Sweat Sweat and more Sweat - Shoes?

eeney

Hey guys

New to indoor training, first week with Zwift and a smart direct drive trainer. I love it because I can train at home while minding the children.

Training room setup with big 50CM fan... however I still sweat like crazy, so much so that my shoes get soaked from sweat running down my legs (sorry, gross I know). Shoes take time to dry and I want to train again without putting on sweat wet shoes.

Is there any way to stop this sweat run or is it just a case of going easier and/or finding a quicker way to dry the shoes?

Perhaps another leg high side fan may help?

cougie

Put newspaper in the shoes to soak up the damp once you've finished.

Must admit I've never noticed this problem but I do turbo inside cold garage with a few fans.

eeney

Yeah, I collect newspapers for this reason but the shoes are going to stink pretty quickly.

alex222

How about a sweat band around your calf, above the socks, to soak most of it up before it gets to your socks.

fenix

eeney wrote:

Yeah, I collect newspapers for this reason but the shoes are going to stink pretty quickly.

Febreze them. Sorted.

Do you wear socks ?

dannbodge

Get another cheap pair of shoes and rotate them?
I have some shoe febreze that I use after every session and mine haven't started to smell yet.

lostboysaint

eeney wrote:

Yeah, I collect newspapers for this reason but the shoes are going to stink pretty quickly.

No they're not. Not if they're properly dried. It's the hot, damp atmosphere that propagates the bacteria that makes the smell. If they're properly dried then it doesn't happen.

rdt

eeney wrote:

Training room setup with big 50CM fan... however I still sweat like crazy, so much so that my shoes get soaked from sweat running down my legs

Clearly, you're getting too hot. Do you get disgustingly wet shoes riding outside?

Solutions:
- a (much) cooler room: turn off radiators and open windows in advance to get the temperate down, if possible, and leave off/open and during the session;
- (much) more air being blown at you: more fans, more powerful fans, placed closer to you and ensuring they're blowing all over you not just at your head;
- wear the minimum (legally!) possible.

If you've the space, multiple fans can work much better , eg. a large floor fan directly in front of your wheel, directed to blow upwards at your legs and torso, plus 1 (or more!) pedestal fans set a bit to the side blowing at your upper torso and head. If possible, have a (pedestal) fan placed near an open window to help bring in cooler air. Multiple fans ensures there's no 'blank spots' in the airflow so your whole body can be doing the evaporation thing that cools you. Remote control sockets (or built in remotes) for the fans so you can ramp up the blowage once you've heated up without dying of hypo at the start.

That's what I'd be looking at, rather than baking your shoes to dry them!

eeney

Thanks everyone, just about setup now.

A bit hard to cool things down in the Aussie summer without turning on the Aircon, which I can't during the wee hours.

Second fan will be added.
Going to look a bit odd, but wrist sweatbands for legs ordered.

This indoor training setup is getting more involved than I expected:

• Smart Trainer
• Laptop to play zwift
• Screen to watch youtube, TV or to cast Zwift to
• Phone to control Zwift easily
• Handlebar phone mount
• High table/stand for laptop, etc
• Sweat catcher
• Pedestal fan
• Second fan to add
• Funky ankle sweatbands
• Floor mat
• New cheap bike for commuting so I can leave my old roadie on the trainer

All to sweat by myself in the back bedroom whilst training in a virtual world.

Sounds bonkers, but it allows me to be home with kids whilst following a focused training plan.

rdt

eeney wrote:

A bit hard to cool things down in the Aussie summer

Ha ha didn't realise that! Bit easier here where it's 0° (if we're lucky...).

Banks of fans then!

Machoman121

I've got a 45cm floor fan from Target - blowing to the side and up to the body. I just bought another 30cm fan to focus on my upper torso (mainly the head). And i've resorted to wearing gloves as i found the sweat would come down to the hands and i'll have to frequently wipe it off - the gloves helped. And i don't bother wearing a jersey - just my cycling shorts. I won't even consider wearing my bibs.

I wonder if a good old fashion head band would also help.......

I remember even in the depths of an Aussie winter i sweated and had the fans on. I think these things would be dandy for the eskimos - it will surely melt the igloo down. The aussie summer is getting hotter and worse as the years go on. I'm looking forward to cooler weather so that i can have high quality Zwift sessions.

I also have to drink electrolytes during the session, just like being on an outdoor ride otherwise i'll cramp up. One time i rode so hard without drinking and cramped up so badly i had to wait 10 minutes before i could get off my bike - all this in my garage.