Multi-day hygiene

mpie

Reposted from TFH sub-forum due to minimal response:

I'm looking for advise on 'best practice' on UK (not hot, might rain) multi-day rides (with zero/minimal facilities available).
Assuming you stop and bivi overnight, how do you deal with hygiene in the nether regions?
Ignore it and hope for the best?
Baby-wipes cleaning before sleep, but just put on same shorts again the next morning?
Perhaps some anti-bacterial spray/ointment/gel?
As above by try to rinse short in stream (and put up with them being wet).
As above but carry second pair to use on alternate days (the wet one might dry a bit hanging off saddlebag - probably not).
...

?

mercia_man

I’ve done many multi-day touring trips, the longest being three months, in the UK, France and Spain. I normally camp in an ultra lightweight tent, mostly on campsites, occasionally wild camping. Hygiene down below is my number one priority for saddle comfort and the avoidance of sores and little pimples that can grow into painful boils.

Make sure you have comfortable shorts. I prefer to have two shorts with me and alternate the make as the subtle change in pad placement minimises the risk of pressure points causing sores. Others disagree with this and keep to the same make.

Clean yourself really thoroughly every night and morning. I use soap, flannel and water. I would never use baby wipes. They harm the environment and block sewers. I use an antiseptic cream (Germolene is my favourite) for soothing and to help prevent any pimples developing. I also use chamois cream (I like Assos) on me and the shorts pad to prevent chafing, although Germolene can serve a similar function.

Ideally, I try to set up camp by 4pm and the first thing I do is wash out my shorts and peg them out on a line to give them a chance to dry out in remaining daylight. If they are not too damp, I sometimes put them in my sleeping bag with me to help the drying process. Strapping them to a saddlebag or pannier the next day will normally do the trick at getting them fully dry if it’s not raining. If the worst comes to the worst and it’s raining constantly, putting on damp shorts is nowhere near as bad as it sounds. You don’t notice it after the first few minutes. They dry out on you. Wearing dirty shorts out of necessity is no big deal, either. You can always give the pad a cursory wipe with a damp cloth. The most important thing is being absolutely scrupulous about personal cleanliness with your flannel, soap and water, plus plenty of antiseptic soothing cream.

cycleclinic

at least the OP is thinking about it. Some dont and regret it.

peat

I was horrified to read that the winner of this year's TCR rode in the same shorts for the whole 10 days.

Just thinking about it makes my arse come up in a rash of pimples. When commuting, I even bring a fresh set of shorts for the return journey to prevent (reduce) this.

When I toured for a few months, I took 3 sets of shorts. That's SHORTS, not bibs. Shorts, I felt would be easier to wash and dry. Not sure it made much difference. That went down to 2 pairs half way in as one rainy day, i thought I could dry the chamois quicker using the hostel's Iron. Don't do that. Ever.

I would wash them in the shower at the end of a ride, wring them, hang them and occasionally strap them to my rack if nessesery.

shirley_basso

You don't have to flush baby wipes down the drain, you know.

No worse than plastic packaging that many other things come in.

mercia_man

Shirley Basso wrote:

You don't have to flush baby wipes down the drain, you know.

No worse than plastic packaging that many other things come in.

Wipes make up 93% of material in sewer blockages, according to trade body Water UK which says they should never be flushed away. Many types contain synthetic material like plastics and end up in the sea. Friends of the Earth mention a couple of brands which will compost down but say the best solution is a flannel or make your own with gel on tissue paper or cloths. Carrying a single flannel is the best space-saving solution when cycle touring.

ugo.santalucia

Peat wrote:

I was horrified to read that the winner of this year's TCR rode in the same shorts for the whole 10 days.
.

Yes, legend... I would do the same. She also had the same jersey for the all thing

Matthewfalle

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Peat wrote:

I was horrified to read that the winner of this year's TCR rode in the same shorts for the whole 10 days.
.

Yes, legend... I would do the same. She also had the same jersey for the all thing

but as everyone on here has already agreed Ugo, you are bogging and need to wash.

if we were having this discussion at work I'd be shaking my head at everyone of you. bogging.

#bogging.utterlybogging.

mpie

Peat wrote:

I was horrified to read that the winner of this year's TCR rode in the same shorts for the whole 10 days.

Just thinking about it makes my ars* come up in a rash of pimples. When commuting, I even bring a fresh set of shorts for the return journey to prevent (reduce) this.

When I toured for a few months, I took 3 sets of shorts. That's SHORTS, not bibs. Shorts, I felt would be easier to wash and dry. Not sure it made much difference. That went down to 2 pairs half way in as one rainy day, i thought I could dry the chamois quicker using the hostel's Iron. Don't do that. Ever.

I would wash them in the shower at the end of a ride, wring them, hang them and occasionally strap them to my rack if nessesery.

I saw that too, and it prompted this thread.
There's plenty of advice that you have to have clean shorts each day, but I wanted to get some wider experienced feedback - is it really necessary? The TCR story suggest not (for at least one person), but I don't particularly want to test my nether regions to destruction in order to find out. I've never suffered with saddle sores despite being fairly cavalier with shorts hygiene. Am I lucky? Am I typical? Carrying a spare pair is not a problem, but I don't particularly fancy riding every day in wet shorts from the previous evening's wash (they're unlikely to dry overnight in typical UK summer weather). I'm currently thinking along the lines of just one pair for a long weekend, two for longer (alternating days) and just wash self + antibacterial gel/spray on self and pad.

ugo.santalucia

I normally ride the same shorts on my commute for the all week... although I appreciate it's not the same as wearing them for hours day after day.
I wore the same shorts for 2 days during BCM 600... got saddle sores, but I am pretty sure I would have got them anyway. When you ride 600 km over a period of 30 hours, you are bound to get some kind of skin rash.
Otherwise, I no longer get saddle sores for 200 km rides, which I think it's down to having stopped using chamois cream and the skin got that little bit tougher as a result.

pblakeney

B&B. Shower and wash clothing.
Just sayin’

Matthewfalle

PBlakeney wrote:

B&B. Shower and wash clothing.
Just sayin’

this exactly.

for some reason this lot think they are on Selection and not on three dqys off work riding a bicycle.

#bogging

shirley_basso

Mercia Man wrote:

Shirley Basso wrote:

You don't have to flush baby wipes down the drain, you know.

No worse than plastic packaging that many other things come in.

Wipes make up 93% of material in sewer blockages, according to trade body Water UK which says they should never be flushed away. Many types contain synthetic material like plastics and end up in the sea. Friends of the Earth mention a couple of brands which will compost down but say the best solution is a flannel or make your own with gel on tissue paper or cloths. Carrying a single flannel is the best space-saving solution when cycle touring.

Hence my point of not flushing them.