No shower at work!!!!

I want to start riding my bike to work.

12,5 miles each way.

There is no shower at work.

Any one in a simular situation?

How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?

Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

KRasmus572 wrote:
>
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.
>
> Any one in a simular situation?
>
> How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>

Mine's only 7 miles each way. I shower before I leave home. I ride a low-moderate pace on the way in
(depending on temperature). I ride in my office clothes. I generally arrive slightly moist with
perspiration, but it's no problem. I use a paper towel to mop my brow for the ten minutes or so it
takes to cool down.

In summer, I sometimes have to ride in during the heat of the day, arriving about noon or later. For
those times, I often have a spare undershirt, and sometimes I ride in shorts and tee shirt. I've got
a fan I can point at myself in my office, to hasten the cool-down.

Some folks carry a washcloth and scrub down a bit in a rest room. Some use Handi-Wipes or similar
products. Except for the worst heat of summer, I've not had to bother with those methods.

And BTW, there are showers available about a block away, if I felt the need. But I've never
felt the need.

--
Frank Krygowski [email protected]

 

KRasmus572 wrote:
>
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.

I'm in a similar situation, about 4 miles farther than you. My solution: Ride to work in the morning
when it's cooler. Ride slower than I'd like on the way in, and make up for it on the way home. Works
in weather that someone living closer could walk to work without sweating. Mitch.

 

When faced with a similar situation, I did what I thought was reasonable.

Found an individual bathrroom that services the handicapped, when possible, or used one of the more
public ones. I kept a sports towel and soap in my office. Rinsed my shirt off in the sink upon
arrival (since it was soaking anyway, this wasn't much of an issue) Washed up in sink and changed
in a stall.

This didn't get the lower body particularly clean, so I would soak the sports towel and finish that
mess in one of the stalls (if in a more public bathroom).

I kept the necessary toiletries in my dry bag or in my desk at work.

Rick

"KRasmus572" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.
>
> Any one in a simular situation?
>
> How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>
> Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

In article <[email protected]>, KRasmus572 <[email protected]> wrote:
>I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
>12,5 miles each way.
>
>There is no shower at work.
>
>Any one in a simular situation?
>
>How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>
>Thanks in advance for all replies.

My ride to work is 8.5 miles. I shower before the ride in. I wear cycling clothes and carry work
clothes (jeans and a shirt) in a backpack. I use a damp washcloth to clean up after cooling off.

I leave a pair of tennis shoes at work so I don't have to carry them in when I ride. I have a real
office so I can change there rather than in the restrooms.

--
Mike Iglesias Email: [email protected] University of California, Irvine phone: 949-824-6926
Network & Academic Computing Services FAX: 949-824-2069

 

"Mike Iglesias" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, KRasmus572
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I want to start riding my bike to work.
> >
> >12,5 miles each way.
> >
> >There is no shower at work.
> >
> >Any one in a simular situation?
> >
> >How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
> >
> >Thanks in advance for all replies.

Wash your balls and ass with rubbing alcohol, just be careful not to get any under your foreskin!

 

You might try to see about getting one installed. Your employer probably provides free parking for
all those who drive to work. Maybe others would like one.

Also, is there a gym or health club nearby?

"KRasmus572" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.
>
> Any one in a simular situation?
>
> How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>
> Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

Hello, My commute is 19.5 miles one-way. It gets hot and sticky here in Memphis, TN. I bring a damp
wash cloth that I sprinkle "Old Spice" on. I wipe down after I cool off a bit. I drive one day a
week so I can get the dirty clothes in my little locker changed out for clean ones. I keep a spare
deoderant and an Old Spice in my locker just in case. I'm a librarian so a bad odor would be
noticable and remarked upon by my co-workers. I have a fan in the back room that drys out my cycling
togs while I'm working. I hope this helps. Art

[email protected] (KRasmus572) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.
>
> Any one in a simular situation?
>
> How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>
> Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

15 miles each way, shower is availble but I don't bother.

I can store my bike next to my desk, so the first thing I do is login, check email & any quick work
while cooling off. The shower is too far away so I just use the bathroom and change in a stall. I
use a wash cloth to wipe down the face, saddle region, then armpits. I keep 3+ shirts, 2+ pants and
shoes at work so I don't need to carry anything on my bike. I ride in 2-3 times a week, so I keep my
supplies fresh.

Previous job which was a two mile commute meant riding in office attire and no cleanup was required.

-Bruce

"KRasmus572" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.
>
> Any one in a simular situation?
>
> How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>
> Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

[email protected] (KRasmus572) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.
>
> Any one in a simular situation?

Well, I don't know where you live, but I'm in a similar situation in Boston. Eleven miles each way,
and no shower.

I've had jobs where I've had showers, but I haven't had one at work for more than five years, during
which time I've ridden year 'round. I've concluded that, for me, showers at work are overrated.

Before I leave the house I take a vigorous shower, and use plenty of cornstarch baby powder on my
shorts' chamois and my body. I dress lightly, too. In the winter, when I go down the big hill behind
my house, I get an "ice cream headache" with the cold air on my head when I'm dressed -right-.
Within ten minutes I'm toasty without sweating.

In the summer, I dress very lightly. Big open shirts -- Hawaiian shirts are great -- and shorts.
With a 15 - 25 mph constant breeze, it's not a problem.

All seasons I avoid wearing cotton, because it gets wet and stays wet. I prefer microfiber
polyester. My latest acquisition is a Perry Ellis microfiber silk-feeling polyester t-shirt from
Marshall's, at a whopping $14.99. It's not official "bike clothes," but I can wear it in the city
without looking like Lycra Man from Planet Weird, and it doesn't absorb moisture.

I think people who have the impression that showers at work are essential for bicycle commuting are
probably runners who want to try cycling. Running doesn't give you the massive breeze that cycling
does, and so, you can get very nasty in a short while when running in even moderate heat. But not
so cycling.

Consider that on the order of a billion people cycle to work each day, mostly in Asia, but also in
Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Few have the luxury of showers at work, and fewer still have
access or the wherewithal to obtain the kinds of modern fabrics that we can have in western
countries. Yet they ride their bikes!

Hope this helps,

Tom Revay Boston, Massachusetts

 

Tom Revay wrote:
>
> Consider that on the order of a billion people cycle to work each day, mostly in Asia, but also in
> Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Few have the luxury of showers at work, and fewer still have
> access or the wherewithal to obtain the kinds of modern fabrics that we can have in western
> countries. Yet they ride their bikes!

Agreed!

I recall one year we did a bike tour of Ireland. On a pretty rural lane, we rode by a cemetery. We
saw a woman, probably 70 years old, riding her bike to the cemetery, carrying a bouquet of flowers
in her front basket. She was riding in nice clothing, i.e. the sort of dress I imagine she'd wear to
the bank. She made a pretty picture, and I wished I'd gotten her with my camera, but I didn't want
to intrude.

It's such a contrast with the people who feel they can ride only in the "official" clothing, and who
feel they must shower down after any slight exertion.

We Americans must look very, very strange to the rest of the world!

--
Frank Krygowski [email protected]

 

KRasmus572 wrote:

>I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
>12,5 miles each way.
>
>There is no shower at work.
>
>Any one in a simular situation?
>
>How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>
>Thanks in advance for all replies.
>
>
I shower before leaving. I ride in bike clothes and carry my work clothes in a backpack. I change
in the bathroom. There's no need for showering, bathing in the sink, baby wipes, etc., as long as
you change into fresh clothes once you're at work . I've done this with commutes up to 15 miles
each way. The exception is if you've been riding in the rain, in which case your face and head can
get gritty.

 

I biked 20 miles and then moved and biked10 miles each way in the states and had showers. Liked that
as you get up, pack clothes, and GO.

Now in Belgium and bike 15miles each way and no showers. I get up, shower, and wear biking clothes,
they breath much better(dry up the sweat) and when you arrive you are not as hot (less cool down
time) If you want to stay cooler, drop speed 1 or 2 miles per hour(avg), will only make couple of
minutes difference, but big difference in how you feel. I normally bike 16MPH AVG =56 minutes,15MPH
AVG =60 minutes, MUCH EASIER, 14MPH =64 minutes is huge reduction and 13mph =69 MINUTES will feel
like you are crawling. As I said above, clothing makes big difference, other tips, don't wear too
much, within 1-2 miles you will get hot and need to open up clothing some, open up your clothing
more as you get 1-2 miles from work.

Happy commuting!

"KRasmus572" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I want to start riding my bike to work.
>
> 12,5 miles each way.
>
> There is no shower at work.
>
> Any one in a simular situation?
>
> How do you "freshen up", baby wipes, washcloth in sink...?
>
> Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

[email protected] (Tom Revay) wrote:

> I've had jobs where I've had showers, but I haven't had one at work for more than five years,
> during which time I've ridden year 'round. I've concluded that, for me, showers at work are
> overrated.

I commuted 20 to 25 miles one-way for nearly ten years to various workplaces without showers. The
sink-and-washcloth thing worked well for me even in 90 degree summertime heat.

I have a shower now, however, and it's not overrated at all for me . In the winter, a hot shower
after my ride in is heaven; in summer a lukewarm shower provides a refreshing cooldown.

RFM
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