[Closed] How to keep new car clean when riding? Drive n ride tactics?

Take spare clothes and change is surely the only answer.

I always have a spare set of clothes to change into. My car is shit but i'm not covering the inside in mud when I can put clean shorts and Tshirt on in about 30 seconds. Getting naked in the car park is part of the fun of and outdoor hobby.

I always drive home from the Lakes naked. The bikers who slide off into the ditch after passing me on the A65 are collateral damage.

Our cars have rubber mats, not carpet.

I have seat covers I can pop on, although most of the time the rule is no muddy kit or sitting on my seat. I use the covers more when damp and running paddling shuttles.

We have 'clean' rucksacks and 'dirty' IKEA bags for all kit.

We have a couple of foam mats to stand on when changing outside - you change between car door, with back seat folded flat, clean kit on that, IKEA bag next to it.

My new car already has full plastic boot liner.

Bikes go outside, the one inside on tarps.

get grumpy at the kids.

Take spare clothes and change is surely the only answer.

This and rubber mats.

And kids/wife that mess the car up far more than I ever could with biking and mud.

Get a spare car for muddy days

I have an old pair of waterproof trousers that I just pull on over dirty legs/shorts & sand with an old jacket that goes on top.

Pair of trainers with elastic laces, may peel socks off first if they are proper minging.

Riding shoes go in a bag with gloves & helmet.

my littleuns too young to worry about for good a few years 🙂

I'm not spending another 100 quid on an extra roof carrier for mates bikes - I often meet them at the destination, and when pre-planned the rear carrier would still work for them.

So.. as my legs are likely mucky too -- some cheapo tracky bottoms and an old trainers / tee / hoody combo are probably the answer.. (although waterproof trousers aren't a bad shout)

plus the aforementioned Ikea/big old sports bag type affair for hoiking my dirty clothes / 5:10s / helmet and camelbak into where I keep the bike.

and something to fold onto the floor..

i dont wash the bike before sticking it in if i cant let them reasonably dry first otherwise they just drip muddy water everywhere

we have seat covers on the seats

and rubber mats instead of carpet.

oh and a car that bikes fit inside without risking contact with the roof etc.....

if we didnt id use a rack.

for a short drive I use a seat cover which can be whipped off and put in the wash with riding kit after arriving home. Obvs you have to brush the worst of the schmoo off with gloves still on to avoid mud crumbs on the carpet.

Friend of mine has a big poncho thingy that he chucks on which also seems a good idea...

Take spare clothes and change is surely the only answer.

This, estate is nice as you can sit on the tailgate as you shiver out of riding kit and into something dry - I bought a cheap tracksuit, pulling jeans on with wet legs is hard work, nice thick socks and old t-shirts / hoodies etc.

I tend to leave my under shorts on as I don't like exposing my genitalia in public, but some do, TBH most places I go, especially in winter have changing rooms / showers.

I do what the surfers/watersport types do - get changed. Changing robe (make your own from a couple of old beach towels), and change mat (like this) that your shoes and clothes can be chucked into and the drawstring pulled to keep it all together in the boot - it'll be muddy underneath if the carpark is, but I have a boot liner or you could stick it in an IKEA bag. Always have baby wipes in the car for the kids but they're good for getting the worst of the muck off legs and face. Stick nice dry warm clothes back on for the drive home.

I do have a seat cover for when it's only a short hop, like between BPW and the hotel. Any longer and it's just unpleasant.

Car interiors are pretty resilient - a couple of years of kids' muddy feet from climbing up the sill and seat into their car seats just brushed/vac/wiped off in minutes.

Changing out of muddy clothes and wet cacks is partiularly fun when you're parked on a residential street. If you make eye contact while changing be sure and give them a wink 😉

Garden Trug.

You can stand in it to get changed and keep your feet dry and clean and then keep all your wet  dirty kit in it on the way home.

Also, a boot liner. The bottom of the trug might get dirty.

Don't plan on putting , or even trying bike inside yet.. currently have an isofix base/mirror thing set up for the baby which i'll transfer into the new car (getting it late this week)..so flipping the rear seats is probably out until my son is old enough to ride with me 🙂

roof carrier is so i can leave home -> ride -> get home quicker without faffing with the tailgate rack  (which also scratched up my old car over time)

some awesome solutions here.. i suppose if i backed into a space i could turn the back of the car into a changing room..

Gonna go with change of clothes. Innovative but definitely the way.

Assuming you have a Mrs, don't let her chuck out crappy towels. You'll need these.

yeah  a missus  who's not a mrs 😉 🙂

old towel / cheap towel.. not a bad idea for wiping face down

some awesome solutions here.. i suppose if i backed into a space i could turn the back of the car into a changing room..

Decorators cotton dust sheet slung over the top of the tailgate?

Instant changing tent.

Line the inside of the car with it when your changed and put the bike inside

Leather seats and not really caring coz it's just a car works for me 🙂

Decorators cotton dust sheet slung over the top of the tailgate?

Instant changing tent.

maybe a groundsheet  more worried about elements than flashing passers by - mostly! 🙂 the car park I most often use is fairly secluded

Line the inside of the car with it when your changed and put the bike inside

already mentioned.. isofix baby seat means no bike inside for foreseeable (along with investment in roof bars/rack) but a solution for some! 🙂

Ikea bag, change of clothes, old bits of rag/towel for cleaning the worst of the mud off that bit of leg between socks and pads. Or if it's just a short drive then a seat cover and a change of shoes, if really wet a plastic bag between seat and (not quite waterproof) seat cover.

Really pisses me off when people get a lift and don't bring a change of clothes (which I ask them to do) and then when they are covered in mud ask me if I have a plastic bag they can sit on, or have no regard for where they chuck their muddy kit. If you don't respect my car and I have to clean up after you then you won't be offered a lift again. Sorry rant over.

Treat the car like crap and get it valeted every few months.

since it is for all duties, not really an option..

mark90 : yeah thats where the "only 1 carrier" thing comes in... my skinflint mate already mentioned i can carry his, but will understand me not spending another 100 quid (thule 598) on a second carrier.. he wouldn't! 🙂

A colleague at work pointed me on the direction of booicore robes.

That combined with an ikea bag and a couple of foam  gym floor tiles inside it has served me well

Get changed obvs. When on group rides be sure not to forget your bikes, otherwise you'll just be a load of naked blokes in a car park.

Onesie FTW.  Get a large size and slip it over yr manky MTB clothing or strip first.  Drive home warm.

I have a blue Sheffield Wednesday one, MIL inexplicably bought me for xmas.  I dont follow football but it does a great job for all manner of dirty work.  Presumably it keeps dirt in as well as out.  Would prefer a Tigger one, but heyho. Put hemet, shoes etc in big holdall or laundry bag.  When you get home wash the onesie with yr kit.  Done.

You can buy fancy boot liners but you can also buy heavy duty rubber matting to fit the entire boot. My massively spacious Honda Jazz can fit two bikes in easy and all our kit. Ikea bag for clothes, get naked in the car park/roadside, put on regular clothes and got to the pub.

I would die of hypothermia if I didn't get changed out my kit!

Once saw a bloke in Llandegla jet wash his bike then carry it to his car.

I thought that  a bit over the top as did the lads Inn the car next to me.

Whats with the flashing concerns? Surely as Brits we've all done the beach-towel-shuffle. Unrelated to many other shuffle activities and bar being stitched up by your mates it's an assured way of not flashing your arse.

For me...

Car seats flat with tarps that are big enough to go up the sides.

IKEA bag for wet / dirty kit. Once kit is dried and cleaned then it doubles up as a handy way of lugging camelback, shoes, helmet etc out of the shed to the car in one go.

Big changing towel / fluffy "man dress" thing for reducing exposure/changing in inside the car.

Old carpet tile to stand on while changing if changing outside.

Don't bother with seat covers.

Having said that I still find I get a load of dried mud in the boot over the course of the winter but it seems to mostly be in the boot not the rest of the car and fairly easily hoovered out periodically.

Got a couple of Duffbags when they were about a few years ago, built in changing mat and then stuff all the went kit inside. Bikes on roof. Sit on one of those thin beach mat blankets which has a waterproof base - it covers drivers seat, armrests etc and also lower leg rub areas.

New car = van. Problem solved!

did consider a van, and ten years ago i would have, but as I commute 20 miles each way, which is mostly motorway, economy and practicality is high on the list this time round.. (.. and with nursery fees imminent when the other half goes back to work)

i think i've got an approximation of a plan.. definitely a throw everything in bag/tub for the bag/clothes/helmet etc and a towel/change of clothes, i'll try that and see how it goes and evolve from there

(the guy i rode with at the weekend, when  i drove, brought a ikea bag + piece of cardboard that folded for the floor_

btw a set of workshop overalls might work in place of a onesie..

Best part of a winter, sluther ride is putting dry under crackers on!So change of clothes fo'sho.

If i don't have time to brush the excess muck off me and the bike, I wrap it up in a tarp and use waterproof pants to cover my muddy butt.

"Changing out of muddy clothes and wet kecks is particularly fun when you’re parked on a residential street" or in a busy car park...

So I use the "discreet sheet"  to hide my blushes,I'm thinking of going on dragons den with that one..... 😉

Mechanics seat cover, rubber mats for riding duties

I always change my shoes for riding/driving and then a hoody to stop you putting mud on the arm rest.

Simple

So I use the “discreet sheet”  to hide my blushes,

Imagines a group of blokes standing around in sheets in the woods, late at night.

Mechanics seat cover, rubber mats for riding duties

I always change my shoes for riding/driving and then a hoody to stop you putting mud on the arm rest.

Simple

For the love of God, this.  If I tried half the fannying about in this thread it'd put me off riding most of the time.  If I'm really caked in crap I'll take off my baggies and just drive home in my bibs, but that's the extent of it.

Some does seem a faff, but I suppose it depends on how often you ride, and where etc.

I've tried a seat cover.. wasn't great but maybe the one i had was shit

This is exactly why my last 4 cars have had leather seats.

I always change. I've got an old rollmat & fluffy dressing gown. Then a flexible bucket for riding kit & clean clothes in an Ikea bag. Car always stays clean that way. It means I can look respectable and stay comfortable, plus stopping at the pub/shop on the way back is easier.

You lot are monsters, surely you get changed after a ride sod the car, don't you get a load of mud in the pub?

https://www.thebooicorestore.com/collections/changing-robe

https://www.thebooicorestore.com/collections/laundry-bag/products/laundry-bag

https://www.thebooicorestore.com/collections/dirtbag

Get one of these, then you don't have to get risk getting arrested in a car park...

http://amzn.eu/cmjo9Bs

Ikea bags get used a lot, fantastic things they are

For big trips I'll have a full change of clothes to get into. And I'll put wet kit into an ikea bag (usually have at least 2, shoes, helmet

For shorter ones where I'm not too mucky I'll change shoes but put towels on the drivers seat and drive hope like that. I have leather seats so the towels just stop the worst of it

OK so a rare thing for most forums...a report back...! 🙂

- I have the new car (seat leon st ecomotive)
- i have new roof rack and carrier (thule wingbar edge + pro ride carrier + fitting kit) - took about an hour to fit. fiddliest bit was to do with how the locks for the feet line up. very good, and saves me a lot of hassle (btw. i know they're not that secure.. its for convenience)

- i bagged an Ikea bag and two carpet tiles as we're having a refurb at work and I saved them from the skip pile

pre ride

- car has multi height load area, so set that to level
- filled 3 old 5 litre screenwash bottles with water
- spare clothes + walking shoes in ikea bag

the ride

- got soaked to the bone - my local is the quantocks.. smiths combe wasnt too bad, grass not trustwothy enough for my usual pace, didn't even consider going in hot from the beacon above it as usual. crossings swollen as expected. after cutting across.. the stream exiting willoughby cleeve descent was huge had to wade through at almost knee high, after a trip up ladies edge did weacombe, which was actually a waterslide. no joke the grass descent was actually flowing water - awesome fun.could hear my riding partner for the day laughing behind me

post ride

- bike wasnt too dirty due to the amount of water. used two of 5 litre bottles to wash it down then pop it on the top of the car. it dried on the way home.
- put one carpet tile on the car park floor, the other on the level loading area mentioned previously.. changed into all new clothes - bar socks and undercracker
- mucky clothes, riding shoes and camelbak etc into ikea bag saving car boot from dirt

really pleased it all worked well

regret not taking spare socks and putting a bag under my butt on the drivers seat. other than that went well. simple lessons learned 🙂

p.s being of somewhat limited stature (5'7) may benefit from some kind of folding step to put bike on car as i put a nice splurdge of mud across while putting it up there. glad didnt get a softroader type thing.....

if you have a baby you might as well start being less precious about the car, it’s going to vom in it sooner or later

Old towel to get most of the crap off, then in a plastic bag with the riding gear.

Trackie B's, socks, pants and an old cotton t-shirt on and good to go.

Poly blanket thing in the boot for the bike to go on.

I use a massive decathlon towel for seat protection.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/microfibre-towel-xl-pink-id_8402378.html

Getting naked in a car park is a perk on mtb’ing just like like rubbing cream on your genitals is part of road cycling.

I wear bib shorts with baggies over the top. Remove the baggies and jersey, pull in joggers and a fresh top, and a pair of clean trainers. Drive home. Bike goes on rack, dirty clothes in boot.

ah yes forgot a towel as well as spare socks..

did pack baby wipes though 🙂

btw re: car preciousness - little man isn't particularly a sicky-up baby.. in seven months he's got me about twice. he normally falls asleep within 5 mins of leaving the house.. and he's not a baby that naps (3 x 30 min per day and thats it!)