How to Prevent Chafing While Biking? 9 Easy Steps!
Here is the quick list On How to Prevent Chafing While Biking
- Invest in an Anti-Chafing Solution
- Wear the Right Shorts
- Change Your Shorts Frequently
- Change or Adjust Your Saddle
- Get a Bike Fit
- Be Careful With Hair Removal
- Spend A Day or Two Away from The Bike
- Change Riding Positions
- Use Chamois Cream
Chafing is one of the most annoying sensations to deal with. It’s a pesky burn in your skin that ruins the quality of your entire day and takes the fun away from all regular activities. Well, chafing is quite common, actually. Inner thigh chafing is the most common – if you’re a biker, then you know this all too well. It’s not a pleasant thing at all, but it happens too much. Chafing happens when there’s too much friction against your skin. To know how to prevent chafing while biking, we have to start at the causes of chafing.
Well, it happens on the uppermost layer of the skin. Anything from tightly fitted clothes, moisture, overly exerted muscles, hot temperatures, high-frequency repetitive exercise to the quality of the fabric you wear could be the cause for it.
Preventing Chafing
With all these different ways to get chafed skin comes a lot of solutions too. If you have been a victim of chafing, then these steps below will be your savior. Never will you have to be in fear of having to deal with that painful over-sensitive burning in your skin again.
These are our solutions, and we absolutely love them:
1. Invest in an Anti-Chafing Solution
Get yourself some special care to avoid the chafing. You won’t believe how common anti-chafing solutions are.
The first product we recommend is Vaseline. Yes, something that everyone has in their homes – these are very effective at reducing the chances of friction on the skin. You could also use a thick moisturizer, chamois creams, dusting powder, etc., on your skin.
2. Wear the Right Shorts
By right shorts, we don’t mean the length of the shorts. We mean the fabric that was used and the fit of the shorts. There are cycling shorts that you can get in order to give that particular level of protection.
The shorts that are made with stretchy fabric do not compress and create that surface pressure on your skin. In terms of the fit, it’s better to go a bit lose than to go with a tightly fitted pair of shorts.
3. Change Your Shorts Frequently
Cycling shorts absorb a lot of sweat. This moisture from sweat is not good for your skin – the absorbed swear has a lot of bacteria, which makes the skin more prone to bruising and damage from coarseness.
4. Change or Adjust Your Saddle
Heard of saddle sores, right? Well, that’s just another name for chafing. Saddles, therefore, are quite an important contributing factor for chafing. The bike seat can be an uncomfortable place for people suffering from chafing. Whether you ride aggressive bikes or endurance bikes, get a saddle that has some level of cushioning inside.
Also, make sure that the saddle is proportionate to the anatomy of your body. A good saddle size for you is that which has the same width as your waist.
On the other hand, padding is usually made from foam, which can compress and diminish over time if you do not replace it as needed. Also, if you are someone who rides in the rain, change your pads from time to time as well.
5. Get a Bike Fit
Bike shorts are a bike rider’s best friend. The bike shorts should have chamois padding around the crotch to prevent chafing and other pains while cycling at high speeds. Bike shorts with wide-legs will help you avoid getting your legs tangled during biking and that too often can cause injuries in cyclists.
Chamois pad is a pad made of chamois leather, salt-water treated sheepskin and/or suede for padding. As the name of this product suggests, chamois pad provides extra cushioning in your bicycle shorts by preventing chafing when you are on your bike throughout the ride.
Make sure that you are perfectly comfortable on your bike. Check the angle at which the saddle is tilted, the height of the saddle, the angle at which the handlebar is set, and so on. Without a decent bike fit, you will definitely come home feeling some kind of discomfort.
6. Be Careful With Hair Removal
Do not go hard into hair removal, even if you’ve heard that it increases your speed. The more you remove your hair, the more in-grown tiny hairs you will get. In-grown hair always causes the chafing to speed up and increase in frequency.
7. Spend A Day or Two Away from The Bike
Riding continuously will leave you vulnerable to chafing. So, it would be better for you if you take a break for a couple of days from cycling. It will give your body the rest it needs.
8. Change Riding Positions
By changing positions constantly, you can easily avoid chafing issues. In addition, it provides comfort and makes riding easier as well.
So, while riding, if you feel uncomfortable, you can either get up from the seat and ride from a standing position or move a little in your own seat. Shifting your weight can be of great help too.
9. Chamois Cream
Very few solutions are as effective as Chamois cream for chafing. Since this cream features anti-bacterial elements, it doesn’t let germs wreak havoc on your skin. So, if you ride regularly, you must get this cream.
Most chamois butt’r cream come with tea tree oil which is to prevent bacterial infection or chafing. Many chamois butt’r creams also contain anti-chafe ingredients such as rosehip seed oil, glycerin and shea butter making this cream a great option for cyclists.
Treating Chafed Skin/Avoid Chafing
Let’s learn how to treat and avoid chafed skin.
Wear Proper Fitting, Quality Shorts
The longer rides may be the reason for chafing problems. The longer rides increase pressure on your sensitive areas adding more discomfort to this problem. It is recommended to adjust saddle and clothing before riding a bike so it can decrease pain and make you feel refreshed after biking/running
Like we said, proper shorts are not only a key solution to the chafing problem, but it also will help you ride more comfortably. Thus, you will speed up by default and have a good time cycling too.
Make Sure Your Seat Fits You Right
This is important as an anti-chafing precaution and also for the healthy alignment of the body.
Change Your Shorts Frequently
This will keep the bacteria away. It will also keep your skin from getting in contact with previously absorbed sweat.
What are the benefits of wearing padded cycling shorts?
Padded cycling shorts are meant to provide a layer of comfort and protection for the cyclist.
There are many benefits of wearing padded cycling shorts:
- It helps keep your legs warm while riding in cold weather.
- It can help prevent injuries such as road rash, abrasions, and bruises.
- They help reduce the risk of slipping or falling due to sweat buildup on the seat.
What are the best types of padding for cycling shorts?
There are many types of padding that you can choose from when it comes to cycling shorts. Some people prefer thicker padding, while others like thinner padding.
Here are some types of padded cycling shorts:
1. Lycra – This is a type of elastic fiber that is used for both sports and fashion. It provides an excellent fit and does not absorb sweat or stretch out too much over time.
2. Thinsulate – This type of padding has insulation properties, which means it will help keep your body warm in cold weather conditions and cool in hot weather conditions.
3. Gel Padding – Gel padding has the ability to be shaped into different shapes to provide extra comfort for cyclists on long rides as well as offer support and protection on impact areas such as knees, hips, shoulders, neck, and elbows during crashes or falls.
Best types of padding for cycling shorts are gel or foam pads that help to absorb and disperse the shock caused by your bike’s movements. There are also some options that combine the two materials, such as those made with gel-foam combinations.
What about long underwear or leggings?
Long underwear or leggings are an essential part of the winter wardrobe. They are designed to keep you warm and cozy when it is cold outside.
There are many benefits of long underwear like:
- They can be worn as pajamas, under skirts, and other outerwear pieces.
- They can also be used for sports such as skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and snowshoeing.
- They provide a layer of insulation between your body and the cold ground.
- Long underwear is breathable which allows your skin to breathe while keeping you warm.
Conclusion
Since now you’ve learned how to prevent chafing while biking, you should have no problems going out on rides with your bike.
FAQ’s on Prevent Chafing While Biking
Is it necessary to use chamois cream before a ride?
Yes, chamois cream is a good antibacterial cream that fights the bacteria and also reduces friction so that you don’t get chafed skin.
How to make riding a bike more comfortable?
Make sure the bike has a comfortable alignment with your body. The height of the saddle, its quality, adequate cushioning, and good bike-fit are all mandatory for a ride to be comfortable.
How to prevent chafing on long bike rides?
Get a good bike-fit, use an antibacterial cream, wear the right clothes and shoes, check for injuries, and treat them as quickly as you can.
Do you wear underwear with your biking shorts?
No, you shouldn’t wear underwear with biking shorts. Because the seam of your underwear will cause issues while riding and may even lead to saddle sores. Sometimes, it may even cause the rider urinary tract infection.
Why are bicycle seats so small and hard?
The reason behind their small size is that they are designed in a way to interrupt your pedaling. While the seats are made hard to conserve your energy.
How does Hoo Ha Ride Glide work?
It’s an anti-bacterial cream that alleviates your pain and allows you to solely focus on riding. The price is reasonable as well, and thus, any rider can afford it.
