Cycling 2 work - they have no showers

Graeme_aberdeen

ok this may sound like a really daft question....but here goes..

I want to cycle to work (approx 4 miles no hills)....
however they have no showers.......

any products out there that I could use to clean off any sweat, blood, tears with...ok mainly sweat...

any tips, help or advice is most welcome..

thanks
Stigg_of_the_dump

aka

Graeme

jeremyrundle

Wet ones! how about leaving a flannel in work with a towel!

4 miles, when do you start cycling :?

walkingbootweather

As anyone with kids will tell you Wet wipes are the answer to many a hygiene problem. Riding 4 flat miles is probably comparable in effort to walking about a mile and I'm not sure I'd need to change or shower after that. I do however carry one of those micro towels 'just in case'.

The secret is getting your layers right and pacing yourself to include a warm up and cool down phase. If you get it right you'll have a nice glow not a wild sweat.

MichaelW

You really don't need a shower after 4 miles.
Have a shower before you leave.
Ride at a moderate speed so you don't sweat.
Use the last leg of your journey for a cool-down on the bike. If you get off the bike warm and rush into a heated building you will start to sweat and take ages to cool down.
Trust me, it is quicker to ride slow and arrive cool than ride fast and hang around waiting to cooldown.
Wear a Merino base layer to prevent smelly clothing.
Don't over-dress. Dont wear a waterproof shell unless it is actually raining. Use a cheap windproof. Use your layering system to prevent over-heating.
If you are still a bit warm, run some cold water over your arms and wrists, rinse your face and wet your hair.
In summer, use a water bottle to wet your hair for the cool-down.

millimole

+1
I cycle about 8 miles each way, each end is hilly (central Leicester is in a bowl) - the work end is very hilly. My workplace has no showers - and I wouldn't expect them to - so I have a flannel and a rub down.
When I cycled to my old place of work - exactly 6.66km, in the centre of town - I didn't bother, just chose my clothes carefully.

roger_merriman

shouldn't need to do much for 4 miles, i just keep a spray and maybe have a wipe down if i've over done the clothes so have got too hot but mostly nothing.

coffeecup

I used to cycle 8 miles and there were no showers. I kept a soap bag and a small towel in work and used the sink in the disabled loo like a bird bath. Quick scrub under the pits, wet the hair, brush the gnashers. Bobs ur uncle, fanny's ur aunt.

crankycrank

Bring a washcloth in a plastic bag and apply a little water and soap (if needed). Give yourself a good wipe down, rinse washcloth and wipe down again to remove soapy residue, insert washcloth in plastic bag. Apply your favourite creams, deodorant, etc. Done.

ndru

1) 4 miles won't make you sweaty unless you will try to reach Warp 4 Speed - I cycle around 8 miles each way to work and don't break a sweat.
2) Get a townbike with full mudguard, chaincase and upright sitting position so you ride comfortably in your workclothes. This will save you more time then getting a roadbike and trying to break the land speed record since you won't have to change or shower - the mudguards and chaincase will keep your clothes clean.
3) Get a rain poncho to keep you dry when cycling.
4) Invest in a dynamo powered light system
5) Don't buy into the craze of lycra and buyng expensive kit you don't need for daily cycling.
6) Instead but a bike that lasts, has internal gears and hub brakes which require minimum attentions and work regardles of the weather. Make sure your bike comes with tough tyres so you avoid punctures.
7) read http://manchestercycling.blogspot.com/2011/01/tips-for-new-cyclists.html?spref=tw

gbsahne001

I do 14.5 miles each way with no showers; I get away in the winter with sitting around upon arrival and then just using wet wipes, although I have started resorting to washing my hair in the sink.

In the Summer I tend to improvise with dowsing myself in water, dryng myself and then spending 10mins cleaning up the disabled loo.

The Rookie

6.6 miles here with 2 moderate hills on the way in, I just have a quick sqirt out the can when I get changed and have no issues.

Simon

Graeme_aberdeen

thanks to everyone who replied,, great advice and greatly appreciated indeed.

all the best.

Graeme

iPete

Instead of buying packs of wet wipes, get yourself a sports swimming towl. Damp it, wipe yourself down, done.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/maru-aqua-dry-sports-towel/

Alternatively, don't go fast enough to sweat, its only 4 miles...

Bowden2017

Yep a micro towl and a decent deoderant do the job for me and I do 12 miles each way, and have had no complaints from my collegues yet! Or maybe their too polite because I am the boss!!!

polska1979

I do 12.5 miles, each day treated like a personal mission to beat my PB and the bus that I would normally catch if i wasnt cycling.

Needless to say I'm dripping when I get into work, showers are so bad that you literally have to run around in them to get wet. Maybe baby wipes and chiiling out a bit could actually save me a bit of time!

iPete

Bowden2017 wrote:

Yep a micro towl and a decent deoderant do the job for me and I do 12 miles each way, and have had no complaints from my collegues yet! Or maybe their too polite because I am the boss!!!

No complains here either and I'm far from the boss

Infact, I have a shower but never actually get into it, just wet my towel, no wet wipes needed.

The Rookie

I do find having very short hair helps, sweaty hair is not nice, I have a babyliss head shaver that I set to about 15mm in winter, 10mm in summer.

I've also just gone to a different Helmet (Boardman as it happens) to get better cooling of my forehead.

Simon

ndru

Wow, you guys make riding bike to work sound really difficult. Not doing anyone a favour.

The Rookie

Not difficult, just some things you can do to mnake life easier.....

Simon

iPete

ndru wrote:

Wow, you guys make riding bike to work sound really difficult. Not doing anyone a favour.

Its highly technical advice here, ride slowly or wipe yourself down with a travel towel?

walkingbootweather

For all you sensitive types. Make one wipe stretch to all your bits (I'd advise planning wipe order very carefully), and you can enjoy about a years worth of freshness for just £3.74
http://www.boots.com/en/Pampers-Sensitive-Wipes-Jumbo-Pack-6-x-63Pack_53231/ :shock:

Mrs_Ragbrutty

As has been said wetones or similar - personally I use Dr.Organics as they don't irritate my skin like most babywipes do.
4 miles is short enough that you should be that sweaty at the end but do wash your hands and face, the road is filthy. (car fumes in the air - you'll get dirty)

I cycled 15 miles each way and had to change clothes when I got to work, I carried on sweating for a while afterward but no one commented on me stinking - I did ask a few colleagues. :oops:
Just use some smelly stuff and you'll be ok.

TLDNMCL

As an aside, if practical - keep a few sets of 'normal' clothes and some cycling gear at work too; don't bother taking them home; if you have a launderette close by, sling them in there once a week or so (especially good in the muck of winter you can have a set of dry riding gear always available too).

That way, you will always have comfortable, dry and uncrumpled clothes to wear through the day.

Oh yes, thumbs up for wet wipes here too.

Drysuitdiver

shower in a can, and tesco own brand wet wipes when the shower in work was out of action for a few weeks.

I do 4 miles each way, with a 1km walk ( only know its 1Km as the site logistics team send out the length of each PPE free walking route across the park)

the walk acted as a good cool down and i arrived fresh and with only the need to have a quick wipe down.

dry socks kept in work are a must though, as even waterproof covers are not 100%

vitesse169

Hi - I'm lucky enough to have showers at the last 3 places of work. However, I have also worked where there are none. I kept a towel, flannel, soap etc in a locker and used mainly the disabled loo as there is more room to move - but also have used the main loos. Funny thing is, you can see the chaps who have not had any 'close male bonding' time.... When stood bollock naked at the sink, they wander in, see me, cough-cough, erm ahh etc etc.... look at ceiling cough cough and wander out..... Funny as, MTFU.
If you are not bothered about this then the sink option is the one for you...... enjoy.

walkingbootweather

Tried my new jacket this morning because there was a light drizzle when I set off. Was sweating before I got to the end of the road.

I know that I'm always more comfortable and dry in windproof rather than waterproof tops so why do I keep making this mistake?

As I said earlier, the right gear and getting layering right so you can control temperature is v important.

AndyManc

I WOULD expect ALL employers that have staff wanting to cycle to work to make every effort to supply facilities, parking, lockers, showers.

It's in employers interests to have fit and healthy employees, it's also in ALL our interests that employees encourage environmentally friendly transport.

They are very few employers that can't make some effort in this respect.

Employers should be forced in law to cater for cyclists.

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Initialised

I find a desk fan sufficient, I wouldn't expect a firm the size of mine a spend thousands to cater for one employee's habit.

AndyManc

Initialised wrote:

I find a desk fan sufficient, I wouldn't expect a firm the size of mine a spend thousands to cater for one employee's habit.

It's NOT a habit, it DOESN'T cost thousands and employers have a moral duty and, dependent on interpretation, a legal duty to consider the health of their employees and the environmental damage caused by their policies.

Employers that consider their policies and encourage cycling amongst their staff will soon recoup any costs by having a fitter healthier workforce that's far less likely to have time off work on the sick, and therefore they will be more productive.

You're not a blinkered 'employer' are you ?

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Drysuitdiver

AndyManc wrote:

Initialised wrote:

I find a desk fan sufficient, I wouldn't expect a firm the size of mine a spend thousands to cater for one employee's habit.

It's NOT a habit, it [b (1)]DOESN'T cost thousands[/b] and employers have a [b (2)]moral duty[/b] and, dependent on interpretation, a l (3)egal duty to consider the health of their employees and the environmental damage caused by their policies.

Employers that consider their policies and encourage cycling amongst their staff will soon recoup any costs by having a (4)fitter healthier workforce that's far less likely to have time off work on the sick, and therefore they will be more productive.

You're not a blinkered 'employer' are you ?

.

I work for an employer who is fairly forward thinking and is the UKs greenest construction company


1 it can be over £1000 for a room to be fitted out to basic standards and if there is only one cyclist then thats not a good return, once you get more than one then the cost rises .

2 moral and legal are 2 very different things sadly employers MUST do what is legally required, they have no obligation to do what is morally correct.

3 only whilst at work, they are not responsible for the commute to work. travel for work purposes yes. but certainly not the commute.


4 in an ideal world yes but as for people taking less sick time , nah a straw poll across the office of time off this financial year points out the cyclists have had more sick days off. strangely in early July , i dunno why this is at all ( I do actually TDF)


luckily i have a good employer who on the last 3 jobs has provided very good shower rooms and was most apologetic when we moved site ofices and the showers were OOA for a few weeks.

AndyManc

Drysuitdiver wrote:

AndyManc wrote:

Initialised wrote:

I find a desk fan sufficient, I wouldn't expect a firm the size of mine a spend thousands to cater for one employee's habit.

It's NOT a habit, it [b (1)]DOESN'T cost thousands[/b] and employers have a [b (2)]moral duty[/b] and, dependent on interpretation, a l (3)egal duty to consider the health of their employees and the environmental damage caused by their policies.

Employers that consider their policies and encourage cycling amongst their staff will soon recoup any costs by having a (4)fitter healthier workforce that's far less likely to have time off work on the sick, and therefore they will be more productive.

You're not a blinkered 'employer' are you ?

.

I work for an employer who is fairly forward thinking and is the UKs greenest construction company


1 it can be over £1000 for a room to be fitted out to basic standards and if there is only one cyclist then thats not a good return, once you get more than one then the cost rises .

2 moral and legal are 2 very different things sadly employers MUST do what is legally required, they have no obligation to do what is morally correct.

3 only whilst at work, they are not responsible for the commute to work. travel for work purposes yes. but certainly not the commute.


4 in an ideal world yes but as for people taking less sick time , nah a straw poll across the office of time off this financial year points out the cyclists have had more sick days off. strangely in early July , i dunno why this is at all ( I do actually TDF)


luckily i have a good employer who on the last 3 jobs has provided very good shower rooms and was most apologetic when we moved site ofices and the showers were OOA for a few weeks.

It can cost over £100,000 to build a shower room , gold fittings etc.

It can also cost as little as £100, companies are offered many grants to enable staff to use green transport , the purchase and fitting of a shower can be done with minimal outlay.

Facilities doesn't just mean a fitted shower, my company throws away' nearly new 'lockers by the skip load, most companies waste finances with disturbing regularity.

A straw poll , of what .

Research has clearly exhibited and proven time after time cyclists have on average a fitness level 10yrs younger than their actual age, cyclists suffer from far less illness.

Any company worth working for would always take an interest in how their staff commute, they need a reliable workforce that uses reliable transport.

There is legislation in place that companies MUST consider environmental issues, most are quite happy to maintain large car parks for staff at a cost of many thousands, but far too few are prepared to consider basic facilities for cyclists.

That needs to change, either voluntarily or through legislation.

Once again there too many 'cyclists' that are taking far too much time making excuses for a society that fails to cater for and promote cycling instead of spending more thought why that should change.



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