Home Brew Chammy Cream « Singletrack Forum

Bike Forum

Home Brew Chammy Cream

54 posts & 32 voices | Started 11 months ago by Shibboleth | Latest reply from Saccades

Tags:

No tags yet.

Pages: 12 Next »

Shibboleth - Member

I've been tempted to try the Keith Bontrager recipe (below) as Assos Minty Arse Lard, whilst very nice, is very expensive and seems to vanish after 40 miles.

Has anyone tried this or any other recipes? A lot of forums seem to recommend "Bag Balm" and other such products, presumably high in lanolin... And what would be a readily available UK version of the "triple antibiotic ointment" Bonty suggests?

Cheers!

KB's Recipe:
13 oz petroleum jelly
1 oz triple antibiotic ointment
1 oz hydrocortisone cream
1 oz lanolin

Posted 11 months ago #
forzafkawi - Member

I've tried all sorts of creams over the last 20 years or so of riding both on and off road. I've been using Savlon for the last 3 or 4 years and it is definitely the simplest and best solution (and probably the cheapest).

Posted 11 months ago #
cruzheckler - Member

just use this

Posted 11 months ago #
simons_nicolai-uk - Member

Why do people always suggest sudocreme? It's not a patch on Minty Arse Lard - works well after riding if you've GOT saddle sores but really not a lot of use for preventing them.

Posted 11 months ago #
terrahawk - Member

Sudocrem is quite a lot more expensive than chammy cream too (unless you HAVE to use Assos, which you don't).

Posted 11 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

13 oz petroleum jelly
1 oz triple antibiotic ointment
1 oz hydrocortisone cream
1 oz lanolin

Asking the chemist for nearly 1lb of vaseline's going to raise eyebrows...

Posted 11 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Do not use antibiotic creams - you increase resistance when used unneeded and hydrocortisone cream is not a good idea either.

Posted 11 months ago #
D0NK - Member

Another vote for lashings of savlon (or supermarkets own version)

Posted 11 months ago #
Shibboleth - Member

What about a mix of Sudocreme and Vaseline? I've used a petroleum jelly and lanolin based cream in the past that was very good, can't seem to find it now.

TJ, I was wondering about that. What would you recommend, just antiseptic?

Has anyone tried any of the cow udder creams?

Posted 11 months ago #
iDave - Member

i used a mix of sudocreme, vaseline, germolene and anusol(!) cream at mayhem - worked really well I have to say.

Posted 11 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

I would recommend nothing. all a cream does is block pores, macerate the skin, alter natural ph and cause problems. i would never use a cream as a preventative - only to treat chaffing. I personally never have needed or used a cream so I have nothing to recommend

Posted 11 months ago #
Onzadog - Member

I use the udderly smooth stuff and it works well.

Posted 11 months ago #
Shibboleth - Member

TandemJeremy - Member

I would recommend nothing. all a cream does is block pores, macerate the skin, alter natural ph and cause problems. i would never use a cream as a preventative - only to treat chaffing. I personally never have needed or used a cream so I have nothing to recommend

Rather an interesting slant, but I know from my experience, creams are a great help on rides over a couple of hours.

I doubt any pros would consider riding without some sort of cream, and let's face it, the hours they spend in the saddle, they would probably have a pretty good idea of what's required...

Posted 11 months ago #
terrahawk - Member

i would never use a cream as a preventative - only to treat chaffing.

barmy bugger.

Posted 11 months ago #
wwaswas - Member

barmy bugger.

well, he's won't be balmy.

igmc.

Posted 11 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

I never get a sore backside and I ride for many hours at a time Usuually 2 x 5 hre rides a week. Racers have a different set of priorities to leisure riders. get comfy kit and saddles.

My thoughts on skin care come from my background as a nurse and pressure sore prevention where evidence based practice is not to use creams as they are ineffective and make things worse.

Posted 11 months ago #
simons_nicolai-uk - Member

I definitely find Assos works at preventing saddle sores. Are they actually pressure sores? I'd always assumed that it's a combination of friction and bacteria rather than just pressure so that it's the lubricating and antiseptic properties of Assos that do good.

Posted 11 months ago #
Shibboleth - Member

Surely pressure sore prevention requires rather different solutions?
For example, pressure sores tend to be caused by round-the-clock pressure and are exacerbated by poor blood flow. (Correct me if I'm wrong).

Chaffing problems are generally caused by a combination of friction, sweat and hair for sustained periods, but generally not more than 8hrs.

I certainly fall into the leisure cyclist bracket, and I invest in good, well-fitted clothing and the comfiest saddles I can find.

But my riding is certainly improved by the use of chammy creams...

Posted 11 months ago #
jeffcapeshop - Member

sudocrem is great after the fact, not so sure about its preventative properties..

whenever i've had hydrocortisone cream it says not to use for more than one week at a time/in a limited way, though i'm not sure of the exact reasons. still, i wouldn't want it on my bumhole.

imo the best thing for sores was to get some decent bib shorts..

Posted 11 months ago #
cruzheckler - Member

to be honest tj the skin round your arse is toughened from all the talking out of it you do!!

Posted 11 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

That and the fact I have been cycling many hours a week and for decades.

Its my opinion based on experience and academic knowledge. IMO creams as a preventative are counter productive.

Posted 11 months ago #
argyle - Member

Shirley you would be better off with a nice, plain heavy base cream with some essential oils like tea tree and lavender in. They would help any sores already there and anti fungal so good to combat against a rank chamois. Vaseline based one would suck. Sudocrem no good if allergic to zinc oxide.

Posted 11 months ago #
uplink - Member

I've done lots of long rides this year [7-10 hrs] and don't bother with it either most of the time
The only time I do bother is if I know it's going to be very wet and I'll be in the saddle for more than 4 or 5 hours

Its my opinion based on experience and academic knowledge

My opinion is based on not having a sore arse after 120 miles or so

Posted 11 months ago #
bikebouy - Member

"Back in the day" I used to be a semipro roadie, we used nowt pre/during races/training but after showers etc. just covered the area in antiseptic cream (brand escapes me)
Tips: erm, wash and clean the area well then make sure the area is dried off properly before putting clothes back on over the area.
If we did get sores (and we did, but not frequent) then we'd use large plasters over the area until the race day was over then repeat above.

The main cause we found were sweat/damp/rubbing and a decent pad inyershorts worked wonders.. I always go for the very best bibs I can get, current mix of Rapha and Assos, cos I'm worth it.
Currently don't use anything but do have minty in the cupboard "just in case"

Posted 11 months ago #
Shandy - Member

I use Assos. Does this look like a man who compromises on his comfort?

Posted 11 months ago #
headfirst - Member

caused by a combination of friction, sweat and hair

So, and I'm not trolling here, would a 'sack and crack' wax help to reduce chaffage? Might this also reduce the frequency with which I meet my old friend Ivan Itchianus? Not to mention less Klingon encounters?

Posted 11 months ago #
crikey - Member

I'm gonna respectfully disagree with TJ on this one.

The problems I get are related to chafing, and the chafing is worst in the summer; you sweat, then get micro salt crystals on your skin and shorts, and the constant movement of thighs and dangly bits while pedalling can end up rubbing things raw.

Same when riding in the rain, when grit gets into the shorts.

I use Assos because I can, but have made do many times with any non-perfumed moisturing lotion, like E-45; just blob it on your chammy, rub a bit more on the nads and off you go.

The above advice regarding using hydrocortisone as an ingredient is probably not the best; regular use of steroid creams can thin and damage your skin; not what you want in any of your leisure areas..

Posted 11 months ago #
RealMan - Member

I usually just slap on a mug of MTFU.

Posted 11 months ago #
trail_rat - Member

chamois butter works well , vaseline works well

udderly smooth - effin waste of time , just makes my butt slippy and the chamois moves more and causes friction.

Posted 11 months ago #
bigyinn - Member

Where do you lot actually get sore bits?
I've just read nads and bumholes. Cant remember the last time I rode my bike and actually sat on either of those!

Posted 11 months ago #
headfirst - Member

Bigyinn: I'll find some pics...

Posted 11 months ago #
rootes1 - Member

Thick nivea moisturisers work well for none 'proper' creams, though best I have tried is Ozone Elite, better imho that assos.

Some **** in a Ford Ka ran over my pot of Assos in Worcester...:( street was nicely mentholated though...

Posted 11 months ago #
69er - Member

As usual I disagree totally with TJ. If you're going to be sat down pedalling for long periods I would advise Assos. It works for me. Including 9 hours in the saddle on La Marmotte.

I also use it for my 22 mile fixed commute. Just makes getting to the end of the week easier

Homebrew is an interesting concept, but don't use Sudocreme. It definitely doesn't workfor me.

Posted 11 months ago #
jonb - Member

I asked about this a while ago (search for sodocreme as unfortunately typed it). Sore bits are usually around my seat bones. Mixture of pressure, friction sweat etc. Only really a problem on long rides on hot days.

Anyway, I decided that given how rarely I use it and the fact that udderly smooth isn't massively expensive that I'd just go with the proper stuff.

Good shorts are the best starting point by a mile. You don't need to spend Assos money. The Dhb top end shorts use the same pads as the top end shorts costing double (or at least they did) manufactured by cytec.

Posted 11 months ago #
Shibboleth - Member

I mixed up Vaseline and Sudocreme (approx 4-1) last night and it looks like it might work well - nice consistency and it doesn't leave a thick claggy white film like neat sudocreme. I'll try it tonight and report back, looks like it'll be a wet ride, so a good test.

I tend to get a bit of chaffing on the inside of my upper thigh (if it's hot) but mostly, it's that irritating pimple rash in where the crease between top-of-thigh meets buttock and runs across my sit-bones.

Apologies if that's too much information :o.

Posted 11 months ago #