…the MTB’ers way of knowing they’re alive…? Other than liberal application of dock leaves, any other way of calming the tingling down? Finished riding a couple of hours ago and am quite tempted to cut my arms off to stop the pain.

Dock leaves is an old myth, just put up with it means you’re alive or take a piriton if you can.

Wash them thoroughly. Paracetamol. Paste of baking soda and water helps but then you have baking soda all over your arms.

Pee on them. If you can’t do it yourself either pee in to a cup and splash it on to the stings, or ask a friend to help

Do not touch them.  The sweat from your pores makes it worse.  Note that this could be an old wives tale but it works for me to lessen the reaction

Take a Piraton as above and use some antihistamine cream.

Piraton after this on a night ride is great about an hour before bedtime too… knocks you out good and proper!

Thanks all, looks like I need to buy some Piriton at lunchtime…

I used to hate nettle stings before taking up mountain biking. I quite like the invigorating feeling now.

Give it a couple of weeks and you’ll become desensitised them.

I quite like nettle tingle.

Brambles caught in the hook of my arm, however……….

I find a single sting painful, but a good spread of multiple stings on a limb as per slowoldman is quite invigorating 🙂 maybe its a man who has matured and enjoys a more leisurely approach  thing.

Chilled76 +1.

RM.

haha i got slated when i asked the same a year ago. my problem with nettle stings is i cannot sleep after a heavy dosage, my shins burn and itch, which prevents sleep on a hot night

Man up.

I went OTB into nettles in my local woods a couple of weeks ago wearing only shorts.  Landed face down and a bit dazed and rolled over onto my back before I realised I was stinging. 🙁

Full-body nettle sting puts hairs on your chest 😉

Charlie the Bikemongers Arse lard, not just for your undercarriage you know.

I went out last Friday evening, my legs got completely battered. They were burning the next morning, and even right now they’re really itchy from all the bramble scratches now healing/scabbing

Arms not so bad, just a bit here and then. Both legs were murder though. On the upside, it was shorts and t shirt weather all the way till I got home at 1am!

On the bollocks. Nothing better.

D over K, all the way!

Growacet, as above. Good grief, no wonder this country is going down the pan. The warm tingle a couple hours later is a fantastic feeling.

Growacet.

Thump (son #1)  toppled into a mass of nettles at the weekend. It was hilarious. He was not amused and would not let me take a photo before pulling him out. The bike was OK 🙂

Yes I don’t mind a mild nettling on the legs and arms. It’s a bit like the buzz from a hot chilli except on the outside.

At least the strength of the nettle sting tends to ease a little as you go through the season. The first ones that grow up in spring are like sharp bloody pins!

Got most of my left arm stung last night. I’m in the quite like it camp.

With all due respect, dock leaves are not a myth. However, they have to be applied in the right fashion. Crucial is the fact that it is the SAP within the leaves that contains antihistamines. This means that just rubbing them on your arms/legs/knackers ain’t going to work.

You need to take two or three leaves and crush them by rolling them vigorously in your hands. Keep going until your hands are pretty much coated in light green sap. Apply the sap to the effected area. Works a treat. I’ve been doing it for years and recently applied it to my 2.5 yr old who’d fallen into a patch of young nettles (most vicious) in shorts and t-shirt.

You’ll still get the tingle later on, but it won’t hurt half as much.

I used to carry anti histamine cream and put it on in the pub after a ride. It works to an extent but have recently found that a hydrocortisone cream (hc45 from boots) works brilliantly. I seem to be rather sensitive to nettles/stings etc and that cream is only available over the counter. Works a treat though, next morning it’ll be gone whereas before it hung around for days.

A sharp axe or saw. 😉

I thought I had become immune until last nights nettle attack. Blistered up all over ,like I was 7 year old. Ouchy.

fwiw I agree with the funk master ,rub the dock leaf until your skin is green.

Then you only feel pain from the friction burn. 😉

With all due respect, dock leaves are not a myth.

Sorry. Placebo not myth,