The Undercarriage
Gotta keep things comfortable!
Cycling involves more than just legs; and that includes the “undercarriage”. We have to take care of it, or we risk losing time in the saddle to saddle sores.
First, always wear clean shorts for every ride. Sometimes I get tired of washing out cycling shorts; but I have to do it. I have five pairs; but they won’t last for a whole week!
Second, use an anti-chafe product, such as Chamois Butt’r.
Incidentally, inflation has struck. I’ll soon have to start using my spare tube of Chamois Butt’r; and today I bought another tube at the bike shop. Their price used to be $17.99; and now it’s $20.00! I haven’t tried Enzo’s; but it’s another product that helps reduce chafing. Try several to see what works best for you.
Some cyclists like to wash with an antimicrobial soap before and after each ride; but what if saddle sores develop in spite of all our precautions?
Using an ointment can ease the pain and help healing. I’ve been lucky, I guess. The only time I had a saddle sore was when I went for a ride on the then-new road bike; and it still had its stock saddle. That saddle was very flat; and miserably hard; and didn’t fit me well, either.
Sometimes a rider can avoid taking time off the bike by doing a lot of out-of-the-saddle riding; but I’m not strong enough for that. If I got saddle sores, I’d have to stop riding to let the undercarriage heal. And now that hot weather is moving in, we have to be more careful about all this.
Yeah, I know — it’s an indelicate topic; but it’s still important.