Commuter(s) question

[azrider]

Trying to avoiding the two kit, or bib, a day routine and looking for advice. There soon could be those mornings that are warm enough to break sweat and instead of packing a second set of bibs for ride home what would fellow commuters recommend?

1. Going even slower to ensure no sweat and just wear same bib home (and leave 30 minutes earlier)
2. Wash bib in sink and let it hang dry throughout day?
3. Wipe down the morning bib with some baby wipes and let dry?

Trying to avoid going through 10 bibs in a week AND steer clear of any bacteria/saddle sore/cleanliness issues.

Thanks all

[shovelhd]

I used one set of bibs per day and wiped myself down after the morning ride in. No need to wipe the chamois down, it should dry out in its own in most office environments. Wipe down after you get home and you should not have any problems with saddle sores.

[cderalow]

not sure about your bibs, but mine dry in a couple of hours.

get some bib wash, quick wash in a sink and hang to dry in a nondescript place

[azrider]

Wipe down after you get home and you should not have any problems with saddle sores.

I'll cut to chase and admit the saddle sore thing is my biggest fear. I've always been taught to remove shorts immediately, yada yada, so the idea of sweating (even if minimal) and then putting same shorts on in afternoon has me very leary.....

[MattTuck]

If it doesn't cause more problems, you might consider an unpadded liner such as these andiamo liners (http://andiamounderwear.com/shop/unisex-skins-unpadded/) that you could either:

1) wear on their own, and at $15 a pop, you could have quite a few in rotation with out too much worry about going through them, and if one does get worn out, toss it.

2) wear it on your way in, keeping your bibs unworn, and then wear your bibs on you way home.

3) wear it inside your bibs on the way in and a different pair on the way home.

It seems like a cheap and easy solution that may be worth a try.

[gasman]

I just use one pair a day. But I don't sweat much riding in as Oregon is cool in the AM even in the summer.

[shovelhd]

I'll cut to chase and admit the saddle sore thing is my biggest fear. I've always been taught to remove shorts immediately, yada yada, so the idea of sweating (even if minimal) and then putting same shorts on in afternoon has me very leary.....

Remember I advised to wipe twice, once in the morning and again when you get home.

[azrider]

Remember I advised to wipe twice, once in the morning and again when you get home.

Yeah, I hear ya........but the paranoia runs deep

[Coluber42]

How long is your commute?
Let's say it's an hour. Presumably you go on two-hour rides without changing your shorts halfway through, and don't explode in saddle sores as a result. So how is letting your shorts dry all day and putting them back on to go home different from just wearing them for two hours? Even if your commute is two hours, presumably you ride for four hours sometimes.
If you're really worried, you could carry a small spray bottle full of rubbing alcohol and spritz the chamois when you take them off.

For that matter, what kind of commute are we talking about? Are regular clothes/undies out of the question?

[azrider]

How long is your commute?
Let's say it's an hour. Presumably you go on two-hour rides without changing your shorts halfway through, and don't explode in saddle sores as a result. So how is letting your shorts dry all day and putting them back on to go home different from just wearing them for two hours? Even if your commute is two hours, presumably you ride for four hours sometimes.
If you're really worried, you could carry a small spray bottle full of rubbing alcohol and spritz the chamois when you take them off.

For that matter, what kind of commute are we talking about? Are regular clothes/undies out of the question?

20 miles one way so that's too far (for me anyway) to do in street clothes.

And "letting the shorts dry" doesn't necessarily kill any bacteria that might have been created or left..........I'm telling ya man, the saddle sore fear is real with me......

[mtechnica]

Just use chamois cream when putting the bibs on for the second time

[mtechnica]

And if your bike fits you should really be able to ride that far in normal clothes IMO

[Coluber42]

20 miles one way so that's too far (for me anyway) to do in street clothes.

And "letting the shorts dry" doesn't necessarily kill any bacteria that might have been created or left..........I'm telling ya man, the saddle sore fear is real with me......

Letting them dry is just to keep the bacteria from evolving sapience while you're not looking, and to reduce the skank factor. ;)

But seriously, it's gotta be better to wear shorts for two hours (and I assume it doesn't take you two hours to ride to work), take them off and let them dry, then put them back on, than to just wear them for a four hour ride straight, right? Do you ever ride longer than that? Hang out at the coffee shop afterward?
Seems to me that if you get massive saddle sores after four hours, you have some chafing issues that go way beyond just changing your shorts.

[Dead Man]

Everyone is different... So this is me, obviously not you... But when I was going to school, I had a 60 mile commute on my short day, 90+ on my long day, and I just wore my shorts all day in between. Never had any problems with saddle sores, never even thought about it like that.

Do you have a problem with saddle sores, or are you just being preemptively obsessive about it??

[Dead Man]

And yea, sometimes I did kind of stink. But I was already married, so I didn't care. Nobody ever refused to sit next to me in class, though I would occasionally advise people not to.

[Vinci]

My commute is only ~12 miles each way, but my bibs don't get more wet after 5 or so miles during a Florida summer commute. They more or less plateau in wetness. :)

I have only ever used the same bibs in the morning and evening. I hang them up during the day with my jersey and let them air dry.

I've never had any trouble with this system and everything is nice and dry by the time I need to suit back up to head home.

[azrider]

Do you have a problem with saddle sores, or are you just being preemptively obsessive about it??

Two years ago I had multiple back to back weeks of 500+ miles and I developed a saddle sore that I eventually had to race on and the whole experience has haunted me since.

And yea, sometimes I did kind of stink. But I was already married, so I didn't care. Nobody ever refused to sit next to me in class, though I would occasionally advise people not to.

Ha. Awesome. I'm hitched as well so I have no qualms with people thinking I stink. I work in very male dominated environment so that's really a non issue....the ONLY issue is the cleanliness or the lack of cleanliness and what I'm opening myself up to if I were to recycle or re-use the same chamois twice a day

[seanile]

douse them innn baking soda, or innnn rice, or lay newspaper all over them :banana:
unless youre prone to fungus, i wouldnt worry. i never had any issues and my bibs never dried in time to ride home. just felt weird puttin em on and then once i started riding again it felt normal. it could be equated to riding for an entire day in the same clothes. unless you change half-way through a full day of riding..

ps-if it's just a bacteria thing you fear, spray them with some fabreeze and get over it?

[brockd15]

I commuted 18 miles each way for a while. I just let the shorts and jersey air dry during the day and never had a problem. But I've never had an issue with saddle sores, don't use chamois cream, etc.

[shovelhd]

20 miles one way so that's too far (for me anyway) to do in street clothes.

And "letting the shorts dry" doesn't necessarily kill any bacteria that might have been created or left..........I'm telling ya man, the saddle sore fear is real with me......

You're never going to kill all the bacteria no matter what you do. Use two pair of shorts or use liners if you must. You could also wipe the chamois down with 91% isopropyl alchohol when you change at work. I still think the best approach is prevention. Use a chamois cream, wipe down immediately after every ride, and keep your bibs clean.

[Dead Man]

Has anyone mentioned alcohol wipes to the crotch, post ride? Or even acne pads- can't remember what they're called Clearsil or some crap..

[shovelhd]

Baby wipes. Alcohol and emollients. Plain alcohol dries the skin making it more prone to infection.

[dustyrider]

Try to incorporate a cooling down period where you wear the chamious dry. Or just turn it inside out and let hang. I do live in an arid climate so one liner a day is enough for me. When touring cleaning the chamious is critical! The wet wipes are perfect for after the morning ride and a shower for the evening.

[azrider]

Has anyone mentioned alcohol wipes to the crotch, post ride? Or even acne pads- can't remember what they're called Clearsil or some crap..

Baby wipes. Alcohol and emollients. Plain alcohol dries the skin making it more prone to infection.

Hmmm......what if I used said zit wipes, alcohol wipes, witch hazel directly to the chamois and THEN let it dry? Would that kill any bacteria?

I'm thinking this might be my option......

[JAllen]

My commute is about 9 miles each way but I tend to ride a lot more than that due to my wife and I sharing a car (although we are working on being car free very soon) and I work a pretty labor intensive job. I'm pretty much sweaty from Sun up to Sun down. All that being said, I don't really own any cycling specific clothing at all and I tend to wear the same underwear and undershirt all day and never have had an issue. Sure, I might smell a little ripe at times, but it's not too bad.

[cinema]

Ok I've had the same problem you had. personally I've ended up in a place where I know what works for me. I hate wearing bikey looking stuff into work and having to change. I use vaseline wipes and/or alcohol religiously. alcohol usually goes on clothes but it helps to throw some under your arms when you get off the bike. I always take a shower before with antibacterial soap like dial and shave underarms. this makes sure that there's as little bacteria on the skin as possible before i start riding.

You don't really need any special clothes. I may come to work sweaty and i do like to own special clothes, because i feel they work. I like ibex, mission workshop.

1. devold or smartwool boxers. I'll let you decide how many days inside/out you 'll want to wear these.

2. merino t shirts, wool button downs, sometimes a flannel. thick and somehow doesn't smell bad.

3. shorts and a leather/cambium saddle.

I frequently do post work rides too in the same clothes and look funny but i ride alone or with another buddy from work who commutes dresses similarly. for what it's worth i regularly re-use bibs after spraying them with alcohol and rubbing them down and haven't had any problems.

[arthurlo]

You didn't mention if you had showers at work - from the initial question, I assume that the answer is no?

For me, one pair of shorts a day works fine. The routine is a quick shower after getting into work, letting the clothes air dry, and a shower after getting home.

[azrider]

Ok I've had the same problem you had. personally I've ended up in a place where I know what works for me. I use vaseline wipes and/or alcohol religiously. alcohol usually goes on clothes but it helps to throw some under your arms when you get off the bike. I always take a shower before with antibacterial soap like dial and shave underarms. this makes sure that there's as little bacteria on the skin as possible before i start riding.

You don't really need any special clothes. I may come to work sweaty and i do like to own special clothes, because i feel they work. I like ibex, mission workshop and riv MUSA stuff. I generally rely on:

1. devold or smartwool boxers. I'll let you decide how many days inside/out you 'll want to wear these.

2. merino t shirts, wool button downs, sometimes a flannel. thick and somehow doesn't smell bad.

3. shorts and a leather/cambium saddle.

I frequently do post work rides too in the same clothes and look funny but i ride alone or with another buddy from work who commutes dresses similarly. for what it's worth i regularly re-use bibs after spraying them with alcohol and rubbing them down and haven't had any problems.


how long a commute we talkin?

The other reason why I prefer to wear kit during my commute is on those days I don't have to pick the baby up from daycare I'll take "the long way home" and get some climbs or intervals in...........so there really isn't any appeal to commuting in work clothes....AT LEAST FOR me that is.

[Likes2ridefar]

I commuted daily for about 10 years or so in NYC, and when racing I would ride a few hours before work and then head down to work and do another few hours after work. averaging 4-6 hours a day.

i never once wore more than one pair of bibs. sometimes they were still wet when i put them on in the afternoon especially during rainstorms or when riding in nasty winter conditions. I couldnt totally air them out like some here.

i never had a problem. I did use chamois cream most the time.

i didnt use wipes either.

an aside, i've had teammates when I was on a UCI team racing in Asia, weird euro guys i guess, but anyways, they would race all day in hot and humid Asia then sit around for a few hours in their bibs afterwards or on the car transfer that sometimes took up to 4 hours. sometimes they'd sit in the very bed they were going to sleep in. never heard them complain about sores. I thought it was pretty nasty though!

[cinema]

how long a commute we talkin?

The other reason why I prefer to wear kit during my commute is on those days I don't have to pick the baby up from daycare I'll take "the long way home" and get some climbs or intervals in...........so there really isn't any appeal to commuting in work clothes....AT LEAST FOR me that is.

like 15 miles round trip. lots of climbs right nearby for an after work excursion as well... between 1000 and 2600ft if i'm feeling motivated. Why not just keep a kit at work and switch into it before you leave? you do have a LONG commute so maybe wool bibs are the answer. i like my ibex

[Dead Man]

My commute is about 9 miles each way but I tend to ride a lot more than that due to my wife and I sharing a car (although we are working on being car free very soon) and I work a pretty labor intensive job. I'm pretty much sweaty from Sun up to Sun down. All that being said, I don't really own any cycling specific clothing at all and I tend to wear the same underwear and undershirt all day and never have had an issue. Sure, I might smell a little ripe at times, but it's not too bad.

What do you do, if you don't mind the question?

[JAllen]

What do you do, if you don't mind the question?
Not at all. I am CDL driver for an information management/shredding company. I work the courier side. Pick-up and drop off boxes and packages. I've been with this operation for a year but prior to that I was a uniform service delivery driver (also labor intensive). Same commuting miles but opposite direction (WAY more hours on the clock).

[martinez]

I think that probably washing your bibs/jersey when you get to work would probably be the most sensible. I mean it's not really hard to just give em both a good scrub down and then let em hang dry somewhere, right?
that's what I would do if I had a long commute...

[Dead Man]

I think that probably washing your bibs/jersey when you get to work would probably be the most sensible. I mean it's not really hard to just give em both a good scrub down and then let em hang dry somewhere, right?
that's what I would do if I had a long commute...

If you have the ability to hang dry, you could just alternate between bibs every day... ride in, take off and handwash, hang dry, then ride home the ones you washed/dried the day before.

[Lewis Moon]

And if your bike fits you should really be able to ride that far in normal clothes IMO

Not in Arizona...at least at any pace that might get you somewhere in under 5 hours.
I feel his pain. My workaround is I ride only one way. The train starts about 1.5 miles from my house and ends about 1.5 miles from work. Ride it in then the bike home or visa versa.

[SlackMan]

Microwave them at the office--that will kill the bacteria!! ;)

More seriously, I always only used one pair of bibs per day, and that's commuting in Texas. I let them air dry with the jersey hanging behind my office door. I shower at work after the inbound ride and then again after the return home. Never had a problem with saddle sores.

[Bradford]

Until reading this I never realized how lucky I am. I commute 25 miles each way, shower at work, hang the shorts to dry. I've never had a saddle sore.

[charliedid]

like 15 miles round trip. lots of climbs right nearby for an after work excursion as well... between 1000 and 2600ft if i'm feeling motivated. Why not just keep a kit at work and switch into it before you leave? you do have a LONG commute so maybe wool bibs are the answer. i like my ibex

I agree with cinema and have been wearing wool for 20 years. Naturally anti bacterial and I was hem once a week. I have a pile of ibex stuff as well and your in it all the time.

[saf-t]

I used one set of bibs per day and wiped myself down after the morning ride in. No need to wipe the chamois down, it should dry out in its own in most office environments.

This. For 15 years.