And A&D ointment likely works because it is what, about 90% to 95% vaseline/petroleum jelly?

I guess it is possible that with that little bit of lanolin, that it might act a bit different that plain vaseline. I don't think the vitamins are going to make a difference.

Bag Balm is almost identical to A&D Ointment. It is mostly petroleum jelly with lanolin added, and then a touch of antiseptic. But the antiseptic used is not approved for use on humans in some countries. Which is why it is sold in the pet section. Many recommend it, but usually to treat sores, not to prevent them.

Neosporin was mentioned by jcm. That's not a bad idea. Again nearly all vaseline, but with "approved for humans" antibiotics. So as a lubricant, it should work almost identically to vaseline, A&D, Bag Balm, and other vaseline/petroletum products and still have the antibiotic action of Assos & Bag Balm (although it should be better in this regard than Bag Balm). You can buy the generic product in places like Dollar Stores pretty cheap.

What I find interesting is that most people go to great lengths (and have done it myself) to avoid buying plain old store-brand petroleum jelly when that works about as good as anything and is far cheaper.

Another vaseline-based product that works wonderfully for chafing is Preparation-H (the ointment, not the cream). This is again nearly 100% petroleum jelly, but with an additive that shrinks and protects irritated tissue. That is what chafing is!

Here are some links on this topic:

https://www.bikepptc.org/saddlesore.html

https://www.abc-of-mountainbiking.com...n-injuries.asp

https://www.rivbike.com/html/rr_saddle_sores.html

For some reason, A&D ointment seems to be less greasy to me that petroleum jelly. But, maybe the fact that it is dispensed out of a tube rather than a jar (like Vasoline) means that I simply use less.

Very good articles, BTW, TB.

I like both Bag Balm and Queen Helene's Cocoa Butter Creme.

Thanks for the links Tom. Good articles and all seem to extole the virtues of petro jelly, as you have suggested. I did have the bike professionaly fitted and feel pretty confident that saddle height and angle are set correctly. I'm wearing Pearl Izumi Aerosensor shorts which fit well and so far, haven't caused any problems.

Thanks to all of you for the input, it is much appreciated.

I wish that I had a lot less experience on this topic. But unfortunately, my natural walking motion causes chafing. I've been battling it for 40+ years. I estimate that I've applied some form of anti-chafing lotion or creme somewhere in the vicinity of 15,000 times in my life. I've tried pretty much everything, including a number of home mixed concoctions. Nearly all work to some degree of effectiveness. With hand creams being the worst overall group.

But people who have a motion or riding position that requires very little assistance might find that almost everythiing works well for them.

I will say that if you start to feel any chafing, it is best to address it ASAP. Once your skin is irritated, a treatment that normally works great may not do much of anything, except to help it not get any worse. I've had chafing so bad that I could hardly walk for 2-3 days. Every one of my bike bags has one or two small containers of anti-chafe product.

Here is a story for every-ones amusement at my misfortune. I managed to ruin two Brooks saddle ($300). Here is how I did it:
I exercise every day at least one hour, often more. I sweat profusely. I go through two bottles of water in one hour. This is on a trainer BTW.
Got tired of washing shorts. What the hell, I am at home, go without shorts. Develop rash on my rear end.
Yes, I was taking frequent showers.
Started to use all of the above ointments on my rear end to get rid of the rash. Nothing seemed to work.
Got the great idea to use baby oil. That worked. The rash went away BUT, HORROR, the rivets on the Brooks-Pro chafed my skin to the point of blood. The leather did not like all that sweat, oil and ointments.
The rivets stuck out from the leather and that was the end of the two Brooks.
Now I am successfully using a Serfas saddle with baby oil and all is well, with or without shorts.

As Big Paulie might say .... Pictures, we need pictures!

I bid $100 towards paying Will NOT to post any pictures!!!

Why use something if you have no problems?
In over 3 decades of lots of riding have never used any lubricant on butt or shorts.
A good pair of shorts and saddle does the trick for me.

One comment on NEOsporin, the neomycin component is a well known
skin sensitizer and repeated use can result in a poison ivy like dermatitis
that would be really obnoxious. POLYsporin is similar sans the neomycin
that causes the problem. If you feel constrained to use the antibiotic
ointment use POLYsporin instead.. FWIW both ointments have a vaseline
base with added antibiotics that have some topical action. Occasional
use of Neosporin rarely causes a problem, but bike lube use tends to be
recurrent so the risk is higher.

Excitable topic. "Skin Lubes,' thought you might have been referring to late night activities. But, then I see this is not foo.

I suspect you would have a different experience in a more humid part of the country. Good shorts and a good, properly set-up saddle will go a long way toward minimizing abrasion, but on a 90 mile ride on a 90 degree (f) day with 90% humidity, when you go through a water bottle every 6 to 8 miles, there is just too much salty sweat flowing through your shorts for even the best chamois to handle.
Man, I can't wait for summer!

Nor is it the road forum where the most shocking discussions of spoke nipples, stiff cranks, dry lube vs. wet lube and the shaving of body parts never end.

Definitely a dry lube fan here. the phrase 'skin lubes,' is not too terribly descreptive. back in college the preferred lube was crisko, not sure how that works on cranks and bottom brackets.

I use chamois BUTTr for rides longer than 2 hours.

If one doesn't have much of a problem with this, and doesn't want to deal with some sticky stuff, then I'll pass along what a few people recommend as a "light" lube ... cornstarch or unscented talcum powder. These absorb moisture and thus reduce the friction between rubbing parts. Many baby powders are cornstarch.

+1

I bought Assos Chamois creme before my first century last year, and at the finish I was in pain all over, but not in the parts on which I'd applied the Assos.

Since then I've tried a variety of cheaper products, and they all work well enough. The difference is between something slathered on, and nothing. The Assos lasts a little longer, to be sure.

Queen Helene's Cocoa Butter Creme is inexpensive, and it works great.

But the BEST part is that it makes your shorts smell like a hundred college coeds sunning themselves at the beach.

When I read that my head just about exploded from an overdose of cognitive disonance.

I attended spinning classes for many years before taking to the road in ernest. I always road with lycra and nothing else. Road cycling, at first, over 40 miles started to hurt a little on my stock saddle. Got a new saddle that fits my butt, bought the Pearl Izumi Race pad shorts with 11 mm of pad designed for long time in the saddle and it is all good now. Road a century in the new shorts and at the end it was happy cheeks all the way. Nothing else required so far.

I made an informal survey and noticed that the CA bikers report few if any problems as were as bikers from other parts seem to worry. I wonder why? Could it be the difference in humidity?

Nupercainal, an anesthetic skin cream. Our RAAM rider started using it in Kansas.

As a general rule, I would think it could be problematic to frequently use an antiseptic, antibiotic, or anything that isn't a lubricant/skin care product. None of these medications are intended for frequent usage. Likewise if you don't have irritated skin, then no medical treatment is needed. All you need is some kind of anti-chafe lubricant to prevent irritation.

One of the links I supplied earlier touched on this. A doctor recommended vaseline to prevent chafing. But if chafing occured, then use Bag Balm for an overnight treatment. I think this would be much safer than using Bag Balm or Neosporin or whatever medication on every ride, even when you don't have a problem to treat.

OTOH, if one usually didn't use anything, or used vaseline or Assos or Chamois BUTT'r, but was going on a tough 200 miler & wanted to play it safe, then a one-time or infrequent application of Bag Balm or whatever shouldn't be a problem.

Being an everyday user of anti-chafe products, I use non-medicated products unless I have an irritation.