[Closed] Cycle commuting with no shower at work

don't ride so hard = no sweating.

Wash in the sink in the disabled loo

I just stink, but then on my bike commute days I sit in a portakabin with a load of hairy arsed utilities workers. If I'm in the corporate jungle and have train/biked it I just ride easy as above

I ride 15 miles in with no shower at the office. I just shower before I leave then cool down outside before I go in. Occasionally spray deodorant before I put my shirt on but not always.
I don't smell bad. At least, no one has said so.

I have a full change of clothes at work so no back pack which helps manage the sweatiness.

Disabled loo on arrival (which has it's own sink and more space to change), flannel under the tap and a rub down of sweaty areas. Spray of the pits and away. Helps to leave a bag with work clothes and shoes in at work.

There's been a few threads about this but in summary.

1. Leave as much stuff as you can at work: shoes, trousers, etc. Less to carry each day.
2. Have a shower/bath *before* setting off, it's stale sweat that smells not fresh.
3. Don't Strava things on the way to work.
4. Ease up in the last couple of Km if you can. Obviously might not be possible if your office is at the top of a hill.
5. Cool down a bit before you head off to get changed

We don't have a shower at my place of work, I've a 21Km commute, not been a problem (or at least no-one in the office has complained yet) for three years whatever the weather.

I used to commute 20 miles to our old office and there was no shower. As per jekkyl a full wash in the sink in the disabled loos. It gets tricky when its been pissing down though as even with mudguards legs get covered in grit. The problem is that sinks in disabled loos tend to be quite small.

Big travel towel wipe down in the disabled for me too. Carry stuff in and out once a week in back pack, rest of the week my dinner goes in a bar bag. Fan at work helps cool off after you've arrived when sitting in an office full of temperature challenged ladies. I have the nearest window open all day every day.

Slow in, fast home. No back pack is a must! Change of clothing, something that smells nice.

I often commute 10 miles without shower facilities. Similar to most of the above, I've got a locker which I keep spare clothes and shoes in and also have a toiletries bag. In this I keep wet wipes, deodorant and talc. I take it steady on the ride so as not to get too hot. Mainly the 'hat line' around my head and my balls that inevitably sweat up a bit. Few mins cool down while I lock the bike up then it's a quick face wash in the disabled toilet sink. Wet wipe pits and nads. Talc nads and anywhere else that's still a bit sweaty. This really helps I find. Then liberal deodorant spray before getting dressed.

Always feel fine after that. I allow at least 15-20 mins before I need to be at my desk for all that as if you're rushing, you don't cool down and still sweat.

thomthumb - Member

don't ride so hard = no sweating.

Obviously not a 'sweater' then. I commute 10mile each way, It would take me most of the day to cycle 10mile slowly enough to not sweat :lol:.

*has a mental image of blitz that he'd rather not have*

I too am a sweatmonster. Luckily my sweat isnt very pungent. I only cycle 2miles in to work and I'm a sweaty mess for about 20mins after I arrive. I try and go slow, but i love going fast as possible. 😐

1. Shower before
2. Calm down the last couple of miles
3. [url= http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Anti-bacterial-wipes-x12_1051030/ ]Antibacterial wipes[/url]

Thanks ... some good tips there. I think I'll be fine! It's only for two weeks and then I'm back to my normal routine

Obviously not a 'sweater' then.

No. I absolutley am, last nights road ride, you'd think i was melting. I produce a small puddle in a spin class.

Do you sweat when you walk to the shop - no, but you do when you run. So ride at 'walking' type exertion. i can do my commute at 32 kmh, but i do it at 20. takes 15 minutes more, that's fine i like cycling.

Whitestone +1

I think it's a widely accepted myth that you'll be stinking out the office if you ride to work and don't have a shower afterwards.*

*With some obvious conditions and caveats mostly covered by Whitestone and others.

I use a combo of a whores bath, wet wipes and a full set of clean vote every day none of this same shirt for two days malarkey.

Also consider your diet, although it will not stop you sweating but if you eat crap you tend to smell worse

I use a combo of a whores bath.....

Only available to her more regular customers?

I am the so I give myself a discount

20 miles each way here with no shower, easy in, hard home seems to work. I tend to do a 14-14mph average on the way in and 16-17mph on the way home. I've got a stick of Mitchum at work for a bit of pit freshness before I put my shirt on.

As others have said, no luggage is crucial (for me anyway) so I use a carradice Sqr bag and tend to dress a bit cooler (temp wise, there's nothing cool about fluro jerseys) than I would if I was going for a leisure ride to keep the sweat down.

I've had no complaints at all, and my office is pretty small, I don't even bother getting changed in the toilets any more, just get naked in the filing and hope for the best.