I did have a thorough search but nothing really came up.
I finish nearly every ride with a line down each side of my balls rubbed red raw. Getting in the shower I have to sort of bite my hand and tense for the sting when the hot water hits them. It always heals by the time I next ride, and it doesn’t bother me in any way day-to-day. In fact, it doesn’t even really bother me on the ride much - it’s post ride.
It seems to happen a little more in older bibs, less in brand new ones. It’s much worse on the turbo or heat sessions. It isn’t saddle related (the gentleman is careful to tuck upward, and it happens on multiple saddles I’ve never had an issue with before). It feels like the seams of the pad at the front, combined with the top of my legs is just slowly taking the skin off.
I’ve had this happen a few times and can very much attest to that painful shower afterwards. Seems rare for me and usually a rare placement mishap on my end, usually not noticeable until too late.
I’ve never used chamois cream, but that would 100% be my first and easiest step before going through many of the much more inconvenient things to try out.
I have also experienced this, usually with older bibs under very sweaty circumstances. I have found that a very small amount of regular moisturizer or other barrier cream does the trick. I think the extreme sweat causes chafing beyond what I would normally experience.
Not for every ride, only for rides longer than like 2-3hrs. That’s always been the case though. I’ve got some noxzema - it’s ok, quite thin, disappears a lot quicker and so not as good as dedicated cream but pretty cheap.
Now I think about it, could this be about…ahem… trimming ones hair?
I’d question bib sizing. Pretty sure this is the kind of thing that’s only ever happened to me in too-big bibs. Perhaps possible with correct-sized old bibs that are stretching out too?
If you’re smaller than you were when you bought the bibs I’d say it’s worthwhile at least ordering and trying on one size down to see if they’ll work (with underwear so you can return them if not). They’ll feel unfamiliar but you should know pretty quick if they’re actually too small.
If you want it… those hairs act like the little rollers on a conveyor belt. Your balls and friends rub against each other and the little rollers are there? No friction. Your balls and friends rub against each other and the little rollers are fine? The friction slowly rips the skin apart.
If anything, I now wear slightly too small bibs. 75kg, 6ft, and I wear a small in pretty much every brand (Rapha, Castelli, 7mesh, Santini etc). I hate the feeling of my testicles being free to dangle down and move.
Perhaps this is a combination of wearing older bibs on the turbo trainer and not wanting to wear out my nice outdoor ones (honestly even at my low volume of 10-12 a week nice bibs don’t last that long), trimming hair, and maybe, and this is probably a bit too much info, but getting older and so getting more…groin to ball drop.
I wear my good bibs on the trainer since my position is much more static than when I’m outside.
Doing a trim is more hygienic and will definitely help, but make sure you keep it clean because once the hairs start to grow out more than a few days you can end up grinding and creating a different sort of chafe. Just like your beard, short stubble is scratchier than longer hair.
Take care with this - my experience is that beeing too eager with trimming turns that whole area into an array of abrasive surfaces.
In your situation my first port of call would be some small tweaks of saddle position to see if it helps. You say you’ve never had the issues before but our bodies do change over time. Trying the saddle 3mm back from current position (and then 3mm forwards if that doesn’t work) is not only free, but also easy to revert if it doesn’t work.
Depends what you mean by old, I’ve finally binned my ten years old bib longs. Still have similar age bib shorts I should replace.
Fit is likely key, new shorts the right size are a good idea. Maybe forget your regular sizing and try a variety with the shop assistants opinion.
Also the bike fit, if you have or haven’t changed anything in a while check it’s still good and good for you now.
Personally I find cream not much help and consider it a remedy for the symptom not the cause. But everyone is different, particularly down there I think.
