After reading a few other commuting kit threads I thought I would ask about commuting without a shower. I started a new job and it’s 15 very very hilly Devon miles from home. I can store my bike indoors I hope to be able to commute 2 or 3 times a week so all clothes will already be at work. Their isn’t a shower the best I can do for now is a disabled toilet to change in. Their is no way to get to work in un sweaty state as it is up or down the whole way and takes about 1:10 currently. What do other people do, tricks of the trade.

Wash in the sink, easy. It’s not so easy with shared toilet area but I’ve done that as well

Nice commute distance

MucOff dry shower.

I find talc helps to dry and fragrance pits and crotch.

Shower before you set off, wear proper technical clothing that wicks away sweat, deodorant when you get there, & bob’s your uncle. I’ve done this for the last 3 years………mind, there’s a few empty desks around me 🙂

shower before, babywipes after ( under arms, face, etc). Then Fresh clothes and deodrant.

My commute is 7 hilly miles, no shower at work so it’s baby wipes and deodorant for me.

I struggle with the shower before I set off as I have to be in work by 8 and often start at 7 so showering at 5:30 ish wakes up the whole house. I guess they will get used to it.

stand in the rain with some soap and a flannel. Whats wrong with you.

shower before, babywipes after ( under arms, face, etc). Then Fresh clothes and deodrant.

+1

The armpit eco system takes a while for the bacteria to start farting out stink, so long as your freshly showered before you set off. Your unlikely to fugg up the office, especially with a wet wipe chemical warfare blast.

Similar here

My system is shower at home and then wear merino under the prev mentioned technical kit then change at work again

Riding like a granny is pretty mandatory too

AND ALL OF THOSE FECKERS WHO INSIST ON BURNING OFF THE SADDO IN FLASH KIT RIDING HIS BIKE SLOWLY, WELL IVE GOT ALL YOUR CARDS MARKED AND ONE DAY IM GONNA TURN UP FOR MY COMMUTE ON ONE OF MY DAYS OFF AND SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHO THE DADDY IS ON A BIKE UNTIL YOU SOB FOR MERCY

Probably……………

sweat loves the skins folds, so baby wipes in those areas ( between legs etc )

if you follow that routine you shouldn’t have any issues at all.

sweat loves the skins folds, so baby wipes in those areas ( between legs etc )

I don’t have any skin folds, I’m so muscular I’ve become more spherical than anything.

At least I think that’s what’s happening.

I have a similar distance and just use the sink in the disabled toilet.

sorry not folds, but joins, legs to body etc. it’s where more heat builds up and hence more chance of odour.

Do not use a rucksack or shoulder bag, they make you sweat no matter how good your clothing is. Carry everything on a rack.
Stop to take off layers as you warm up so as not to overheat.
Arm warmers are better than a jacket on cool mornings as you can pull them off and tuck them into a pocket really quickly.
Shower before you leave in the morning.
Hang your cycling gear up at work to air out.
Fit mudguards to keep you and your clothes a lot cleaner.

Good luck with that. I’m sure you can make it work with just a basin, baby wipes and deodorant but it’s not what I would do. When in a similar situation a few years ago I just joined a local gym on the most basic membership and just used it for the showers. Shower at the gym then walk or ride the shorter distance to work.

Italian shower.

Just be a sweaty fecker and live with it that’s what I have to do. Don’t even have anywhere to put clothes just under my desk or the back of my chair.

Anti bacterial clothes wash in the machine with your kit, good deodorant, baby wipes.
How much climbing is on the route?

I tend not to ride with a shower. The plumbing really gets in the way and those little residual drips of cold water are just annoying.

Submariners dhobey or Midshipmans birdbath !

Using a flannel and warm water from the sink you can give yourself a more than adequate rub all over from one fill of the sink, the 2nd fill to do your face and final rinse of flannel, presto one clean and well exercised individual ready to assault the working day in a clean and sweet smelling fashion !

ps: dont forget the clean knicks though !
pps: the trick is use as least water possible as this will aid drying, another thing to is allow a few minutes to cool down when you reach work.

I tend not to ride with a shower. The plumbing really gets in the way and those little residual drips of cold water are just annoying.

This is why I take the bath instead

‘FREEDOM!!!’

I’m in a similar boat with distance/hills. Try and get 2-3 commutes a week but I carry my gear in.

I find just taking it easy over last 5 minutes of the commute helps a great deal.

Take a couple of minutes when you arrive just to cool down/stop dripping.

Stash of wet wipes/talk/deodorant at work helps.

Using a flannel and warm water from the sink you can give yourself a more than adequate rub all over from one fill of the sink, the 2nd fill to do your face and final rinse of flannel,

This – if you’ve got a disabled toilet no need to use baby wipes. Merino tops work for me much better than synthetic.

Haven’t commuted for a good few years now but definitely take a good five minutes for a slow walk round the block / building when you arrive. Makes a massive difference.

Ride in naked, you’re less likely to sweat and even if you do the wind will dry you.

definitely take a good five minutes for a slow walk round the block / building when you arrive. Makes a massive difference.

That’s a very good idea. Far too many times when i’ve arrived by Brompton and sat down in a meeting looking fine I’ve slowly developed a huge sweat over the following 5 minutes. Not very smooth.

Most people are so self obsessed they will not notice your odour.

Trust me on this.

Shower first, cool down on arrival making tea and checking emails, then baby wipes and deodorant.

To answer one of the questions 650m of climbing in 21km but it’s very steep hills although at least the last big downhill is into work and with a few sets of traffic lights takes the last 7 or 8 mins.

Perspiration is part of my job description, never showered at work.

Just going to get sweaty as soon as the oven is on, kegs need shifted, fences need posts etc etc.

What’s all this “sitting down, making tea” malarkey?

Disabled loo with a bit of space and a handbasin? Take a flannel, wash in there.

Sink wash here. Commute 3-4 times a week so the day I’m driving is the day I Take in clean clothes

You’re all going to hell. Look.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/spodsnet-aibu-in-using-the-disabled-toilet-at-work

If you have a sink wash with a flannel, a good tip is to add a cap full of dettol to the water in the sink. Leaves you smelling of dettol but better than BO.

Poor buggers.. No shower !!?

Don’t think I would bother cycling tbh. Part if the whole attraction for me is rolling out of bed… Sweaty on bike knowing I’ve got a hot shower to look forward to.

You’re all going to hell.

But at least we’ll smell a bit less when we get there.

Cycle to work (6 miles)
Work for half an hour or so to cool down.
Tupperware box filled from the sink in the gents.
Cubicle.
Lots of paper towels, with the water.
Lots more paper towels to remove the water.
Lots more paper towels to dry the cubicle floor.
Pit spray.