Most regular cyclists get to experience the pain of saddle sores at least once in their riding lifetime.  Even hardened professional riders have to abandon races when the pain of saddle sores becomes too great.  How you handle the problem can make a great deal of difference to your riding enjoyment.  Here's some sound advice on the subject from Mark Beneke. So you haven't ridden a bike for some time, and you get on the bike and push yourself, riding hard, and after the ride your muscles are sore.  Your leg muscles ache, your back and arm muscles also took strain and guess what?  Your backside also aches because, after all, it also is mostly muscle.  That's normal and as your body gets used to the exercise, the aches will disappear. A Lasting Pain But if the pain in your butt persists, you need to look for another cause: -  Is the saddle the right type for you? Is its height correct?  Its position?  A combination of all three?  Make     sure your saddle is level (although some riders prefer a saddle slightly (about 1mm) up or down from     horizontal). -  Your riding shorts are just as important to your riding comfort as your saddle.  Are your riding shorts right for     you?  Are they skin-tight (preferable)?  Is it seamless where it is most needed? -  But even when both saddle and shorts are just right, saddle sores can rear their ugly heads.  This is so     because the part of your body that makes the closest contact with your saddle is also the part where large     numbers of bacteria are always present and conditions (damp, dark) are perfect for them to flourish. So,     even though you may have sorted out your saddle and shorts, these opportunistic bacteria lurking between     your body and your pants can make you suffer. How Saddle Sores Start Saddle sores can get their start in different ways: -  Saddle pressure, causing bruising and small lesions.  The pressure and the break in the skin make it easy for     those persistent bacteria to find their way in and start an infection. -  Friction, chafing or wear & tear.  A bad position on the bike, badly fitting shorts, shorts with obtrusive seams,      or wearing seamed underwear under your riding shorts, can all give rise to sores where the skin becomes      rubbed raw.  Again, bacteria easily enter the body through the lesions.  To minimise friction and chafing,     wear quality, smooth, skintight-fitting shorts with a seamless padded seat. -  Wearing unwashed shorts is a sure way to start an infection.  So wear clean, dry shorts for every ride! -  Detergents can leave traces of chemicals embedded in the padding or chamois.  Close contact with the skin     for the long periods you sit on the bike cause these chemicals to react harshly with the skin, so use a good     quality toilet soap to wash your shorts. -  Leaving your shorts on too long after you ride is over is a bad idea — think of those bacteria multiplying like     crazy as you sit there in your damp sweaty shorts.  Change your clothes as soon as possible after the ride! You can minimise the chances of saddle sores by using a suitable lubricant before every ride.  MARK II SHAMMY CREAM is a cream lubricant developed especially for bike riders.  It contains Chlorhexidine to kill bacteria, lanolin and waxes to moisturise and lubricate the skin, and vitamin E to help heal any lesions. Using the Shammy Cream also adds hugely to your level of comfort on the ride. > A 10-point plan to avoid saddle sores > Mark II Shammy Cream