I've not the largest bike clothing wardrobe and with me commuting more and riding on an evening more, [s]I'm too lazy[/s] 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?
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.
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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.
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.
Binners +1
If your ride is long enough to warrant proper gear change it daily or thats just minging.
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.
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.
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?)
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.
Baselayers would be honking if used for several days, but doable at a push I guess. Shorts, no chance, reckon I'd get sores.
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.I wouldn't stop and change clothes half way round a 4 hour ride
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.
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.
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.
[quote=tonyd pointlessly vacillated]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.
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
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 🙂
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
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.
2 days max
Just stay away from lentil curry/pie and peas
Yes, 2 days max though and the bibs must be aired/hung to dry propers like in between.
WTF? Does it bother you that much that someone has a different opinion to yours?!nbt - Membertonyd pointlessly vacillated »
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.
tonyd - nbt has some weird plug in that puts 'funny' words in front of stuff he quotes, it's not personal - just daft.
Ah OK, thanks. Thought it was a bit uncalled for!
Bibshorts, is it just me but I find they split my ball sack in two - very off putting!
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.... 😉
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...
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?
Shower at work and again at home, so I only honking when on bike. Who cares?
Weekly wash does me.
Just stay away from lentil curry/pie and peas
why? a bit of turbo helps
I haven't felt the need for more shorts so why bother? I have plenty of other more pressing uses for my money thanks.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?
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.have you thought about a career change?
Chapeau tonyd, chapeau.
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.
Touche!
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......
[quote=tonyd castigated nbt]WTF? Does it bother you that much that someone has a different opinion to yours?!
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}
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
Ive asked the GF, most stuff gets a 'its fine' apart from synthetic tops which she screams and throws at the bin, so i know when the smell is no longer acceptable. Some people sweat a lot and still dont stink, others stink when they dont even seem to be sweating, all people are not the same.
No-one thinks they smell
I smell plenty, in certain conditions. Just not when I've worn the same shorts twice. Tops no, shorts yes.
Ha, ive just realised samuri your the one from another thread who actually takes a clean set of clothes to cycle home in.
I think we've worked out who the natural stinker is LOL!
Yep, I have merino kit.
Look.
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Right I'll hold my hand up to be a proper minger then.
3 commutes and I'll wash the bib's, not before. Merino wool top which never smells. I hang my kit up in the office kitchen. Ive asked all my colleagues if its a problem and not one has said it is (and I work in a building company... if it was I would be reamed).
Commute is 14 miles each way.
