Communting to work! Awesome! But now I stink and my work clothes R wrinkled :( Nasty!

NickInNC

I use to live only a few blocks from work and walked thier typically. Now I have a new job 7 miles away. Much to my wifes loathing (or feersome nature) I can cycle to work!! To birds one stone!

I love it leave for work at 6:40 am nice morning air beautiful! Work up some sweet sweat! But then I get to work switch into new clothes (except the ole' boxer briefs) throw a lil deodorant on. But throughout the day I feel as If I smell a lil from the morning sawmp A$$, and Armpit liquidising(not a word).

Any ideas on smelling better, and also packing my work clothes (white shirt, black trousers and dress shoes) to keep them from having wrinkles.

I am in mgmt. so I have to look and SMELL half way decent!

Help
Stinky in St. Pete

legarcondemerde

I am a newb and don't even have a bike yet, but I have this same fear. Any wisdom from any of the forum elders?

Dondare

Keep some clean clothes at work and change when you get in.

You certainly won't smell any worse than most people who use public transport to get to work.

1id10t

I keep shoes, belt and trousers, jeans (for casual days) at work (jacket as well in winter). Unfortunately there's nowhere to keep all of my shirts so I usually iron these the night before and leave them to hang. In the morning I carefully do the fold and roll up trick. It actually works well. Once I get to work I will either just wipe down and put deodorant on or, if really 'fragrant' i'll use the showers in the gym.
I alternate between a backpack (actually camelpack), rack top bag or pannier depending on how much gear i'm taking.

NickInNC

Unfortunatly we dont have a shower and as far as a locker it is in a breakroom where people eat. So I don't want to put my old sweaty clothes in there cause that's just nasty.

I think what I'll do is cycle in lycra cycling shorts and jersey, and when I get to work I can store my sweat ridden slothes into a gallon sized zip lock change into a fresh new pair of underpants and use some baby wipes to wipe my nasty smell away and put some deodorant on. I think I will start leaving a belt and pair of shoes at work so I dont have to lug those around.
and just roll my pants and polo up tightly in my bag.


We'll se e how long that works, I live on the coast in NC where it gets to be 90% humidity so I know I'm going to sweat.

garage sale GT

Seven miles? Just leave twenty minutes earlier and go slower. And use a bike which you can downshift to comfortably pedal on hills.

Fatherzen

The baby wipe technique works fairly well. I have used it as a backup when I would get to work a little to late to take a shower and Norfolk VA weather is about the same as NC.

There are a couple of panniers that are designed like garment bags that you could use to bring a in a suit.

NickInNC

Okay I think I have the sweat issue fixed!
After much shopping and looking at too many crappy products to help me wipe my sweat away I think I found an excellent product. In the automotive aisle in Wal-Mart I found a towell like product marketed as a chamois to dry off a car. Basically its like a 3 square foot towell that can hold 5X's its own weight in liquid form called AquaDry....(check it out) http://www.diversmarket.com/Product...p?ProductID=430

I did a test ride to get nice and sweaty and when I got home I used the Aquadry towel and It works like a damn charm(actually made me too dry had to use some lotion)! And as far as the stink issue nothing lil deodorant and Axe Body Spray wont handle. Now I just need to figure out the clothes issues.

Beave

I always roll my clothes to reduce wrinkling... Seems to work pretty well for my work attire.... I also leave shoes and a belt at work... No need to lug those to and from everyday.

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bigpedaler

the chamois towel may work well, i'd still go w/ baby wipes for quick cleanup; i also suggest the 'store clothes at work' idea. as far as the sweaty clothes problem -- that's what plastic trash bags are for.

__________________
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ontheroadid

Instead of trash bags, I'd suggest trash COMPACTOR bags. These are smaller and more durable. I found them extremely useful as pack liners for backpacking, and use one to line pack when I'm commuting to work.

One bag will last a year or more. And that way, I don't have to buy a separate pack cover for our rainy season.

I'll second the wipes, although I keep a hand towel and wash cloth at work to clean up a bit when I get into the office.

One more strategic tip: Go early. I avoid rush hour by leaving between 6:30 and 7:00. Not only is the traffic better, but that gives me time at work to sit in my cycling clothes for a bit while they wick the perspiration off me. That way, my clean-up is a little less complex, and only my bike clothes smell. I also keep an extra stick of antiperspirant at work.

Mister C

Welcome to the bike commuting world.

I second the tip about cooling down in your bike clothes before changing. They wick away sweat much faster and you can more easily contain the stink where it belongs.

I am lucky enough to have a shower that I can use at work. If I didn't I would consider signing up to a local gym and showering there. Next best would be the baby wipe and deoderant solution.

I also bring a week's worth of clothing into the office in advance and have a pair of shoes that I leave at work (and a spare suit in case I need to dress up). The only thing I carry on the bike is water, emergency pack (repair kit, etc), and perhaps a flash memory with saved work.

Putting the used cycling clothes back on for the ride home is pretty nasty at first but after the first couple of miles I don't notice it. When the weather turns really hot I sometimes bring in an extra set of cycling clothes for the ride home. But I sweat alot since my ride is 26miles one way.

NickInNC

buckybux

I don't ask the management, I just assume it is ok to take the bike in the elevator. Haven't been challenged by hotel management yet.