The Conversation Nobody Wants to Have
I have recorded over 1,400 episodes of the podcast. I have talked about VO2max, lactate thresholds, periodisation, nutrition timing, power metres, and every other performance topic you can think of. And the question I get asked most often — quietly, usually via DM, always with some variation of "this is embarrassing but" — is about saddle sores.
It is not embarrassing. It is one of the most common problems in cycling, it ends more training blocks than mechanical failures and illness combined, and the solution is almost entirely about hygiene and equipment choices. Fixable stuff. Boring, unglamorous, nobody-makes-a-YouTube-video-about-it stuff.
Here is the thing nobody tells you: saddle sores are not a sign you are doing something wrong with your training. They are a sign your hygiene protocol, your equipment rotation, or your saddle setup needs attention. And once you sort those three things out, they largely disappear.
Let me break this down properly.
What Chamois Cream Actually Does
Chamois cream is not a magic product. It does three things: reduces friction between skin and chamois pad, creates an antibacterial barrier that limits bacterial colonisation, and maintains a moisture balance that prevents both excessive dryness and excessive dampness.
The friction piece is straightforward. Your skin moves against the chamois pad thousands of times per pedal stroke. Over a three-hour ride, that is somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 contact events. Without a lubricating layer, you get micro-abrasions — tiny tears in the skin surface that are invisible to the naked eye but provide an entry point for bacteria.
The antibacterial element varies by brand. Most chamois creams contain tea tree oil, witch hazel, or similar antiseptic compounds. These are not medical-grade antimicrobials, but they do reduce the bacterial load on the skin surface during a ride. The difference between riding with and without cream over a hot four-hour session is measurable in bacterial colony counts — studies looking at athletic skin infections in endurance sport consistently show that barrier creams reduce infection incidence.
When You Need It
You need chamois cream for rides over 90 minutes, in hot or humid conditions, when riding in rain, when you are significantly increasing your weekly saddle time, during stage races or multi-day events, and whenever you have a history of recurrent saddle sores.
When You Probably Do Not
Short rides under an hour in cool conditions with well-fitting bibs that you know work for you — you can often skip it. Indoor trainer sessions under 60 minutes, particularly if you are using a fan and your bibs fit well. Recovery spins where you are barely loading the saddle.
The key word there is "probably." If you are someone who gets saddle sores easily, use it every ride. Prevention is infinitely easier than treatment.
How to Apply It
Apply a thin, even layer directly to the chamois pad, focusing on the areas that contact your sit bones and perineum. Some riders prefer applying directly to their skin instead — either works. What does not work is a thick glob in the centre of the pad that creates a moisture trap. Thin, even, full coverage.
The Bib Shorts Washing Protocol
This is where most amateur cyclists get into trouble. The pro peloton treats bib hygiene with the same seriousness as nutrition and training load. Amateurs treat it like an afterthought.
The Non-Negotiable Rules
Wash after every ride. Every single one. Not "I will do a double tomorrow." Not "it was only a short spin." Every ride. The chamois pad absorbs sweat, skin cells, bacteria, and chamois cream residue. Leaving that cocktail to sit in a kit bag or laundry basket for 24 hours is essentially running an incubation experiment.
Cold or 30-degree wash. High temperatures damage the elastic fibres in the lycra and degrade the chamois foam. Your bibs will last twice as long if you never wash them above 30 degrees.
Turn them inside out. The chamois pad needs direct exposure to the detergent and water flow, not to be shielded by the outer fabric.
Use a mild liquid detergent. No powder — it can leave residue in the chamois foam. No fabric softener, ever. Fabric softener coats fibres with a waxy layer that completely destroys moisture-wicking properties. Your chamois pad stops pulling sweat away from your skin and starts holding it against you. This is the single most common mistake I see, and it is directly responsible for a significant number of saddle sore cases.
Hang dry. No tumble dryer. The heat degrades the elastic and the foam.
Antibacterial Wash vs Standard Detergent
There are cycling-specific detergents on the market — Assos Active Wear Cleanser, Muc-Off Technical Wash, and similar products. Are they worth it?
Here is the honest answer: a standard mild liquid detergent at 30 degrees will kill most bacteria on the chamois. The cycling-specific products add an extra antibacterial step that reduces bacterial load further and are gentler on the technical fabrics. If you are prone to saddle sores, they are worth the $15 to $20 per bottle. If you have never had an issue, a standard mild detergent is perfectly adequate.
What matters far more than the specific detergent is actually washing the bibs promptly and never using fabric softener. Get those two things right and you have addressed 90% of the hygiene equation.
When to Replace Your Bibs
Bib shorts are consumables, not heirlooms. The chamois pad degrades with use and washing, losing its density, its shape, and its moisture-management properties.
Check your bibs monthly. Press the chamois pad between your thumb and forefinger. Fresh chamois foam springs back immediately with consistent density across the pad. Worn chamois stays compressed, has thin spots, or has developed permanent indentations from your sit bones.
Check the lycra. Pull the leg gripper — it should snap back with genuine compression. If the lycra sags, bags at the knees, or no longer holds the chamois firmly against your skin, the bibs are done.
For riders doing four to five sessions per week with a rotation of three to four pairs, expect to replace each pair every 12 to 18 months. That sounds expensive, and it is — good bibs cost $150 to $300. But a single course of antibiotics for a perineal abscess costs more, takes longer, and removes you from training entirely.
The Post-Ride Hygiene Routine
What you do in the 30 minutes after a ride matters enormously. Here is the protocol:
Get out of your bibs immediately. Not after you have had a coffee. Not after you have uploaded your ride. Immediately. Every minute you spend sitting in sweaty bibs after a ride extends the bacterial exposure window.
Shower with soap. Warm water, a standard antibacterial soap or body wash, and thorough washing of the entire saddle contact area. Pay attention to the skin folds and creases where bacteria accumulate. This is not a rinse — it is a proper wash.
Dry thoroughly. Bacteria thrive in moisture. Pat dry with a clean towel and, if you are particularly prone to issues, let the area air-dry for a few minutes before getting dressed.
Wear loose, breathable clothing. Cotton underwear and loose shorts or trousers. You want airflow. Sitting in tight jeans immediately after a ride defeats the purpose of the shower.
Apply a barrier cream if needed. If you are managing an active sore or have particularly sensitive skin, a thin layer of Sudocrem or a similar zinc oxide barrier cream after your shower provides ongoing protection.
This entire routine takes ten minutes. It is the single most effective saddle sore prevention measure that exists, and it costs nothing.
Types of Saddle Sores and When to Worry
Not all saddle sores are the same, and knowing what you are dealing with determines whether you self-treat or book a doctor's appointment.
Chafing and Skin Irritation
The mildest form. Red, raw skin in the saddle contact zone, sometimes with a burning sensation. Caused by friction, usually from poor-fitting bibs, missing chamois cream, or a new saddle. This resolves in one to two days with rest, clean skin, and a barrier cream. No medical attention needed.
Folliculitis
The most common saddle sore. Small, red, raised bumps centred on hair follicles. They look like spots and may develop a white head. Caused by bacteria entering hair follicles through micro-abrasions from friction.
Self-treatment works for most cases: keep the area clean, apply an antiseptic cream (chlorhexidine or a tea tree-based product), avoid shaving the area (which can worsen folliculitis), and stay off the bike for three to five days. Most folliculitis cases resolve within a week.
Furuncles (Boils)
A deeper infection of the hair follicle that produces a firm, painful lump under the skin. These are more serious than surface folliculitis and take longer to resolve. Warm compresses can help bring them to a head, but if a furuncle does not improve within five to seven days, or if it is larger than about 2cm, see a doctor. You may need antibiotics or, in some cases, incision and drainage.
Perineal Abscess
This is the serious one. A deep, walled-off pocket of infection that develops in the soft tissue. These are extremely painful, can cause systemic symptoms like fever and fatigue, and almost always require medical intervention. If you have a deep, firm, hot lump in the saddle area accompanied by fever or spreading redness, see a doctor the same day. Do not attempt to self-treat a perineal abscess.
I have spoken to riders who lost three months of their season to a perineal abscess that started as a small sore they ignored. The progression from "minor annoyance" to "surgical drainage" can happen within a week if the infection deepens. Take it seriously.
Skin Ulceration
Prolonged pressure on the same point — usually from a poorly fitting saddle — can cause the skin to break down into an open ulcer. This is less about infection and more about mechanical tissue damage. It requires rest, wound care, and a fundamental reassessment of your saddle setup. If you are developing pressure ulcers, your saddle is wrong for your anatomy. Full stop.
Saddle Choice: Pressure Mapping and Why It Matters
Here is where it gets really interesting. Phil Burt, who spent years as Head of Physiotherapy at British Cycling and Team Sky, did extensive research on saddle pressure distribution using pressure mapping technology. His findings fundamentally changed how we think about saddle selection.
What the Research Shows
Burt's pressure mapping work demonstrated that saddle sores are not random. They cluster in predictable zones determined by the interaction between pelvic anatomy, saddle shape, and riding position. Specifically, he identified that problems arise when pressure concentrates on soft tissue — the perineum and surrounding areas — rather than being distributed across the sit bones (ischial tuberosities).
A saddle that matches your pelvic width and shape distributes load across the bony structures that are designed to bear weight. A saddle that does not match concentrates pressure on soft tissue that has no evolutionary history of sustained loading. The soft tissue compresses blood vessels, restricts blood flow, increases local temperature, and creates the perfect conditions for skin breakdown and infection.
How to Get It Right
Sit bone width measurement is the starting point. Most bike shops can do this with a gel pad or a pressure-sensitive device. Your sit bone width determines the saddle width you need — this is not about preference, it is about skeletal geometry.
Beyond width, saddle shape matters. A flat saddle suits riders who rotate their pelvis forward on the bike. A curved saddle suits riders with a more upright pelvis. A saddle with a central cutout or channel relieves perineal pressure for riders who load the soft tissue between their sit bones.
If you are getting recurrent saddle sores in the same location, a proper pressure mapping session — typically $100 to $200 at a specialist bike fitting studio — will show you exactly where the load concentrates and what saddle shape would redistribute it. This is not a luxury purchase. It is a diagnostic tool that solves the root cause.
The Saddle You Already Own
Before spending money on a new saddle, check your current setup. Saddle height, setback, and tilt all affect pressure distribution. A saddle tilted even two degrees nose-down shifts load forward onto the hands and perineum. A saddle tilted nose-up concentrates pressure on the rear of the saddle contact zone. Level or within one degree of level is the target for most riders.
Saddle height affects how much your hips rock at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Too high and your pelvis shifts side to side, creating shearing forces on the saddle contact area. Proper saddle height — there is a separate conversation to have about that — reduces lateral movement and keeps pressure consistent.
The No-Underwear Rule
I still get questions about this, which tells me it is not as widely understood as it should be.
You do not wear underwear under cycling bibs. Not boxer briefs. Not sports underwear. Not moisture-wicking performance underwear. Nothing. The chamois pad is designed to be the only layer between your skin and the saddle.
Here is why. The chamois pad has a smooth inner surface engineered to minimise friction against skin. It wicks moisture away from your body through the pad structure to the outer surface where it can evaporate. It provides graduated density foam that distributes pressure.
When you add underwear, three things happen. First, you introduce seams — and underwear seams sit in exactly the saddle contact zone where pressure is highest. Those seams become pressure ridges that dig into your skin with every pedal stroke. Second, you add a moisture-trapping layer between your skin and the chamois. The chamois cannot wick moisture through your underwear, so sweat stays against your skin. Third, the underwear bunches and moves independently of the chamois, creating friction between layers rather than eliminating it.
This is not a cultural preference or a gatekeeping tradition. It is how the equipment functions. Wearing underwear under bibs is the equivalent of wearing socks inside out because you prefer the seams against your skin. You can do it, but the product was designed to work the other way, and it works significantly worse when you override the design.
What the Pros Do
Professional teams treat saddle hygiene as a performance variable, not a personal choice. Here is what a typical WorldTour team protocol looks like:
Fresh bibs every stage. During a Grand Tour, riders go through 21 pairs of bibs. No reuse, no exceptions. Teams budget for this — a full Grand Tour kit allocation for one rider can run into thousands of dollars.
Soigneur-prepared chamois cream. Team soigneurs prepare individualised chamois cream applications, often mixing products based on rider preference and skin sensitivity. Some teams use custom formulations that are not available to the public.
Immediate post-stage hygiene. Riders are out of their bibs and into the shower within minutes of crossing the finish line. The team bus has shower facilities specifically for this purpose. The time between finishing a stage and being clean and in fresh clothes is measured in single-digit minutes.
Saddle fitting is non-negotiable. Every rider on a WorldTour team has a saddle selected through pressure mapping and individual fitting. If a rider develops a sore, the first thing the team physiotherapist checks is saddle position and pressure distribution.
Rest days include skin checks. Team doctors examine the saddle contact area on rest days, looking for early signs of folliculitis or developing sores. Catching a sore at the irritation stage prevents it becoming an abscess that costs race days.
You do not have a team soigneur or an unlimited kit budget. But the principles translate perfectly to amateur riding. Fresh bibs every ride. Chamois cream for long efforts. Immediate shower after. Proper saddle fit. These are free or low-cost behaviours that replicate the professional hygiene standard.
How Saddle Sores End Seasons
I want to be direct about this because I think riders underestimate the consequences.
A minor saddle sore takes three to five days off the bike to resolve. That is a disrupted training week, a missed interval session, a break in consistency that takes another week to recover from. One saddle sore costs you roughly two weeks of effective training.
A moderate furuncle takes seven to fourteen days. That is a lost training block — and depending on where it falls in your periodisation, it can compromise an entire build phase.
A perineal abscess can take three to six weeks to fully resolve, often involving antibiotics and sometimes requiring surgical drainage under local anaesthetic. I have spoken to riders who had A-priority events wiped out by an abscess that developed from a sore they tried to ride through.
The good news is that all of this is preventable with consistent hygiene practices, proper equipment, and the discipline to rest when a sore develops rather than training through it. Every rider I have worked with who implemented a proper post-ride hygiene routine and sorted their saddle fit saw their saddle sore frequency drop to near zero.
The Practical Protocol
Let me put this into a simple checklist you can follow.
Before Every Ride
Apply chamois cream to the chamois pad for rides over 90 minutes or in hot and wet conditions. Check your bibs for wear — are they clean, does the chamois still have density, does the lycra hold compression? Ensure your saddle is level and at the correct height.
During the Ride
If you stop for coffee or food, stand up periodically. Sustained static pressure is worse than dynamic pressure while pedalling. On long rides, shift your position on the saddle regularly — move between the nose, centre, and rear of the saddle as terrain and effort change.
After Every Ride
Get out of your bibs within ten minutes. Shower with soap, washing the saddle contact area thoroughly. Dry completely. Wear loose, breathable clothing. Wash your bibs immediately or rinse the chamois and hang to dry until you can wash them.
Weekly
Check your bibs for wear. Rotate between at least three pairs so each pair gets adequate rest between uses. Check your saddle position has not shifted — seat post clamps can slip gradually.
When a Sore Develops
Stop riding. Keep the area clean and dry. Apply antiseptic cream. Give it three to five days. If it does not improve, or if it worsens, see a doctor. Do not attempt to ride through a developing sore — you will make it worse, extend your time off, and risk a deeper infection.
This is not complicated. It is not expensive. It just requires consistency and the willingness to treat your body with the same care you treat your drivetrain. Your chain gets cleaned and lubed after wet rides. Your chamois deserves the same attention.
If you are dealing with recurring saddle issues and want to work through the problem with other riders who have been there, the community at Roadman Cycling on Skool is a good place to start. Real conversations, no judgement, and plenty of experience to draw on.