Hi,

What is the correct way to apply butt creams, chamois creams, etc? I bought a jar of the assos chamois cream but don't know what the heck to do with it.

I remember an embarrassing thread about someone who used too much and caused a wet look on her shorts.

Do I apply the cream to the chamois? How much do I put on? Can someone take a picture of the process?

Thanks for the help!

I really don't want to see a photo of "the process" thank you very much.

If you're not sure how much to put on the chamois, just rub it on yourself in the areas where the chamois will touch. It's just like putting body lotion on, you just rub it in till it disapears.

You leave it at home in the jar unless your ride is REALLY long, REALLY hot, or REALLY wet (i.e. pouring rain).

In those cases, you might want to apply a light, thin coating on any parts which might encounter friction (i.e. where your legs meet your torso). If you are female, there's an additional spot to apply it as well.

Remember, you can always reapply it along the way, so you don't need to load up with half the jar or anything.

I actually rub it on the loins! Works just as good as rubbing the chamois!

But if it disappears, how can it work? Is the skin supposed to feel slippery then? This is all new to me.

I thought it might help prevent sores, etc. My longest ride is 15 miles. I signed up for a 30 miles charity ride in a couple weeks so I wanted to prepare for it.

A fellow cyclist once explained that its an ointment, not a maranade.

The skin is not supposed to feel slippery. All the cream is supposed to do it to reinforce the top layer of skin in conditions when it might be particularly fragile (i.e. long/hot/wet rides).

If your bicycle is set up correctly; if you have a good saddle; if you have the proper pair of shorts for you with seams in a location where you are not sitting on them; and if the weather conditions are not desperately hot or pouring rain .... you should be able to ride 15 miles or 30 miles without even a hint of saddle sores ... without using any creams at all.



Think of it like this .....

You know how if you've been soaking in the bath for a long time, or swimming for a long time, your hands go all wrinkly and the skin around your finger nails tears easier ... well, if you're riding in hot conditions where you sweat a lot, or rainy conditions where your shorts are soaked with rain, your skin gets all wrinkly and can tear easier ... it's more fragile then.

Same thing if you've been swimming at the beach for a while, and then you stay in your wet/damp swim suit for the rest of the day ... you can often experience chafing around the legs of the swim suit.

But you can wear your dry swimsuit all day with no chafing.

Bicycle shorts are designed to wick away most moisture and it is like wearing a dry swimsuit ... but on long/hot/wet rides, sometimes the job can become too much for the shorts, and they become like a wet swimsuit ... and that's when you need some additional protection.

Isn't it one jar per application?

Actually, it's not a wetness issue, it's a physiology issue. Chafing can be pure friction of one flat taut surface against another, but there's also the issue of skin that's not so taut and shorts that are not so taut and the resulting friction and movement of that.

That's why I like the combo of bib shorts and chamois cream, but having said that, the best way to toughen up your nether-regions is to a) Not just get the saddle du jour and assume it will fit you, and b) Ride a lot.

Not to disagree, but for some people it isn't a matter of conditioning. Check out Hell on Wheels.... Zabel and Vino use it liberally during TDF. Of course, they have their masseuse/gopher apply it. For those guys I guess it's to safeguard against a day of extreme effort and perspiration.

I use bag balm and anoint my chamois with it. Fairly liberally.

No problems here.

I put it on the chamois. With the chamois butt'r, I put on a line of it about every 3/4", and then spread it out so that it's a thin coating.

That amounts to enough to make a barely visible coating on the chamois.

On "The Lance Chronicles" last year, I saw a scene where Armstrong was putting the assos on his shorts, and the coating he put on them was pretty impressive - way thicker than I use it. The interviewer thought it was shaving creme...

I would probably use more if I was just given it too!

My bottle of Chamois Butter has lasted 2+ years. I usually put some on for rides 40+ miles. I tend to rub on the inner thigh tendon so I squeeze out a little less than a grape sized amount and rub directly into the skin

it's simple....

-use a quality brand
-apply liberally

Feels a bit rank at first, 2 minutes out the door you've forgotten about it

MAIN-TAINT-ANCE

as seen on https://www.davezabriskie.com

An often overlooked part of being a healthy and fast cyclist is the taint. The taint is the part of your body that contacts your saddle. I believe the name was derived from the taint not being the parts that are well know by name: as in it taint that and it sure taint those! If you can’t comfortably sit on the saddle you taint gonna be able to ride your bike very far. This can negativly effect training and racing, so one must keep this area well main-taint-ed. There are three simple concepts to accept and follow: Cleanliness, Lubrication and Dryness. Trust me all of this was learned by experience! Here are the steps to follow:

Begin with a clean taint and chamois (if you are a hairy beast like me you may want to shave the area—USE CAUTION!)
Generously apply chamois cream
Ride, Train, Do what you do
Dismount bike (Follow the next steps immediately and without fail)
i. Remove chamois
ii. Shower
iii. Use a truly antibacterial soap like Hibiclens
Exit Shower
i. Dry taint with towel
ii. Dry taint with air
1. Either remain naked while making your after ride meal or use hair dryer
2. Antique yourself ala Jackass with a handful of Baby Powder

Why do we do this?
The chamois cream, helps reduce chafing that occurs while riding. There are a number of products out there and here are a few that I know work well:

Noxema
Butt Butter
Bag Balm
Assos Chamois cream
Sixtufit

Try them to determine what works best for you. Often when things are getting a bit raw I mix a few to exploit the full potential of each. Do yourself and your training partners a favor by not using too much. I have been known to have a little seep out of my shorts and it never fails to gain the attention of those behind me. Make sure your chamois is in good shape. Don’t use one that is old and worn out. After the ride get out of your shorts ASAP, you don’t wanna start growing mushrooms down there. Get into the shower and wash up, if you are having “problems” use Hibiclens, it is a surgical scrub and very powerful. I take it to races because each hotel has different soaps and who knows which could cause an irritation. After the shower make sure the area is dry either walk around naked for a while and let it air out or use a hairdryer. The final dose of goodness comes from a little shot of baby powder to the taint. By following these steps you should be main-taint-ing fairly well. If you are experiencing some saddle sores sometimes the only way to get rid of them is to stop riding for a couple of days. If it’s really bad you might have to see a doctor. I am sort of an expert so if you want you can send pictures and I’ll give you my opinion on the best way to proceed. PLEASE DON'T!
Oh yeah one more thing I think that can help is to shave all of that “bum fluff” down. It can be tricky, use electric clippers and be careful, I recommend a mirror.
-DZ

This is just wrong!

I apply Noxema liberally to the chamois. On longer rides like centuries, I also apply it lightly on me; if I've had some chafing from previous rides, I'll apply it a little heavier. Personally, I don't see the need for expensive, fancy products like the Assos cream.

Actually, it IS a wetness issue... to a large degree. Ask anyone who takes care of immobile/unconscious patients - wet skin is at a much greater risk for breakdown.

I use Assos everytime for any ride. the jar directions are very clear on how and when to use. The two main benefits of using Assos is friction reduction and it's anti bacterial and anti fungual properties. All you need is to apply a thin film on the chamois this can even be done after washing before you hang them up to dry. If you use the after washing method I would apply some Assos creme to the areas, on your skin, where you notice friction just before riding. Assos works with a high quality chamois and helps it perform it's best. It won't make a bad chamois better.

Glide.

My girlfriend and I apply it to each other, but for some reason it usually takes several hours to apply, and we go through a jar before each ride. We are very happy cyclists with big smiles !!

Instructions on the stuff works well.

They could call this product anything and that's what they chose???


On a serious <giggle> note, I don't generally use anything like that, but on centuries I do apply a light vaseline to the loins...

Well, looks like you've gotten to the bottom of this issue......

That was easy to say in hindsight...