Planning a long trip later this year.
In the past I’ve hand washed cycle kit with varying degrees of success at drying them, and generally it doesn’t get rid of the accumulating whiff after several days of hard riding.
I think I’ve damaged odd items when wringing them out or twisting them up in a towel.
Just wondering how people have found their nice kit survives the odd warm (not hot) tumble dry as I suspect it can’t be much worse on the odd occasion? I’m considering the odd laundrette stop and it would be nice to leave with everything nice and dry!
My big ride to Spain I washed my shorts and shirt in the shower each night and had a launderette wash once every couple of weeks. No issues at all. My kit is all aldi / lidl tho
No problem. Done it for months at a time.
IME, tumble drying increases wiffy-ness. Air drying after a good wash is much better. I was always under the impression that good sunlight can nuke some of the bacteria which causes smells.
I've found that "sports" fabric, out of the washing machine and hung up, to be dry enough to wear the next morning.
We don't own a tumble dryer and I avoid them if at all possible for clothes. (although it would be nice for bedding)
Thanks all. I’d never do it at home, it’s just if I can get away with it for quick turnarounds at resupply stops when I’m bivvying on multiday trips. It’s only practical to dry stuff overnight if a hotel falls in the right place and I’m actually there long enough for stuff to dry!
Where will this trip be as sports gear should dry overnight unless its cold/wet weather. It's what I've done on multiweek trips
30c washer powder in a ziplock bag .
I was always under the impression that good sunlight can nuke some of the bacteria which causes smells.It does. The UV kills the bacteria that makes it smell.
I replace my gear early, so I always have spare gear with a 'dozen' uses left in them for long trips. As a result, if I go with say 3 bibs, they will always dry out in 2 days, so I can have fresh gear each day. If I had to, I could tumble dry the old gear as it won't matter if I ruin it.
Where will this trip be as sports gear should dry overnight unless its cold/wet weather
UK, so cold/wet is not beyond possibility. 2000km over 20 days or so, I’m going to be riding until I drop and then riding as soon as I wake up. The trip I did a couple of years ago my tent was wringing wet inside and out the whole trip due to rain and condensation so the only way anything was getting dry was in the sleeping bag with me. I’ll get the odd hotel I’m sure but it sounds like I can get away with washing and tumble drying my kit on the odd occasion without everything falling apart!