A Rather Personal Issue

[kgrooney]

Hello All,

This is a bit embarrasing, but I need some insight. Usually at this time of year when I begin to increase my intensity on the bike, or occasionally mid- season, I experience a breakdown of the skin high on the inner thigh in the groin. It looks as if you skinned you knee from a fall when you were a kid. I only wear Assos bibs and always apply cream to the insert immediatly before riding. To help protect the area during a ride I even put on my kids Desitin. Any ideas what causes this?

Thanks.

[Kevan]

a doctor about it?

[theprep]

kgrooney

I used to use the Assos chamois cream and even spent the coin on the Assos bibs. The cream creates the problems imho. It makes the skin too soft exactly where you want to toughen it up. Make any sense?

Give me a super thin chamois as well. Check out www.Boure.com for their discussion on thinner chamois and no cream. They explain things better than me.

Who do you ride with in Mt. Sinai? I live in Miller Place.

cheers,
Joe

[nicrump]

It won’t prevent but after you get a saddle sore, nothing beats http://www.bagbalm.com/

I am dead serious!

[kgrooney]

Appreciate the input.

Joe,

I was off the bike most of last year due to the birth of my second child and the fear my wife would kick my a@# if I tried to ride.

Since November I've been busting my buns on the indoor trainer, using spinervals, and hope to be in reasonable shape come April when I hit the rode.

As of yet, I have no riding partners. If your interested in riding with a 43 year old ( used to be a cat III ) let me know. Perhaps knowing I will be riding with some one may motivate me to train harder. I may consider doing a Friday night race in Riverhead.

[lnomalley]

couple of suggestions:

you may be shifting your weight a little differently doing intensity as opposed to base... make a little more friction there and irritating the skin..or your body's defenses are a little worn down post base miles and a little raw spot doesn't heal so fast...

here's the fix.

use different shorts with different chamios every day.
get out of your shorts the first second you can post workout. no extra chamios time.
make sure that you are drying your taint (it aint your ___ and it aint your ____so it's called the taint) post shower. no moisture down there.
if you are riding a lot in the rain.. vaseline is yor friend.. put it everywhere the chamios isn't.
chamios creme is a must.
got to your doc and make sure it isn't bacterial.
bird flu. stop touching yourself after your mcdonalds chicken sandwich.

also.. it might be the 7th sign of the apocolypse. i think nostrodamus said something about jock itch as being the last sign...
welcome to bike racing... say goodbye to a happy crotch until october.

[Too Tall]

You may want to try a regiment of skin cleansing immed. after exercise. Using alcohol and a soft towel will do the trick.

Bacteria is the enemy!

[Ken Robb]

maybe a different saddle? I had this problem with a couple of highly-regarded saddles and yet I can ride up to 25 miles in boxers and unpadded shorts on others. (B-17 and Arionne)--how's that for a surprising combination. It just proved to me that you can't judge a saddle's comfort by looks. Minor differences in shape make BIG differences in fit.

[Ginger]

Check your saddle alignment as well. Just a touch off can make a chafing difference.

[Ken Robb]

yeah, what Ginger said. I have been pedaling happily for awhile with some nose-up on the saddle position and all is well. Then as I got fitter and started spending more time in the drops: uh oh! now the saddle is digging in where no saddle has gone before.

[Eric E]

I had the same problem with WTB saddles - the problem disappeared with a Koobi saddle that has both a narrow mid section and a wider, flat back section...

Eric

[Mud]

is the junk you put on. My skin is hyper sensitive since I suffer from psoriasis. The treatment softens the skin so chafing is an issue. I use BodyGlide and a little of the Brave soldier cream and have no problems anymore. I find that the Chamois cream breaks down very quickly and the things I use are good for 50 miles or so.

[beungood]

Have you tried using the paper shields for the seat when using public restrooms? :banana:

[Dekonick]

You may want to try a regiment of skin cleansing immed. after exercise. Using alcohol and a soft towel will do the trick.

Bacteria is the enemy!

It also helps to do this before you start - alcohol before the ride - kill the bacteria before you start and it means less to grow in lovely, warm, sweaty, petry dish like shorts... (use a wash cloth and pour alcohol into it - wipe down your A$$, :butt: T'aint, and front - and anywhere your shorts will touch. Only use shorts ONE time - then wash em.