[hardtailrulz]

Hey girls,

My wife has been having irritation issues from mtb riding. Are there any good options for seats, shorts, inserts or others that can alleviate the discomfort aroung the v_____a? She really wants to ride more with me, but has not been able to find a seat or other things that works.

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[AZtortoise]

Hey girls,

My wife has been having irritation issues from mtb riding. Are there any good options for seats, shorts, inserts or others that can alleviate the discomfort aroung the v_____a? She really wants to ride more with me, but has not been able to find a seat or other things that works.

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

I like my Serfas DD Vado saddle(the mens version). REI has it online for $50. When I have been sore I used Bag Balm on the tender areas which helped a lot. I tend to get saddle sores no matter which shorts I wear or which saddle I am on(the DD Vado has been the best)and the Bag Balm has made a huge difference. I think Walmart sells it. Also, get out of the moist shorts after the ride ASAP. Put on something clean and dry right away even if it is only a 30 minute drive home. An ounce of prevention, that. BTW, the DD Vado saddle(for me)is uncomfortable for the first 10 minutes of every ride, after that it is great. REI will accept a return as long as the saddle is not damaged if your wife does not like it. Good luck!

Rita

 

[CycleMainiac]

all the above plus....

take your wife, her bike, her bike shorts and shoes to a reputable shop for a proper bike fit.
This is where they will put her and her bike on a trainer and adjust seat height, angle, front to back, reach to the handle bars, cleat postion, etc. A propper fit will go a long ways towads comfort.

Second one should not be sitting in the saddle very much while mountain biking. Pretty much only sit while peddaling. Otherwise being up and out of the saddle letting the bike float under you is better. Better for controlling the bike, better for manuvering, better on your body. Let your elbows, knees, and hips bend and absorb the shocks, not your spine.

 

[MallieD]

lube...

I've found that Chamois creams also help. Depending on the terrain you can still get irritated even if you're used to your seat and shorts. Continuous roots made me start lubing up and I've had less chafing than I'd thought I might. You also learn that certain shorts/chamois are for certain types of riding. I have several pairs that are great for 1.5-2 hours, but more than that they start to hurt. I have other pairs that can go for hours and hours.

 

[formica]

make sure she is wearing a padded bike short with NO underwear. And what the others say, saddle, bike fit, not using the bike seat as a butt rest etc. Some of it is getting your butt worn in, but there are a lot of tweaks that can be done. Is her saddle ond of those big cushy things... get rid of it if it is, try different females specifc MTB saddles. A good shop should let you try one for a day or two and trade it out if it doens't work.

formica

 

[UserName]

Maybe its' just my gutter mind, but when I read "Bag Balm".. i thought one thing

I like my Serfas DD Vado saddle(the mens version). REI has it online for $50. When I have been sore I used Bag Balm on the tender areas which helped a lot. I tend to get saddle sores no matter which shorts I wear or which saddle I am on(the DD Vado has been the best)and the Bag Balm has made a huge difference. I think Walmart sells it. Also, get out of the moist shorts after the ride ASAP. Put on something clean and dry right away even if it is only a 30 minute drive home. An ounce of prevention, that. BTW, the DD Vado saddle(for me)is uncomfortable for the first 10 minutes of every ride, after that it is great. REI will accept a return as long as the saddle is not damaged if your wife does not like it. Good luck!

Rita

 

[formica]

bag balm is great for misc skin problems... it's originally an udder cream for milch cows.

 

[mbmojo]

bag balm is great for misc skin problems... it's originally an udder cream for milch cows.

Still is.

 

[Impy]

I like chamois butt'r. Helps on longer rides.

The other thing is this....after long rides, I still get some degree of soreness. It goes away by the next day, but its just part of riding to some degree. I'm not talking blisters, raw areas, or anything like that, but I am often a little tender after longer rides.

Riding is still worth it. Although I am less likely to feel frisky on those nights, but who has the energy after an epic ride anyway?

 

[MallieD]

Saddle sore. Another excuse to give the husband so that I don't have to overuse the "headache".

 

[formica]

lol, he doesn't say, "let me kiss it and make it feel better?"

 

[MallieD]

Gracious goodness Penny...I just about spit diet soda all over my keyboard. I'm not sure why I never expected a comment like that from you. But I should have, huh? MTB girls are dirty girls!

I seriously think I hurt myself laughing so hard.

 

[chuky]

Chamois cream addendum

Chamois Butt'r is a bit like a standard drugstore lotion - it is good for shorter events, but on longer bike rides or in hotter weather I have found that it tends to dissolve/break down and lose effectiveness. The Kucharik and Born products will last a bit longer as they are a "greasier" product. I advise women to avoid Assos chamois cream, as it contains menthol (or, don't avoid it, and just have a very eye-opening experience ;-)

Oh my, this is all very double-entendre, is it not?

Oh, a side effect of the Kucharik and Born products - a VERY shiny saddle. The USPS team used to be sponsored by Kucharik, and their saddles looked like patent leather.

 

[MallieD]

Actually I used Chamois Butt'r during my endurance event and found it worked quite well without making me feel like a greased pig. Perhaps in much warmer weather I'll make a different assessment. I think that use of a cream can also be affected by the chamois itself. For me the newer ones tend to absorb more while those that have been "worn" in seem to stay lubed a bit better. Just my .02.

 

[AZtortoise]

Another thing that may help(as your name may indicate)is some suspension. A short travel suspension seatpost would take the edge off those little bumps that can be so irritating. Before I got a FS bike staying seated on climbs wore on me by the end of a ride, all those little bumps really added up.

Rita

 

[litespeedchick]

To Recap:
saddle not too big
saddle not too high
saddle not too hard
expensive PI shorts
no underwear
A&D(baby ointment) or other lubricating agent
get out of the saddle frequently
get used to it

 

[mbrmegan]

glad to see this posted

After last Sunday's 2 hour hammerfest on early spring legs I experienced the same sort of issue and was wondering how to tactfully ask this question

Thanks for all the answers

QUOTE=hardtailrulz]Hey girls,

My wife has been having irritation issues from mtb riding. Are there any good options for seats, shorts, inserts or others that can alleviate the discomfort aroung the v_____a? She really wants to ride more with me, but has not been able to find a seat or other things that works.

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
[/QUOTE]

 

[downhilljill]

To Recap:
saddle not too big
saddle not too high
saddle not too hard
expensive PI shorts
no underwear
A&D(baby ointment) or other lubricating agent
get out of the saddle frequently
get used to it

This is all really good advice! A & D ointment is the bomb...way cheaper and more available than the cycling-specific products.

I was having chronic saddle sore and chafing issues on both my XC and road bikes for years...constantly switching saddles and then eventually just getting used to it. But then I discovered the Fizik Rondine saddle...it's awesome! It's not silly looking like some women's saddles can be, but it's the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden on. Not cheap, but isn't your arse worth it?

 

[Shannon-UT]

To Recap:
saddle not too big
saddle not too high
saddle not too hard
expensive PI shorts
no underwear
A&D(baby ointment) or other lubricating agent
get out of the saddle frequently
get used to it

I'd also like to add do not shave in certain areas during biking season.

That is all.

 

[pimpbot]

Of course try...

... tipping the nose of the seat down a tad more. With me (boy parts) there is a really fine line between being comfortably 'cradled' in the seat and my parts falling asleep (nose up too far) or my tucas having too much pressure from the nose being tipped down a bit too much.

Once I find that sweet spot, I can go all day long with no soreness or chamois butt'r.

Dang, that Chamois Butt'r has the worst logo.