How do I bike to work and still stay daisy-fresh?

November 11, 2005 7:23 AM

How do I bike to work and still stay daisy-fresh?

I'm only about a mile and a half from my (cubicle) job, and started making my commute via bike a couple months ago. It isn't a problem in the autumn with such a short ride, but what do I do if I move or when summertime rolls around? I'd like to not be the subject of this post.

posted by soma lkzx to travel & transportation (23 comments total)

You should check out the commuting section at BikeForums. They discuss this topic a lot. The usual answers are shower at work (if possible), keep clothes at the office, or have baby wipes at the office. The kind of sweat that you give off when exercising typically isn't the smelly kind -- that usually comes out when you're anxious or nervous. If you have an office where you can sit for a few minutes in your drawers and dry off, you're usually good to go for the day. Unless you have some elaborate hair style.
posted by trey at 7:30 AM on November 11, 2005

I often used to cycle 50 minutes to a job each day. I would pack a flannel and towel, and do something approaching a sponge bath on my torso over a sink. It was quite refreshing.

The key thing was to leave myself 10 minutes cooling and drying time before sitting down at my desk. Then a bit of deoderant, and you're fine. With all this, I'd feel far more alert on the cycling mornings than on those on which I had a lift.

Obviously, you'll need to be considerate of the people who'll have to use the bathroom after you. It's possible to do it without splashing water over the floor and walls.
posted by godawful at 7:44 AM on November 11, 2005

Either shower, or liberal application of baby wipes. Whichever, always put on fresh clothes. Never, ever spend the day in the clothes that you've cycled in.

Don't try and cover up a funk by overdoing it on deodorant.
posted by veedubya at 7:47 AM on November 11, 2005

Unless you have some elaborate hair style.

Good thing I lost the mohawk.
posted by soma lkzx at 7:50 AM on November 11, 2005

The kind of sweat that you give off when exercising typically isn't the smelly kind

I don't know what kind of excercising you are doing, but how bout you come over after I get through with my basketball game and snuggle up to my armpits and see if that theory holds up.
posted by spicynuts at 8:01 AM on November 11, 2005

The kind of sweat that you give off when exercising typically isn't the smelly kind

That sounds wrong. The smell comes from the bacteria colonizing your sweat, not the sweat itself. Any freshly-excreted sweat (onto clean skin) shouldn't be smelly.
posted by rxrfrx at 8:07 AM on November 11, 2005

No answer here, just an aside: I'm told (by my Danish ex) that most companies in Europe have showers on-site for just this reason -- lotsa people bike to work, then do their morning ritual (shower, make-up, etc.) once they get there. It's a bit of a shame Americans, in general, don't take bikes-as-transportation more seriously.
posted by LordSludge at 8:16 AM on November 11, 2005

This difference of opinion about sweat came up in this FPP: Energy efficient urban commuting options.

My opinion on the subject is there. godawful has a great point, but I don't think those steps are necessarily required to avoid smelling godawful. Also, 1.5 miles is pretty short.
posted by Chuckles at 8:20 AM on November 11, 2005

Thanks for asking, I was planning on asking a similar question myself.
Yeah, baby wipes and ten minutes cool down should do it. I also change my shirt when I get in.
If you wear cotton while you ride, you'll notice it doesn't dry easily, so you may want to buy some clothing that's more conducive to biking.
posted by hellbient at 8:22 AM on November 11, 2005

1.5 miles is pretty short, just wear wicking/breathable stuff and change in the bathroom. after a few weeks you'll find you can do it in five-seven minutes without breaking a sweat.
posted by yonation at 8:28 AM on November 11, 2005

It's a bit of a shame Americans, in general, don't take bikes-as-transportation more seriously.- LordSludge

The respect and attention the average American driver gives to a biker probably plays a wee bit of a role in the lack of popularity in bicycling to work.

Whenever I see someone riding to work, I salute their courage and insanity, then watch the next five cars nearly hit them.
posted by Atreides at 8:41 AM on November 11, 2005

Cycling needn't be any more intensive than walking, just regulate your pace.

Roll down hills, take the back roads, sit in an upright position and wear something with good ventilation. The only tricky part is cycling up hills, but if you have a light bike you can get off and push without too much trouble.

I tend to wear polo shirts to work, they look smart enough for the office, but work well on the bike too. Also, use a saddle bag, if you have a bag on your back this will quickly become sweaty.

I ride five miles without any problem, although the weather here (London) is usually pretty mild.
posted by Blip at 8:48 AM on November 11, 2005

Road Bike Review also has a forum on commuting. I'm also a bike commuter and concur with others, especially that 1 1/2 miles is hardly far enough to break a sweat (maybe its all uphill?). If the roads are friendly enough for cycling you could even walk there in 15 minutes or so.
posted by pgoes at 8:48 AM on November 11, 2005

I was going to chime in with my own ritual for when I would bike to work (9 miles), but when I saw your commute was only 1.5 miles... Even when riding hard, it takes me at least a few miles just to break a sweat!

Seriously, though... My brother used to commute about three miles to work (Arlington, VA). And he would do it in a suit! He never had a need to shower upon arrival. But one warning - he mangled a few pairs of shoes on the bike's toe clips.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 9:17 AM on November 11, 2005

What everyone else has said plus keep a towel and spare change of clothes in your office/cube for those few random days you get caught in the rain. It takes a little more forethought but the payoff is certainly worth it IMO.
posted by Suck Poppet at 9:41 AM on November 11, 2005

Also, I keep my work shoes at work, then do the Mister Rogers thing when I get there. In addition, it adds life to my work shoes.
posted by hellbient at 10:09 AM on November 11, 2005

Man, if you're not going to shower upon arrival at work, I'd really urge you on behalf of your coworkers not to bike in the summer.
posted by xmutex at 10:23 AM on November 11, 2005

blah blah 1.5 miles blah blah

it is uphill on the way to work, but that isn't much of a problem. the deal is that eventually i'm going to move out of my ridiculously high-rent apartment into something i'll actually have a stake in and probably end up much further away, so i figured i would just ask for The Near Future's sake.
posted by soma lkzx at 12:03 PM on November 11, 2005

More on different kinds of sweat.
posted by trey at 12:06 PM on November 11, 2005

My commute is about 3 miles and here's the methods I use.
Get some baby wipes and deodorant for your desk.
Second, don't ride in the shirt you'll wear to work. Either pack a shirt or keep a few in your desk. If you can do the same with shoes it'll extend the life of your work shoes (I don't but I'm hard on my shoes anyway).
Optionally, take some longer rides on the weekend. After a few weeks, you'll find you don't sweat for a few miles.
posted by cmfletcher at 1:51 PM on November 11, 2005

Jeez, it's a mile and a half. Just ride slowly.
posted by fixedgear at 3:09 PM on November 11, 2005

I used to ride to work, probably a similar distance, I just took it easy on the way in, didn't need a shower, or a fresh shirt. I always put deodorant on in the morning of course.

On the way home in the afternoon I'd always rip shit right the fuck up, awww yeah.
posted by The Monkey at 4:26 PM on November 11, 2005

It's only 1.5 miles, learn to ride a bike you fucking fatty.
posted by cloeburner at 3:30 PM on November 16, 2005