold it like crazy. People loved it and it smells wonderful.

2005trek1200

If you like DZnuts, but not the sensation. I would try Tempo from Soigneur. If you are in the market for something that is cooling, +1 on the Enzo's Buttonhole.

LuMax

@AndyB - Funny! My spell checker must be broken. Fixed the title.

@zigmeister - at least the photo is of clean bibs with the only discoloration from the QM4A+

@Psimet2001 - I'll try to find some Enzo's and give it a try. I bought some Euro Buttr formula today and will try that first.

@tony2v - I actually thought of trying the Bliss but thought I might catch hell if any of my riding buddies saw it in my bathroom.

@ island rider - I sure hope so, I don't want to feel the effects of this stuff ever again.

jsutkeepspining

i thought i was the only one who hated the new assos formula. i noticed the rash as well, and was like "wtf mate, why the sudden rash fools"

pdedes

Sudocrem. Just a pinch between my arse and balls.

nhluhr

You need some mild solvent to dissolve this. Soap won't cut it, per your description. Simple Green, Goo Gone, or similar should make it right as rain.