Behind getting rubbed wrong?
 

Okay, so I've been doing this a little over a month. I've built up gradually from 2 days a week to about 5 now. Yesterday at work though I noticed my behind felt like I was about to get a blister. I didn't get one and I also didn't ride today to heal up, so that's good. Is this common or has my behind just not tough enough yet? I don't wear padded shorts or anything but I'm starting to think maybe I should. My commute is 20 miles round trip... Any recommendations on preventing and treating something of this nature?

Sorry, I know this is a weird topic to bring up... I just figure this has happened to someone here.

Padded shorts should help. And make sure your seat is adjusted properly. I use anti monkey butt powder, works great! :thumb:

My commute is 28mi RT, and I get like that at the beginning of every season too. How much did you ride before you started this season? Have you ever commuted before, or done regular, long rides? If not, it'll take your tush a bit to toughen up. It usually takes me a week or two before my bum is done yelling at me.

A good seat such as a split-center Serfas with gel will help, as will padded underwear or cycling shorts. Avoid 'whitey-tighteys', denim jeans, or anything that has a seam across your seating surface and thighs, as that will dig into the skin and cause further discomfort. Padded shorts are meant to be worn against the skin; I usually wear boxers or boxer-briefs under my wind pants or shorts once my hind is conditioned to the ride.

If you are experiencing discomfort due to chafing, heat, or moisture, try a pain-relieving powder such as Gold Bond or Monkey Butt. In a pinch, you can use good old baby powder/talc, but that's more just for the moisture/chafing.

Long story short, more saddle time will quicken the solution... if you keep your rides short and far apart, it'll take longer to get conditioned to the ride.

Padded bike shorts - underwear + chamois butter as needed + antibiotic ointment (for aftercare) as needed + diaper rash cream (for aftercare, in extreme cases) as needed.

You can't "toughen up" enough to ride long distances in anything that's going to bind in the crotch or put a seam in the wrong place. It'll chafe you till you bleed.

feels like a blister? Saddle sore my man. It is probably an ingrown hair. Yeah, it happens right about when you get to 5 day a week commuting. Gross, I know, but you gotta take care of it like any other ingrown hair.

I find that some kind of antibactierial cream like you would put on any other wound really helps it heal a lot faster, like lil brown bat mentioned.

And bike shorts. Above posters are right. You will always get sores on the seam of your shorts if you ride that much in 'em.

Brooks Saddle helps (after it breaks in!)

What's this season thing you speak of?

Winter, spring, summer and fall. :p

Is anti-monkey butt powder anywhere near as effective as this "shark repellant"

bodyglide works well for chafing too

JeffS: LOL, but in the suburbs around Chicago, only fools and madmen do battle with cars in the winter. I've done it, IF I can stick to residential streets. My current path, however, takes me on 4-lane road no matter which way I go. With no margin, curb or shoulder, I'd be a frozen grease-spot in no time.

baby powder or its equivalent works very well against this menace.

Bike shorts are meant to be worn without underwear. You can use them as underwear with baggy shorts or pants if needed. Use a clean pair everyday or there will be trouble.
Check your saddle height and general position for comfort.

I actually wore underwear for awhile under my bike shorts (I did not want to wash them every day.) But now that the weather got warmer, I found out why they are meant to be worn WITHOUT underwear.

Check your bicycle fit.