A lot, probably…

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/aug/15/team-gb-cycling-saddle-sore-medals

Vaginal gains?

Why yes, I do believe that IS my jacket….

Blimey.. is nothing (ahem) private anymore?

Some really surprising stuff in that article though – the UCI have a ruling on how tilted your saddle can be?! And they didn’t give the GB team clothes in their own size?! Incredible.

secret squirrel club

Fnarr fnarr.

Some really surprising stuff in that article though – the UCI have a ruling on how tilted your saddle can be?!

Been around for ages that. There’s some really odd rules about fit in the UCI rule book.

And the didn’t give the GB clothes in their own size?! Incredible.

I read that as referring to the pad that they fit into the suits.

Interesting stuff about the use of a paraffin based cream instead of traditional chamois cream.

one design was supposed to fit all, despite a wide variation in not just thigh circumference but also undercarriage arrangements.

Exactly, Junk-yard ! 🙂

the UCI have a ruling on how tilted your saddle can be?!

It’s the UCI, tbh I’m surprised they don’t already have rules specifying the exact length and style of pubic hair. One day, once they’ve sorted out all this important stuff, they’re going to look into that doping thing they’ve heard about.

what were you googling to find that? because i hope it was on safe search.

I did notice that many of them have gone for plaited pigtails – which can translate well to beard topiary too

what were you googling to find that?

It came up on my Google Now news feed, so Google googled it itself. Of course, that news feed is based on my own Googling 😉

one design was supposed to fit all, despite a wide variation in not just thigh circumference but also undercarriage arrangements.

Just refers to “the kit the girls were given”. Could be anything! Pad would make sense given the area they are talking about and what they were complaining about. And they refer to “one design” rather than one size. Probably not worth arguing about though 😉

An increasing number of female riders, professional and amateur, were resorting to surgery to correct vulval disfigurement.

Not very body positive for the Guardian.

“Some of the girls were complaining that their shorts were rucking up”
Would mean to me that the shorts weren’t the right fit. Although, not sure who these “girls” are. I thought the Olympic team was men and women , mmkay?

At one point we were saying: ‘Should we be buying the girls beard-trimmers?’”

crikey – that state sponsored doping isnt just for teh russians then!.

“Some of the girls were complaining that their shorts were rucking up”
Would mean to me that the shorts weren’t the right fit.

It was that comment that made me think it was a poorly fitted pad 🙂

Mr Blobby – those creams are widely used in healthcare ‘cos they have real evidence that they work. Chamois cream on the other hand often contains stuff known in healthcare to be harmful

tjagain, interesting stuff. Any links for more detail?

I did notice that many of them have gone for plaited pigtails

Yes. Clearly some marginal gains to be had there.

I’m just amazed as it was the Grauniad, that they didn’t use the C word!

Rockape63 – Member

I’m just amazed as it was the Grauniad, that they didn’t use the C word!

Corbyn? I think even the Guardian would struggle to pin this one on him

Mr Blobby. Not easy.Its all stuff that was accepted as evidence based many years ago. I’d have to search thru the reearch

Best is no creams. If you need creams to treat chaffing then simple creams are best. If you need them to prevent chaffing then look to your saddle and shorts.

Chamois cream on the other hand often contains stuff known in healthcare to be harmful

All of them? There are so many different brands out there now. Even Assos has changed formula from a few years ago.

Hence the “often” not “all”. I have seen people on here recommending steroid and antibiotics in creams as best for everyday use which are proven to be harmfull.

I’ll look up assos .

Can’t find an ingredients list for assos but stuff like eucalyptus and menthol is common is it not – both things I would NEVER put on my skin.

I have seen people on here recommending steroid and antibiotics in creams as best for everyday use which are proven to be harmfull.

😯

I’m just amazed as it was the Grauniad, that they didn’t use the C word!

yep, its like they have a quota they have to get through every day now. Its getting comic

steroids thin the skin. Antibiotics upset the natural balance of your skin and give rise to antibiotic resistant bugs.

I would use either the creams referred to by british cycling or some simple nappy rash cream. creams used in healthcare are tested as healthcare products. Chamois creams are not subject to such rigour.

TBH I’m pretty amazed at the sheer popularity of it these days. Once I’d got past actual leather chamois and moved to decent synthetics I’ve never used it. Not many that I raced with used it either. Now it seems to be the default answer to many things.

Rather than getting a saddle/shorts/fit that you get on with without chafing.

Only time I’ve seen it in use widely is during long stage racesin hot climates.

Rather than getting a saddle/shorts/fit that you get on with without chafing.

Only really use cream here for long rides on warm sunny days when it gets hot and sweaty down there, find it helps keep sores at bay. Could be an anti-bacterial thing, or read somewhere that it helps neutralise acidic sweat. Dunno. Does seem to work though. For the rest of the year, a decent pad that fits.

Which seems to be backed up by ghostly’s ninja edit…

Only time I’ve seen it in use widely is during long stage racesin hot climates.

Interesting to see it make a big comeback though with improved pads. I wonder if we’ll see embrocation cream making a comeback too 🙂

My answer to sweaty days is abandon the lycra. Cotton pants. baggy shorts. No sweat build up.

I do have an arse like rhino hide tho

I have heard people claiming that creams that make you “tingle” are good. See that tingling – thats skin damage happening.

Rather than getting a saddle/shorts/fit that you get on with without chafing

Thing is, getting a comfortable saddle/shorts combo is a bit of a lottery, and with saddles being £20-£30 minimum and decent shorts £50 minimum, it’s an expensive one if you have to try a few combinations before you get it right.

Personally, I’ve never managed to get it right and have settled on having a saddle that’s ‘alright’, decent quality shorts and using chamois cream to make up the difference in terms of comfort.

A very interesting article – I’ll be looking for that Shower gel stuff they mentioned.

I’ve got decent shorts, with a modern synthetic pad, but I’m still trying to find a saddle that gives NO sores. I can get it down to very few sores upto like 80 km per day.

Once you’re doing more than 80 km per day sores are more difficult to prevent. I have switched Shower gel and shower routine and I bought some Sudocreme – which works to both prevent and/or treat sores.

My answer to sweaty days is abandon the lycra. Cotton pants. baggy shorts. No sweat build up.

Not a good look on the road bike 🙂

Wouldn’t fancy that for 200km round central France in the summer…..

Cam almost feel the blood leaking out where the seams have rubbed.

Mr Blobby – do I care?
Ghostly – funny – I sit on my sit bones and nothing I own has seams there. Never had rub from seams. I only started using lycra at all a few years ago but have been riding (takes shoes off to count) 40+ years now

ee that tingling – thats skin damage happening.

Nice though innit.

[b]tjagain[/b] – Member[/i]

Haaaaaaaaaang on a minute………

Lael Wilcox who just won the Trans American Bike race 4000m in 18 days (after riding from alaska to portland for the start and then to NY to visit friends after she won) doesn’t use padded cycle shorts – just normal shorts – and a cotton t-shirt

But then again as she holds the womens records for TABR and the Tour Divide (which she did twice last summer) i think she is probably slightly harder than any of us !

I sit on my sit bones and nothing I own has seams there

That’s all fine and dandy if you’re happy in that position and/or are suitably flexible. Might not be the case though if you’re after a more efficient aero position and/or lack flexibility.