Hey Y’all, can I talk to you about my groin, and how it is suffering on my bike? Thanks.
I got my first saddle sore about a year ago. It showed up right in the inner crease of my leg, which was surprisingly painful. I stopped riding while it healed, but then I got another, and another, then one on the opposite side. I recently moved, and my commute has dropped from a hot and sweaty 11 miles roundtrip to a cool and breezy 6 miles. I hoped it would solve the problem, but the sores are still rearing their ugly heads.
Here are the steps I’ve taken over the past year, in chronological order:
1. Started showering immediately after getting home in the afternoon;
2. Started washing groin with Hibiclnse when showering;
3. Stopped wearing underwear while riding. This experiment pretty much eliminated underoos and I found it unsustainable. (sidebar: sticking pants zip in lady friend’s face and yodeling ‘no drawers below!’ is wife-repelling instead of wife-attracting. FYI, friend);
4. Bought a new saddle. The stock saddle was starting to degrade, and I thought the ridiculous amount of flare in the wings might be part of the problem.
These steps may have reduced the frequency, but it hasn't eliminated the problem. My next step is to get some padded bike shorts. If that doesn’t solve it, there is a shower at work where I could rinse off after the morning ride. But both of those steps would be a huge hassle for a short 20 minute ride. Has this happened to anyone else? What the hell did you do?