Today’s QT comes from RBR contributor Sheri Rosenbaum, who offers a great solution to applying extra chamois cream while on the road – without the need to clean off your hands afterward. Here’s what she says:
With the bike season about to hit high gear and longer rides, including brevets and centuries, taking place, it’s important to stay comfortable.
When it comes to applying chamois cream on the road – assuming it’s an organized ride with at least a couple rest stops – here’s a tip to keep you lubed up and your hands clean.
On rides longer than 75 miles, I put a single application of Chamois cream in a snack-pack sized ziplock baggie. Then, when it’s time to reapply, I head to the closest port-a-potty, simply turn the baggie inside out and apply.
The baggie acts as a rubber glove, keeping your hand clean. Then just toss the baggie out and you are done. If you are riding something longer than a century, just take multiple baggies filled with single applications.
This solution is better than those little single packs of chamois cream for a couple of reasons:
- Those single-application packets cost far more than a big tube of chamois cream.
- The single packs still require you to use the hand-on-skin application process, leaving your hand a slippery mess.
If you have an idea for a QT, fire away. We’re always looking for good info we can share with fellow roadies. We would love to hear from you with any suggestions you have. Contact us by clicking Quick Tips Ideas.
—John Marsh & The RBR Team
John Marsh is the former editor and publisher of RBR Newsletter and RoadBikeRider.com. A rider of "less than podium" talent, he brought our readers consistently useful, informative, entertaining info that helps make them better road cyclists. That's what we're all about here—always have been, always will be. Click to read John's full bio.
My dermatologist told me to use corn starch rather than a cream. To be fair, I was using Vaseline, not chamois cream, which led to discomfort because it’s not breathable. The corn starch has worked well for several years now. It’s also dry, which solves the mess problem. And it’s cheap too!
How do you thumbs up this? This is a really solid idea 🙂
And all those plastic bags that you’ll be throwing out will help to fill the oceans (and our fish) with plastic bits… fail…
SERIOUSLY! Chamois cream is wiped off so easily with a toilet tissue, grass, on your socks, etc., it’s definitely not greasy! I’m with YeOldeBuzzard … all those plastic bags going to a land fill or worse. What do people do if they have to put a chain back on or fix a flat. Come on people, get real.