is it saddle sore?

ashleydwsmith

Afternoon,

Have a red sore bumpy to touch patch on my right butt cheek. According to the missus check its not weeping and no whiteheads.

Could this be saddle sore as it hurts like hell. Even just walking is uncomfortable. Got some canesten from the pharmacist as well as sudocrem. But annoyed as really wanted to get out on the bike but it hurts.

Would post pics but you dont want to see my arse!

Wirral_paul

Ouch - sounds painful!!

Depending on where it is - certainly sounds like a saddle sore. These are "underneath" rather than "on a cheek" generally - but i'd say no riding till it heals...... and maybe think about investing in some chamois cream / udderly smooth cream. Also, clean shorts every ride and proper washing after a shower will hopefully help prevent this happening again.

High quality shorts are also a worthwhile investment. I bought some Assos F1 Mille S5 last weekend and did 210 miles over 2 rides in them so far - no hint of any saddle soreness.

ashleydwsmith

Cheers paul, its kinda on the edge of the crack if you like so prime area.

Never had this before. Will invest in some cream. Shorts are sugoi and some pearl izumi?

jgsi

I found this to be useful in clearing up similar infections...teenage angst 8)

Sudocreme might actually make it worse.

Wirral_paul

As you say - prime area for chaffing which in time leads to a proper saddle sore (ie a boil). If it doesnt improve in a few days then you should consider speaking to a doctor as you may need a course of antibiotics. keeping the area clean is so important - especially now. Good luck with getting better asap mate - sounds like hell

simon_masterson

Unfortunately the best course of action is not cycling. I know because I had them lasting for weeks one time because I carried on commuting. I didn't have padded shorts.

What you need is good shorts, saddle and saddle position (height, angle, fore-aft), proper washing routine and detergent (i.e. antibacterial - Halo is good but there's a Tesco own brand), not chamois cream. I can however attest that antibiotics do work, as I had one just recently and was prescribed antibiotics for something else. I keep a pot of Sudocrem in that I use from time to time, but for anything drastic I tend to reach for the good old TCP...

ashleydwsmith

I have had a bike fit, and always wear clean kit, and shower straight after riding.

THink I may have just been unlucky.

WindyG

I would say you have been unlucky I have only ever had one sore, totally unexplained as I always wear clean kit have the same saddle on all my bikes and setup correct, but one day I got a sore and like yourself I didn't realise what it was I thought it was a spot or something, didn't ride for a week and it just disappeared and i've never had one since. I didn't treat it in anyway I just left it alone.

slowsider

Wire brush and Dettol, you know it makes sense.

charlie_potatoes

This is a good opportunity to develop your out of the saddle climbing work

ddraver

Yeah I get them occasionaly usually they re not that painful and the clear up by themselves. Sometime if they re not too painful, I "push it back in" which seems to help.

I got one linked to an ingrown hair (I think). To be honest you can leave them alone and they ll be fine. This one was in a nasty place and unfortunately I ve got to stand in a hot, sweaty Saharan warehouse day after day at the moment so that one got lanced....

ashleydwsmith

slowsider wrote:

Wire brush and Dettol, you know it makes sense.

Good tip, done the trick.

It may have been a fungal infection, as canesten seems to have cleared it up a bit.

dnwhite88

Thanks for not posting the picture! Couple of days off the bike and it will be fixed, chamois cream is the answer

chrisaonabike

Simon Masterson wrote:

but for anything drastic I tend to reach for the good old TCP...

Quite right. Works for just about everything except degreasing chains.

And it smells so nice...

marcusjb

Conotrane really helps with clearing them up before they get overly serious. As others have said, few days off the bike.

Keep it all clean (wet wipes are useful).

I am not a regular sufferer of them - but have had a few lumps and bumps this season as I've been putting the miles in from earlier this year.

ballysmate

slowsider wrote:

Wire brush and Dettol, you know it makes sense.

Sounds like you know the same women as me!