Commuting to work

RJLJ

Hi all

New to the site. Question, does anyone out there that cycles to work and do not have access to showeers, locker rooms etc?

Live about 16 miles frrom work and would very much like to start commuting into work over the winter to keep the puppy fat away as well as keeping the legs supple!

Have some ideas on how to get round this but seeking other ideas and suggestions.

Thanks
Richard

FeynmanC

Welcome

Baby wipes or sink and flannel are common options if you don't have access to a shower. Either that or a gym that's close to work.

ride_whenever

gym or whore's bath

RJLJ

Thanks for this. Kind of what I had in mind and lots of deo to hand just in case.

ride_whenever

Those travel towels work brilliantly, but will pong quickly, so buy a few and try to use them once inbetween washes.

darkside80

Tena (the elderly nappy people) do a mousse which is really good. Apply all over and it evaporates in a min or two - much better than baby wipes.

Then shower in a can and off to work....

lack of work changing facilites is criminal, I've emailed all the relevant people at work and received nothing in reply, grrr

Agent57

One thing to bear in mind, is that most of the sweat we produce through exercise (the type our body uses to cool us down), won't actually smell. Eccrine sweat is mostly water and salts, so it's not a case of preventing you from sitting in your office like a stinking pig. It'll just dry and leave your skin salty to the taste.

The other type of sweat (apocrine sweat) is the one which causes most of the smell (which is actually the excretions of bacteria feeding on the sweat, IIRC). That sweat has more fats and proteins in it, but is more limited in its distribution, e.g. underarms, anal area, genital area, nipples.

So while it may feel cleaner and more comfortable to have a shower, having a soap and flannel wash which just targets those areas should suffice from the point of view of minimising any BO effects.

(This assumes you don't sit at work all day in the same clothes you cycled in, mind.)

roger_merriman

most days I have a very short commute so not a issue, but on training days I have no showers etc and a 12 mile? blast across south london. so thats a wash/wipe in the loos.

this all said it's a training day and even more casual so I don't have to worry about being smart.

RJLJ

Thank you. Some very interesting points raised. Thanks again

BentMikey

Also if you shower before you leave for work, that'll minimise any smells too.

Aidy

I do about the same distance, no showers at work.

I generally find that wearing sensible wicking clothing on the bike (and not too much of it) and having a complete change of clothes is sufficient.

Then again, I work in the land of the geek. We aren't renowned for pleasant odours.

biondino

As above. If you a) shower before work and b) change into clean clothes AT work, then over the course of one day you won't smell - there's simply not enough time for the bacteria to get stuck in. I wouldn't necessarily go on a date, say, after work, but I can't think of any other situations where anyone's going to get close enough to the danger zones.

Kieran_Burns

The big difference I find is to spend 5-10 mins cooling down before going into the building. It makes all the difference otherwise you are fighting against your still sweating body while you are wiping down

snailracer

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The big difference I find is to spend 5-10 mins cooling down before going into the building. It makes all the difference otherwise you are fighting against your still sweating body while you are wiping down

I can cool quicker and be less sweaty by pootling in the last half mile or so - the moving air cools better than standing still.