how many shorts / tops per week?

fatsmoker

Those who commute 30 or more miles a day and presumably get sweaty, how many changes of base layers do you own and use per week? My missus is moaning that I spend too much on my cycling clothes. It ain't top end branded, but it does quickly add up.

aidso

I don't cycle every day but I can get away with wearing one base layer on the way in and then drying this on the radiator for the commute home. Yeah it pongs a bit but it goes into the washer that night. Socks I will wear a few times. With shorts I would a bit stricter and only wear these once.

Pep

Cycling 40min each way.
I use: one jersey and one pair of tights. Wash every Sat morning, that's it.

I own a maybe 3 jerseys but tend to wear always same one.
I own 5 pair of tights, use according to the climate, but 3 of them are almost never used.

schlepcycling

My commute is 32 miles (16 each way) and I use fresh shorts and baselayer each day. As for socks, tights, jerseys etc it depends if it's been raining, if it hasn't then tights will do several days and socks probably 2 days per pair.

bails87

Fresh jersey & shorts each day. Jackets etc just get washed when they need it.

The exception is merino wool base layers, they can go several commutes without ponging so I just wash them as they need it, normally at the weekend. So after 3 return commutes.

aidso

To those using tights multiple times, are you going commando?

daveyroids

I use same tights for a few days running. Don't go commando, bits 'N' bobs will get squashed. Unlike many cyclists, I don't use cycling shorts under tights. In fact I never use anything with padding at all. I use M & S sports undies, tights and a Turbo or Rolls saddle on the bike.

Use a fleeced long sleeve jersey all week and under that a normal short or long sleeve jersey which is changed on a daily basis. Have a couple of base layers but never seem to bother unless it is really cold. Seem to cook in them. Socks are changed daily but I just commute in my normal socks and wear them for work.

godders1

I wear a fresh pair of bib shorts every day (commando) and sometimes give base layers (merino) a couple of days if I haven't gotten too sweaty. I have plenty of both but could get by with 3 x shorts and 3 x baselayers with a wash mid-week and one at the weekend.

vitesse169

clean kit every ride - without fail.... it pongs too much if I don't...

ptlk66

vitesse169 wrote:

clean kit every ride - without fail.... it pongs too much if I don't...

+1 ;

17 miles each way, have 2 of everything, wash socks, bibs, baselayers each night and rotate, the only items I don't wash after each use is the jacket, buff and gloves (weekly wash) though I still have two of all these items as well.

Try this method and your wife will start complaining about the high usage being put on the washing machine and the amount of washing detergent being used

fatsmoker

Interesting, thank you. Looks like I'm vindicated in buying another pair of shorts and tights and one more top. But expect the wife to moan about the amount of washing. She doesn't see the saving in fuel, aAnd she gets jealous that I feel so fucking great when I get home.

slowbike

Unless it's been a really mucky ride the kit goes in on a rinse & spin - keeps it fresh for the next day.
It dries quickly anyway - so no reason not to do it ...

fossyant

Shorts, base, socks, scull cap, buff = wash each night. Top and longs wash twice a week.

vitesse169

fatsmoker wrote:

Interesting, thank you. Looks like I'm vindicated in buying another pair of shorts and tights and one more top. But expect the wife to moan about the amount of washing. She doesn't see the saving in fuel, aAnd she gets jealous that I feel so ******* great when I get home.

I get around this by being the house laundryist/ironist...

Crouching Peeky

30 mile round commute for me.

Fresh kit every day without fail.

Own 3 pairs of bib tights that are on rotation, 5 Under Armor base layers (from playing golf).

Once the summer arrives (cannot come soon enough) I have two pairs of bib shorts on two jerseys so need to get some more of these.

rubertoe

Fresh Bibs Longs/Shorts everyday, fresh baselayer everday, Normally Bib longs in the morning and then shorts and warmers if its a bit chilly on the way home.

I have way to much cycling kit. but I still tend to do a wash on a wednesday. Jerseys fresh one every day, 2 in the summer.

Jackets, go in the wash once a week depending on the weather (I have 3).

Gloves get changed every couple of rides

twoshots

A 30 mile commute is going to save quite a bit of fuel money each week. I have a spreadsheet which calculates total fuel saving (plus parking/tyres/servicing etc.) against kit cost. I have every piece of kit I've ever bought on it all totalled up, it's scary! This justifies spending to myself and allows me to feel smug. It also acts as my mileage tracker. In addition, as I used to do other activities to stay active, I credit myself with £34 pcm 'hobby' costs. All in I can see (and so could the missus if necessary) how much I saved or otherwise.

P.S. Put your kit on a 30 minute quick wash yourself when you get home, hang it up and it's usually ready to go in the morning. A spare set of kit is not excessive, you don't only have one set of work clothes, socks and underwear do you?

pangolin

Pep wrote:

Cycling 40min each way.
I use: one jersey and one pair of tights. Wash every Sat morning, that's it.

I own a maybe 3 jerseys but tend to wear always same one.
I own 5 pair of tights, use according to the climate, but 3 of them are almost never used.

That sounds pretty disgusting...

monkeydan

LOL, I'm actually pretty similar. I have two base layers (well, i do have more but only ever wear those two) and one pair of tights, all merino. I only wear the tights if my phone tells me it's 4 degrees C or below. I also have a a gore phantom jacket thingy which I'm wearing every day at the moment.

Sorry to say that I actually wear the same kit every day, Mon-Fri and wash it (most!) weekends.

I got my girlfriend to smell my tights the other day (yes, really) and even she had to admit that they were not in any way odorous. That said, I only do 13-14 miles a day, about 25-30 minutes each way.

fatsmoker

"I got my girlfriend to smell my tights the other day (yes, really)"

How you get your kicks of of no concern to others.

redvee

One pair of shorts and top and 12 cans of deodorant :roll: :oops:

meanredspider

I'm in the one pair of shorts and one top camp and I wash it every night for my 35-mile RT
I'd much rather have one pair of Assos shorts that I wash daily than several cheaper pairs.

My summer shorts are Assos and are now nearly 3 years old and probably have 8000 miles on them. They aren't quite as black but still in amazing nick.

Pep

My commute is 40min each way.
I wear underwear, and I wash my cycling gear every Saturday.

cyberknight

base layers + shorts are fresh every ride.
Long sleeve tops last 2-3 days
tights will be used for a week.
commute is 35-40 mins each and i do get sweaty.

anton1r

Switch my padded shorts out everyday, keep the baggies or 3/4s probably all week.
Tights get washed every couple of days in winter (I don't wear them in summer)

Change my t-shirt (which is sometimes long sleeved) when I feel it's got sweaty. Usually everyday in summer, in winter it depends on how much effort I put in!

Fresh socks daily, one pair for cycling one pair for work and the evenings.

nehal

I have a total of three pairs of padded shorts, three baselayers and two jerseys (I want to get another). I wear a fresh set each day.

I am not sure how the washing regime in your house works but we have stuff going into the washing machine each day. I have found that having three things takes into account the delay of it being washed and dried. Two sets tends to require good timing whereas with three if there is some sort of hiccup in the washing things should be okay.

I dry my stuff throughout the day in a store cupboard on arrival.

BigLights

Wow. 40 minute commute (7.5 miles) each way each day, every day. I change Tshirt daily, socks daily. Shorts I tend to wear for 3-4 days as it's a hassle to change them.

Drfabulous0

Only 5.5 miles each way but I wear the padded tights commando all week, other than that I wear my work clothes with a Goretex jacket. I don't tend to sweat and they don't smell, I never considered that that might be disgusting.

pkripper

vitesse169 wrote:

clean kit every ride - without fail....

1h10m each way on mine. Fresh kit daily, whether that's washed or alternate. Anything else is just grim, and judging by some of the smelly commuters that I encounter, there's a lot of 'anything else' out there, or they just need to go on embarrassing bodies.

squired

I'm one of the lucky people that doesn't really sweat, so happily wear the same pair of tights or jersey for 3 or 4 consecutive days. As I normally commute 3 or 4 days per week that normally means one set of clothing for one week. The commute is 20km each way.

If you are someone that sweats a lot I can understand daily changes.

CStar

cyberknight wrote:

base layers + shorts are fresh every ride.
Long sleeve tops last 2-3 days
tights will be used for a week.
commute is 35-40 mins each and i do get sweaty.

Ditto here. Buff and skull cap and tights get washed each weekend.
Decathlon sports briefs on underneath clean every day.