Everything You Need to Know About Chamois Butter

Chamois butter is one of those things that seems to be fairly unique to the sport of cycling. If you ask the average person on the street what it does and why cyclists use it, you’re probably going to get little more than slightly confused glances and a shrug of the shoulders. Even avid cyclists are less prone to talk about it than they would other aspects of the sport, probably due to the delicate nature of its usage.

However, it is still something that is commonly used, particularly by professional cyclists who are trying to ensure they remain as comfortable as possible when they are on their bikes for long periods of time. Here we will take a more in-depth look at chamois butter so you can decide for yourself whether or not it’s something that you need.

What Is Chamois?

The chamois is actually a piece of padding that is commonly found in your cycling shorts that has been placed there with the purpose of offering you extra comfort during long bike rides. It is pretty much a must-have feature if you are going to be riding your bike for anything more than an hour a day.

The name stems back to the older days of cycling, where riders would place a chamois cloth in their shorts in an effort to protect their delicates. This was typically made of sheepskin leather, but today’s chamois will usually be made from foam, microfiber cloth or a gel.

What Does Chamois Butter Do?

Back in the days of sheepskin leather chamois, you would need to make sure that you used the appropriate creams or butters to properly condition it so that it would remain usable and also to tackle any bacteria that had built up on the chamois. If you didn’t, the chamois would stiffen, particularly after washing, which would defeat the purpose of having one in the first place.

However, most modern chamois are made using materials that remain soft and supportive on their own accord. Despite this, many people still swear by chamois butter as an essential product and you will find that many professional riders use it to maintain even synthetic chamois.

Essentially, chamois butter is a lube and an antibacterial butter that you rub on your special parts to keep them from getting raw and sore.

So Why Would I Need Chamois Butter?

Technically you don’t need to use chamois butter if you have a modern pair of cycling shorts. Synthetic chamois are developed to stay pliable for many washes and will generally be able to combat the bacteria that older chamois were liable of developing.

However, there is an argument to be made for using chamois butter to increase your comfort levels. After all, applying it to your chamois creates a lubricated layer that helps to reduce friction between your delicate areas and the shorts themselves. This prevents chafing and also leads to a reduction in saddle sores, so if you find that either of these is a regular problem it may be worth investing.

It all comes down to your personal comfort levels, rather than the traditional uses of chamois butter. Check the chamois in your shorts and determine whether or not it is going to remain comfortable for you. If you think there might be an issue, particularly over longer rides, then it is at least worth experimenting with. Every cyclist is different, so you may end up finding that it really works for you.