Saddle problem

I know this is a really difficult topic, but I have an issue with my saddles. I own a variety of saddles, some feel better than others, but the most glaring problem is the chaffing/damage most of them cause right at the crease where my leg and butt meet.

Long rides, especially multi-day rides, become really irritating. I have a scab from a 4-day 240 mile camp & ride last week.

So my question is not "what saddle should I get", it is "what part of my fit is causing saddles to rub a hole in my azz?"

Yes I use chamois butter for long rides.

Thanks for any help!

For that 4-day I wore two pair of PI, one was bibs and the other non-bibs, same liner. I alternated and washed them on off days. They both have the same blue, spongey pad.

I have another brand but the pad in those is quite thin and made of a more cloth-like material. I've only worn those for rides under 30 miles so don't know how they'd do.

I would recommend a professional fitting only because there could be so many possibilities. The saddles you have could be too narrow or too wide or the nose is set up or down too much. It might be too high. Bibs are the way to go for long rides but finding the right ones is trail and error. I like the Red/White brand but that doesn't mean they work for everyone. The thin padded shorts you have may be made for triathlon and year ago I had a couple of pair like that and liked them a lot. Hope you get it figured out soon. Nothing worse than being rubbed raw with 50 more miles to go.

At my end I have never worn a pair of bibs so guessing I would like them. What I have found out though is that Castelli shorts have out shined any other shorts I have ever won. I usually buy them when they are on sale at the end of the season. The bike fit is spot on though as my fit is probably that good that I pretty much can wear any kind of shorts which I have with no problems.


Good luck
Zman

It could be a multitude of problems. Saddle width, saddle position, saddle height, saddle angle, saddle too far forward or back, etc etc...

With a professional Body Geometry fit, you'd be surprised at how many things can affect comfort on the cockpit. Especially if you're doing multi-day trips. It's a great investment for your bikes.

My $.02: Normally, I don't have issues with saddle sores - regardless of the saddle I'm using. Last summer however, I did start getting sores similar to the ones described in the original post on this thread. In my case, the main culprit was  aging 75 year old skin, which is more fragile than in younger days, as well as increased mileage on rough unpaved roads in hot humid weather. I found that several interventions helped:
- Hygiene. The main thing is to get out of your cycling shorts ASAP after a ride, and clean up. Never sit around in wet shorts. If you can't shower immediately, then at least clean up as best you can and put on dry clothing.
- A somewhat wider saddle than my racing saddle. I found the Brooks C17 a good choice.
- There are many types of skin lubes on the market. I find that the main difference is their viscosity. Most of the commercial chamois creams are not thick or sticky enough to do the job - especially on longer rides. There are several non-cycling products that are much thicker and stickier. They are also less expensive than fancy cycling specific products. I would recommend trying Aquaphor, Bag Balm, or Cramers Skin Lube. Aquaphor and Bag Balm can be purchased in many supermarkets or places like CVS or Riteaid. Cramers can be purchased  on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Cramer-Lubricant-Friction-Blistering-Activities/dp/B001B5JR20/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1534598918&sr=8-3&keywords=cramer+skin+lubeAquaphor is the easies of these products to use, while both Bag Balm and Cramer are very thick and sticky and a bit messy to apply and wash off. Depending on conditions, I'll either use Aquaphor or Cramer applied liberally directly on my skin. Bag Balm also does a good job, but it has a medicinal smell that I don't like.
This season I started using the Kinekt Body Float suspension seat post on my gravel bike. The Kinekt significantly reduces the wear and tear of riding on rough unpaved roads: http://ridebodyfloat.com . Compared to my Thomson Masterpiece and Flite saddle, the C-17 and Body Float add about a pound of weight to my rig. At the end of the day however, both my lower back and butt appreciate the cush and support of the Brooks saddle and Body Float suspension.

I've had a professional fit. These sores don't seem like a bike fit thing, more of a seat shape issue, or maybe the chamois in my Pearl Izumi shorts just don't agree with my skin. Everything about that 4 day ride was comfortable except the leg-butt crease, so ...

Something I've been avoiding for a long time is spending significant money on a saddle. I've always ridden middle of the road "meh" seats and gotten along fine-ish. With this recent problem and me now on a bike with very different riding position (Salsa Fargo), I took the plunge and bought a Brooks C17. I'm already loving it after only a couple short rides.

I'm also hedging my bets on my next ride and getting some Bag Balm or something like that (thanks Bob), and will try another brand of shorts as well (thanks Zman).

Thank you all for your input!

I had similar - though not as severe  - chafing issues in the past and found that I need a saddle with a narrow nose and a relatively abrupt transition to the wide section at the rear. It's the tapered area between the nose and the rear that was causing the problem. I've been riding Kontact saddles (actually their predecessor which was called "E3") for the past 10 years or so and they're the best solution I've found. If it sounds like it may solve your problem, you may want to give one a try. There are a few other saddles on the market with a somewhat similar shape, but none exactly like it.

Zurichman wrote:At my end I have never worn a pair of bibs so guessing I would like them. What I have found out though is that Castelli shorts have out shined any other shorts I have ever won. I usually buy them when they are on sale at the end of the season. The bike fit is spot on though as my fit is probably that good that I pretty much can wear any kind of shorts which I have with no problems.


Good luck
Zman

Yeah, I buy them at the end of summer when they are on clearance.  They run small so I buy XL's and love them.  Bibs of course.

My commuter bike died so I had to build up the Macho Man Disc frame I had on hand.  I stole the saddle from my Winter bike, a Selle Sl and lately have been having a pain in my rump.  Looks to be about the Same as the Selle Arrowhead I have on my "road" bike but sure doesn't feel the same.  Need to find another saddle.

Well, I had something of a problem like yours, except that rather than getting sores (most times) my shorts would wear out in the same place, but only one side. Among several issues (I'm windswept due to a functional leg length discrepancy), it turns out that my thighs just don't like the modern saddle design where there is less (or no) material down the side. I've played hockey all my life so I have inner thigh muscles and I found that I was rubbing right on the seatpost clamp. It was hilarious when I finally realized it. All of my newer seatposts (and even the rails on several saddles) were worn down or polished  This got me thinking about why this never used to happen to me. If you look at older saddles, there is more material down the sides. Now, a lot of better saddles are just flat and as much material as can be has been removed. A venerable Brooks B17 solved my problem. It was the only saddle that had sufficient material down the side. Could be something to look at, especially if you are a bigger rider or have bigger thighs.

Selle Anatomica x2. Tried about 10 before this and so far this has solved all my saddle issues.

Since you have been fit (assuming it was a full on fit by a professional bike fitter), did they measure your "sit bones" for width?  As mentioned by many others, saddle width can be a huge issue even if your bike fit is spot on.  You can easily measure yourself for the correct saddle width.  In YouTube search for "measuring sit bone for bike saddle width".  You will find several videos on the process.  Once you find your sit bone width, you add a 10 to 30 mm to find your correct saddle width.  The amount you add is determined by how aggressive (add a smaller amount), or how upright (add a larger amount) your riding position is.  

The other thing that was mentioned it saddle tilt.  Many people put their saddle level and ride it. This usually works OK.  However, your saddle tilt should be relative to your upper body.  The lower, more aggressive, you ride, the more you have rotated your sit bones forward, which results in a flat to tilting down nose.  The more upright you ride, the higher you will want the saddle nose (flat to slightly higher).  

I have four different bikes, each with a slightly different riding portion (from aggressive on the road bike and XC bike, to more upright on gravel and fat bikes). I run the same saddle on each of the bikes, but the saddle tilt is different on each bike based on the riding position.

I'm am not a bike fitter, but I am like the "princess and the pea" when it comes to saddle fit. Having the correct height, setback, width and tilt has a huge impact on all of the other contact points and moving parts.

  

I've had the same problem. I tried saddles, bike fits, bibs, creams, crying, offering sacrifices to the gods... nothing seemed to solve it. This went on for years, usually worse in the summer. Long rides were excruciating and frustrating.

Finally, one day, I pulled my bibs WAY up against my stuff, making sure the pad was tight against that area where I was getting irritation. I folded the leg grippers up so they didn't have a hold on my legs, snugged up, and made sure there was no movement or space between the pad and my body. I really tucked it in there making sure there was no space. Once everything was snug, I fold the legs back down to hold everything in place.

Instant results - no more chafing or sores. Eliminating any friction between the pad and skin did the trick (for me). Sometimes it's the simple things.

I usually wear something like these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/under-armour-heatgear-armour-2-0-comp-shorts-ss17/rp-prod154302?gs=1&sku=sku563470&pgrid=60711843298&ptaid=pla-425320023266&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=PLA+All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid|sy3yXQemb_dc|pcrid|294922111664|pkw||pmt||prd|563470UK

Stick a bit of Vaseline  (I find it lasts longer than chamois) in the usual spots and away I go.