Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 65 total)
  • Bike commuters – Wearing used bib shorts
  • sandwicheater
    Full Member

    I’ve not the largest bike clothing wardrobe and with me commuting more and riding on an evening more, I’m too lazy it’s a struggle to keep up with the washing.

    Does anyone wear their bib shorts/tights & tops for more than one day before washing?

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    People probably wear bib shorts for more than one day, the question is whether they should.

    Tops and stuff probably less of an issue if they don’t pong too much.

    binners
    Full Member

    tonyd
    Full Member

    I’ll generally get 3 commuting days out of a pair. Maybe not the most hygienic but I only have two pairs and the wife has enough washing to do.

    STATO
    Free Member

    I typically do, same gear all/most of the week (10m each way), have done for years. Yes its pretty minging to think about but hasnt done me any harm, others seem more perceptible to sores etc from it so its very much an individual thing.

    zbonty
    Full Member

    Binners +1

    If your ride is long enough to warrant proper gear change it daily or thats just minging.

    Mister-P
    Free Member

    If I am commuting in them then they do two rides, one into work and one home again. Other than that, they get washed after every ride.

    mrmo
    Free Member

    no, I just have a few pairs and find I generate so much washing that I never need to wear a pair for more than one day.

    GrahamS
    Full Member

    Yeah I wear them for at least two days (11 miles each way). Don’t think they pong too bad (how sweaty are you getting on your commute?)

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Does it matter too much if your kit mings? You ride to work in it not go out on the town!

    My commute takes 40 minutes each way so 3 days is 4 hours riding. I wouldn’t stop and change clothes half way round a 4 hour ride.

    D0NK
    Full Member

    Baselayers would be honking if used for several days, but doable at a push I guess. Shorts, no chance, reckon I’d get sores.

    I wouldn’t stop and change clothes half way round a 4 hour ride

    true but doesn’t the bacteria breed? So after a couple days they’re gonna be close to evolving to a higher life form. Drying them quickly and hanging them in sunlight should help.

    STATO
    Free Member

    I cant run a non-merino jersey for more than 2 days, they absolutley hotch, but my old Rapha merino top could easily do a week or more without any smell. Its only now its 4 years old (with pretty much daily use) that its starting to lose its magic, and i think most of that is due to too much washing. Short wise in winter im on 3/4 Altura fleece lined bibs or full endura waterproof tights. Summer is Rapha merino padded boxers, perfect for short rides with baggies over the top.

    brassneck
    Full Member

    I’ve got a Northwave top in my bag right now that suggests I should wash it when I get to work..

    Warm, comfy, smells like pee pee.

    brassneck
    Full Member

    Down below chamois cream helps – I think the minty ass lard Assos stuff has anti bacterial properties that might be a decent precaution for reuse.

    nbt
    Full Member

    it’s not the time riding, it;’s the fact that there’s big gaps between rides wo the sweat dries out and the bacteria get busy with it

    – as D0nk says too, I see

    but having said that, I’ve a 6 mile commute and occasionally wear shorts on two days

    DezB
    Free Member

    I used to (I may sweat, but don’t smell beyond my own personal atmosphere), but now I’ve got enough pairs of shorts, thanks to the Startcycles.co.uk Scott sale 🙂

    mrchrispy
    Full Member

    bib shorts daily unless its really cold, dont sweat as much when cold so I can sometimes get 2 days out of them. easy go a week with the howies merino top

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Shorts seem to get far less sweaty than other kit. I’m down in London 4 days with a 30 min commute – I’ve got 4 shirts, only one pair of shorts tho. No smell issues.

    thestabiliser
    Free Member

    2 days max
    Just stay away from lentil curry/pie and peas

    bikebouy
    Free Member

    Yes, 2 days max though and the bibs must be aired/hung to dry propers like in between.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    nbt – Member

    tonyd pointlessly vacillated »WTF? Does it bother you that much that someone has a different opinion to yours?!

    My opinion is based on years of riding and sweating and not having suffered sores or been killed by that nasty bacteria. I don’t mind if my kit whiffs a bit as I can’t afford to buy more.

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    tonyd – nbt has some weird plug in that puts ‘funny’ words in front of stuff he quotes, it’s not personal – just daft.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Ah OK, thanks. Thought it was a bit uncalled for!

    woodsman
    Free Member

    Bibshorts, is it just me but I find they split my ball sack in two – very off putting!

    bikebouy
    Free Member

    Bibshorts, is it just me but I find they split my ball sack in two – very off putting!

    Hmmm… Yessssss, we’ve seen you before somewhere…. 😉

    traildog
    Free Member

    No, I find the commute back in the same shorts pretty nasty to be honest, so wearing the next day is out for me! As said, although the total wear time is not a lot, the bacteria grows while not being worn. I find (or found as I’m a bit lazy with commuting by bike atm) that when riding regularly, should you get a sore then it became very difficult to heal up. With that in mind, I bought a separate tub of chamois crème for keeping at work.

    However, if I didn’t sweat so much (I’ve quite a long commute), then I probably would.

    I have quite a few pairs of shorts though. I have a lot of old ones which have worn holes in and I just wear them as underwear. So put some baggy shorts over in summer, or tights in winter to hide the exposed fleshy bits…

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    My opinion is based on years of riding and sweating and not having suffered sores or been killed by that nasty bacteria. I don’t mind if my kit whiffs a bit as I can’t afford to buy more.

    so after years of riding you haven’t managed to put a little bit aside for a couple of pairs of cheap but good shorts? so you can wear clean shorts to sweat in?
    have you thought about a career change?

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    Shower at work and again at home, so I only honking when on bike. Who cares?
    Weekly wash does me.

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    Just stay away from lentil curry/pie and peas

    why? a bit of turbo helps

    tonyd
    Full Member

    so after years of riding you haven’t managed to put a little bit aside for a couple of pairs of cheap but good shorts? so you can wear clean shorts to sweat in?

    I haven’t felt the need for more shorts so why bother? I have plenty of other more pressing uses for my money thanks.

    have you thought about a career change?

    All the time, my ideal job would involve being overly judgmental about people I know nothing about but I’m not sure it would pay that well.

    honeybadgerx
    Full Member

    Chapeau tonyd, chapeau.

    MrSmith
    Free Member

    All the time, my ideal job would involve being overly judgmental about people I know nothing about but I’m not sure it would pay that well.

    Keeps me in underpants and enough cycling shorts to last the week.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    Touche!

    hilldodger
    Free Member

    A quick handwash while showering and dry overnight. Can’t contemplate putting on skanky bibs the next day, let alone after a weeks riding. Each to their own though……

    nbt
    Full Member

    apologies, it’s nowt personal, it’s just a plugin. you can do it yourself by adding the words after the posters name, like this but with square brackets not curly braces

    {quote=tonyd castigated nbt}WTF? Does it bother you that much that someone has a different opinion to yours?!
    {/quote}

    samuri
    Free Member

    Jesus Christ.

    Right, if you think your kit doesn’t smell after more than one use you’re kidding yourselves. If you don’t mind that then fine. However, when you go into the changing rooms where your kit is hanging up, if you’ve used it more than once, then that horrible sweaty smell you think is other people? It’s you. It’s your kit.

    I never ride more than twice in the same kit. Ride to work, ride back, wash. And even then, I take clean shorts and base layer in with me. There’s a guy in work who runs every day at dinner time. He wears the same kit all week. By Tuesday the smell is unbearable. By Friday it smells like someone has killed themselves in there by eating a full box of 250 stink bombs.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    I hang my kit out to dry whenever I can. I check it for smell, I shove it into my face and take deep nasal breaths. I know when it smells.

    TooTall
    Free Member

    Amazingly, different people are different.

    However, some of you lot are incredibly prissy and must lash the Lynx on like there is no tomorrow. Do you tke 2 hours to get ready for a night out?

    samuri
    Free Member

    No-one thinks they smell. Wear the same kit twice in one go and you’re wrong.
    As I say, fine. I don’t really care if you smell. But you do.

    STATO
    Free Member

    Samuri, that true if you have cheap nasty synthetic crap, not true of decent merino gear, honestly try it. My winter jacket gets pretty stinky after a few days, much more so than shorts tbh, but when freezing outside id rather sweat than catch a cold wearing less or keeping it unzipped.

    TBH if cycling to work (showering there) i take more importance in office clothes than cycle gear. Jumpers, 2 days max or pits of hell appear to form under my arms, shirts, socks and pants change daily, work trousers tho 1 pair for the week.

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