Tcelen

Hi all,
I used to commute everyday when I was in the military, but of course we had a base gym where I could shower and change into my uniform. Its been a while since I have been a daily bike commuter and want to get back into it. MY concern is that many civilian companies don't have shower facilities or convenient options for bike commuters. Thoughts on how to tackle a 10 mile each way commute with out being sweaty and smelly during the workday, when your company doesn't have showers or a locker room.

Korina

If your company has a bathroom, you can make it work. I use a damp cloth to wipe the sweat off, and keep deodorant at work. I've never had a problem with being smelly, it's mostly sweat is crusty. I had an issue trying to find a place to hang my bike clothes to dry, but found an over-the-door rack with six hooks at the dollar store, and it works great. HTH.

CliffordK

You could take it easy a bit in the mornings. Give yourself an hour or so to get to work for 10 to 12 miles. Then if you wish, hammer it home in the evenings.

I've commuted off and on, usually less than 10 miles to work/school, and didn't worry about it that much for bike commuting. I only showered when I did run commuting.

Some people who feel they need special bike outfits or dress clothes figure out a way to change at work. Pit wash?

mcours2006

Showering in the morning before embarking on you trip will help stave off those body odours a bit when you sweat. And as @CliffordK writes, if you take it easy on the ride there you may be able to minimize how much you sweat. If you do sweat, wiping off and then deordorant should be enough to make you presentable to others.

ryan786i

So, it's worth asking around at your place of work to make sure there aren't shower facilities anywhere. Often a maintenance area may have one available or there could just be a shower somewhere that's almost forgotten because most people don't need one. Whether it's convenient or not for you if it does exist is a different question, but it's more possible than you might think that there's one around.

Alternatively, any chance there's a gym nearby and you need/want a membership? That could address the shower issue as well. Either way, I get wanting or needing to shower because even when my commute was just around five miles I tend to get sweaty enough to need it. Now that it's eight it has to be pretty cool and I have to have my layers pretty dialed in to not need to and still be comfortable riding in.

noglider 

I wear a wool t-shirt under my dress shirt. This prevents me from getting super sweaty. I wash my face when I get in if I'm wet. I can put a jacket on to cover if I'm sweaty. I sit down with a glass of ice water, and don't move too much for the first 20 minutes.

Abe_Froman

It really depends on your climate. If you're in the middle of the desert and it's 100F when you're riding into work...might be **** out of luck.

Realistically though...for most morning commute times it's rare that it will be so warm you'll be a sweaty mess. I used to have a 12 mile each way commute here. In Chicago...it's pretty hot and humid in the summer. But at 8am...it's pretty rare that it's hot enough you'll just be a sweaty mess if you take it easy. That said...I DID keep spare clothes at work, and rode in in cycling gear, then changed once I got to work. 10 miles in the summer in dress clothes is not a good plan...

rumrunn6

you can do it

used to commute to a place w no shower just a private bathroom
shower in morning before work & apply good deodorant like Tom's unscented
on arrival strip all clothes head to foot & bag them
use a washcloth as if you were in a shower
a liquid soap diluted is easier to use & rinse off
for hair use diluted clarifying shampoo in a plastic cup, put your head down & do the deed, then use the cup to rinse
use a good hand towel (that you bring) to dry off
apply deodorant, Tom's unscented is good
dress in new dry clothes head to foot
if you are still damp "down there" you can stuff paper towels in your shorts at your desk for 10 min

it helps to arrive early & get it all done before the rest of the gang shows up

good luck!

found a cpl older threads about the same thing

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...ower-work.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...bike-work.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...ut-shower.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/living-ca...ty-smelly.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...ding-work.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...your-ride.html

Skipjacks

Take it easy on the ride in. Make is a slow enjoyable casual ride so you don't get too worked up.

Wear different clothes than you plan to wear at work (panniers / backpack to keep the change of clothes in works great)

Then the little sweat you do work up is soaked up in the workout clothes and removed. A simple wipe down with a damp towel is enough to remove what little sweat you have on you.

Work all day, then ride home aggressively for the better workout when there is a shower and clean clothes waiting for you there.

Remember, sweat doesn't smell bad. Sweat that stays on you and dries out smells bad. A little wipe down goes a long way to get rid of the sweaty mess smell, as long as you were clean when you started the morning ride.

I keep a towel in my office to dry off with. I also have the luxury of being able to stay in workout clothes for 15 minutes when I get here so I can cool down before putting work clothes on while I'm still sweating. I realize not everyone can do that.

A thing of baby wipes (the kind you use when changing diapers) work great to get that small sweat residue off your sweatiest areas so you're fresh for the day. They are cheap too.

Biggest thing....once you bike regularly...after a while you'll sweat less. Your body gets used to the workout and you just won't heat up at much. (Note: Does not apply to oppressively hot and humid climates. In some places you're just going to sweat a ton and it's going to be gross without a shower)

pdlamb

+1. In addition:


Arrive at work 20 minutes early. Check email for 15 minutes while you cool down, then head for the bathroom to change.


Baby wipes are great for cleaning up in the handicap stall. If you time the email check right, you'll just be about to dry off after the ride when you clean up and change.


A quick facial rinse (and wet your hair down if you've got helmet hair) and you're ready to face the day.

ptempel

In a nutshell, I shower in the morning. Carry my work clothes and tools in a backpack daily. Lock my bike on a rack off the street (but still outside). Wash my hands, hair and face in the bathroom. Use extra paper as needed for road grime to clean shoes and legs a bit (if it was raining). Change into the work clothes. Hang up bike clothes. Put helmet and shoes in bottom desk drawer. Optionally put on deoderant at the desk (have two travel size solid and spray in an overhead cabinet).

Some things that I've learned are:

- Always hang up your bike clothes. Its nice to put on dry clothes at the end of the day.
- If your shoes and socks are wet, try stuffing a bunch of paper towel inside them. We have big roll paper dispensers in the bathroom and the kitchen.
- If you ride in the rain, you will eventually get creaky bike. Just plan on a little extra cleaning for the bottom bracket, seatpost and stem at home when needed.
- Wipe your chain after every ride. If the chain looks dry, then put some oil on it. If you park and ride, then keep a roll of paper towels and some oil for the chain in the car. I use air tool oil. But just about any lighter oil will do.
- Spin and wipe your tires before the ride. Then check for any debris stuck in the tire. This saved me a few times from getting a flat. If something is hard to get out, then let some air out of the tire and pinch it.
- Pump up your tires before every ride. I keep my floor pump in the car when I park and ride.
- If you get a lot of debris (like me in and around the city) consider a tire with some extra flat protection. I've been using Conti Gatorskin but any tire with a little extra protection helps. Can also consider Mr Tuffy strips but I've never tried them yet.
- Try to keep up the regular maintenance if you are commuting year round. Replace tires, break shoes, bar tape, chain and cassette as needed. Also consider repacking or replacing the bearings either annually or every other year depending on how much you ride.
- Try to carry as little as possible in the backpack (or other bag on the bike). I leave my laptop at home. Have a desktop at work. Leave the big chain lock on the rack. Only take the tools you can use. Don't carry any books, etc.
- Use a front and rear light if riding before or after dusk. Consider using them all the time. Leave the USB charge cables at work and plug them into your desktop (or laptop).
- If its raining, use a plastic bag for your work clothes in the backpack. I also use another plastic bag on the seat to keep it from getting soaked (since I leave the bike outside).
- Look at the weather after you get up in the morning (I like wunderground.com). I also look at the tweets for GWB sidewalk.
- If its really cold, snowing, or you feel sick, then take the day off. You'll still get plenty of ride time on the other days. So no worries there. I usually want clear roads and 20F or higher temp.

Most of all have fun and enjoy the commute. You will keep in shape so will feed good. Meet some other fellow commuters on the route. Say hi to the crossing guards and maybe have a chat with them once in a while. Of course, stay in touch with the folks here on BF and ask anything you need. I learned a lot from this forum, so its a good place to be.

bmthom.gis

Definitely check to make sure there isn't a shower! I was at my job for a year before I learned there was one. Another option is to join a nearby gym. Other things have already been mentioned, so I won't repeat

ptempel

I checked and I need some sort of special permission or something to get access to the showers on the 7th floor. I think its only for the doctors at the hospital (and I'm only a lowly IT geek). I guess I haven't met the "right person" yet.

noglider 

I find the lack of a shower to be no big deal.

Tcelen

Thank you all. This motivates me to start commuting daily again =)

ptempel

Go for it! How good you will feel in general is priceless.

noglider 

Please report back. And don't feel compelled to go all the way, however you define that. A little riding can lead to more riding later. It might be hard when you start, but I'm pretty amazed at how much and how hard I ride now, in most kinds of weather. Along the way, I've solved lots of problems so that they're not problems any more. You will do the same.

rumrunn6

try a dating app? docs need love too

ptempel

You had me laughing there. Too bad I'm already taken. Or maybe second girlfriend? Nah, probably twice the headache.

rumrunn6

undoubtedly

megaclyde

I'm a SWEATER! If the ride is longer than 2 miles I'll be sweaty when I get there. Luckily I have showers at work but I ride other places they aren't available and have luck doing this. Keep in mind I'm a big fat fatty who is prone to being sweaty and smelly so if these tricks work for me they'll work for anyone. :-)

Like everyone else stated a normal shower at home is a prerequisite. I scrub everything super awesome style and then get dressed for my ride. For a commute style ride my choice is gym shorts, under armor underwear and a performance fabric type t-shirt. I DON'T PUT ON DEODORANT AFTER THAT SHOWER. I find it's easier to clean a sweaty armpit at my destination that isn't covered in goup. When I arrive at my destination I try to take a 15 minute cool down. Then I hit the bathroom for my washup. Not sure what your hair situation is but I keep my head shaved so I don't need to worry about shampoo or other hair stuff. If you're a gorilla like me some light manscaping helps too. I'm not talking an olympic swimmer shave here I just run the clippers over my whole body every 10 days or so to keep all that hair under control instead of letting it become a bushy sponge to absorb funk. I bring shower shoes, 2 washcloths and a small towel with me. One cloth is my "soapy" cloth and one is my "rinse" cloth. First I just use my wet hands to squeegee sweat off everything and continually rinse them in the sink. Then I get my soapy cloth wet and use some of the bathroom hand soap remembering that the more soap I use the more I need to rinse off. Soap is only there to break the surface tension of the water and a little goes a long way. I wash myself in zones using the soapy cloth to wash, wet hands to remove excess soap, and finally by clean cloth to do my final rinse. You can keep wetting and ringing out both cloths in the sink. When all is said and done I dry off with my towel, apply some deodorant and a spritz of cologne or body spray. This whole process takes about 10 minutes and when I'm done I'm every bit as clean as I was when I got out of the shower earlier. I stand right in front of the sink most times and could care less if anyone walks in. If I'm someplace where discretion matters, like a bathroom that is busy and a father may walk in with his young daughter, then I'll use a handicap stall to be more discreet. In that case I'll bring a collapsible dog bowl or collapsible camp sink with me to use as a basin for fresh water and wring out my cloth into the toilet. I pack my wash cloths in 1 qt zip lock bags. The bags can be used as place mats on the counter so you have a clean place to set your cloth down while using the other one. Then I pack the wet cloths back in them for the ride home. I bring a dry stuffsack with me and put my shower shoes, sweaty clothes and towel in there so it's not nasty putting them back in my bag. For the ride home I just wear my undershirt and normal cotton underwear under the gym shorts and adjust that with layers based on weather. I'm in GA so I'm not often trying to stay warm on a ride. I sweat so much that except for the gym shorts I could never think of wearing the same clothes home I wore to ride in. Hung up to dry or not once they come off I'm not putting them back on. For a 10 mile ride at commuting pace I don't think bicycle specific clothes are anywhere near a requirement. I have a comfy saddle on my commuter bike so padded shorts aren't needed.

52telecaster

my commute is only 4 miles each way so ymmv but i find a leisurly ride will leave me just fine for work. of course i am delivering meals on wheels so they usually like me no matter how i look.