Saddle Sore Women Newsletter—Chamois Care & Bike Fits
Welcome to the Saddle, Sore Newsletter!
It's been a hectic couple of weeks for me—but that's pretty par for the course. More importantly, it's been busy because I'm just about ready to go to print with the updated edition of Saddle, Sore—do you like the new look?
I hope your fall has started off well, and that you're crushing your rides—and staying comfy!
Email me at molly@saddlesorewomen.com if you have any questions you're dying to see answered on our website. And as always, to follow along to see where I'll be, follow me on Twitter at @mollyjhurford and if we're in the same place, say hi!
Stay Rad,
Molly
Your Quick-Fix Guide to Saddle Sores
If you subscribed just to figure out what the heck to do about a terrible saddle sore, here are your quick tips from gynecologist Kristi Angevine.
When off the bike, keep it clean and dry.
Wash it with plain soap and water.
Let the area breathe by avoiding underwear made of satin or silk. Opt for cotton, wool, any breathable fabrics or no underwear at all.
Warm baths and hot compresses can be soothing.
Don’t squeeze it! That prolongs healing and increases the chances of a larger infection.
If it gets really irritated or is very painful when riding, take a few days off the saddle.
For general perineal and vaginal health and not just when there is a saddle sore: wear only clean shorts, not ones that have been worn on a ride before and haven’t been washed.
After doing any exercise, change out of your workout clothing and get clean soon. is means, get out of that chamois before you drive home!
See a doctor if the skin around the area gets red, hot, or swollen or if you get a fever.
Do You Need a Bike Fit?
I've been working a lot on the concept of bike fit in the past few months. In the updated version of the book, we talk a lot about how bike fit matters, what a good fit feels like (before you ever get on the bike, there should be lots of off the bike work like in the photo above!), and I'm excited about it. I was just at the Trek HQ talking to their Performance Fit crew and got a ton of great info and tips that I'll be posting on SaddleSoreWomen.com in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out!
Some really, really fun stuff over at Bicycling mag and on my own blog—I’ve had a lot of cool articles that have been so different, and I’m super stoked on a few that came out this week.
6 Great Alternatives to Foam Rollers
If you're a serious cyclist, you really need to get on top of post-ride care, and one of the best ways to do it is to do some self-massage a few times a week. But you don't need a foam roller!
How to Stay Injury-Free
Like I said—you've got to be dialed in on self-care as you get through a season without injury!
11 Ways Super-Effective People Take Advantage of Daylight Savings
Writing about routines and productivity tips is weirdly satisfying for me, and this was a fun one where I got to combine my love of getting things done with working out!
Guide to Healthy Travel
I just came back from Interbike and 12 days of off-the-wall travel for races, writing and talks. It was brutal, but I managed to keep my health in check the whole time. How? Check out a few pieces of my best advice if you're constantly on the road and struggling to stay healthy.
Trending Now
A few people have been asking where I get info on current trends in athletic wear. So, I put together a list of a few of my favorite style sources!
All articles written by Molly Hurford via Bicycling magazine and MollyHurford.com. Image via Horia Varlan on Flickr.
Come Hang!
We have upcoming talks on nutrition, lady parts and everything riding-related coming up in New Jersey, Massachusetts and more in the next two months. Check the schedule here. We'll talk awkward questions, women's cycling, and any training and nutrition questions you have—plus hang out and likely drink some wine!
Want to host a Ladies' Night? Fill out the form here.
Discounts for Readers
Save 25% on Cat's Tongue Towels
Cat’s Tongue Towels are always go in my saddlebag and my race bag before rides and trips. They’re designed to get grease off, whether it’s off of your hands when you have to stop to change a flat (anyone else end up with grease smeared on their face after a ride?) or off your bike where the chain left a mark, the towels work really well. I LOVE the individually wrapped ones for rides and when we fly places, but the canister is perfect for sticking in your car and having at all times.
Check them out at catstonguetowels.com and use the code MOLLY for a 25% discount!
20% Off Petal Power Chamois Cream
I'm super excited that Petal Power is offering SaddleSoreWomen.com readers a 20 percent off discount on chamois cream—stock up! I love their Joy Ride System—it has a pre-ride cleansing wipe, a fantastic chamois cream, and a post-ride shower gel. Cannot recommend their stuff enough!
Check it out at petal-power.com and use code SADDLESOREWOMEN for a discount!
Get in touch with other women cyclists, and ask any of the questions you've always wanted to ask on our Facebook Page. Plus find out about deals, events and other fun stuff!
Riding is fantastic, but there's more to life than pedaling. I'm all about becoming an all-around great (or at least, competent and up for any adventure) athlete. And Peter and I are exploring this in our new podcast, The Consummate Athlete.
Check it out here!
If you don't already have a copy of Saddle, Sore, you can buy one here.