ganni
10-11-06, 03:00 AM
I'd like to travel all the time by bike but hte only problem is that that someone drives more than 15min.. the body starts to sweat. Any idea? i have a neat job and i dont want to smell like sweat. HELP!
View Full Version : Car Free? sweat problem!!!! any solutions?
cyclezealot
10-11-06, 03:07 AM
Dont think there is a solution. Sweat that's the nature of exercise. Sweat is good. Heck, I start to sweat on the first hill. I was lucky, work offered a shower.
ganni
10-11-06, 04:14 AM
How much are you away from work? i have about 13-15 km from home... and 15km in malta is like 30km in european countries because the elevations are going up and down and the road is not always smooth
jeff-o
10-11-06, 07:08 AM
Maybe an electric bicycle? You won't have to put as much effort into pedalling, so you won't sweat as much (or at all).
BenyBen
10-11-06, 07:34 AM
If you take a shower right before your ride, sweat won't really make you smell dirty. If you don't have a shower available, tips to freshen up can include bringing antiperspirant, and wet ones or baby wipes.
Roody
10-11-06, 07:48 AM
I never have a problem with odor, even if I take a 40 km ride on my way into work. (Like you, I work at a job where I have to be clean and odor free.) However, everyone is different in their body composition. Also, you live in a warm climate and you have big climbs on your commute. So maybe you'll want to do an experiment before you actually commute to work.
Try the commute on a day off. Shower just before you leave, wear freshly laundered cycling clothes (whatever you would be wearing when you ride to work). Ride to where you work. Sit down for about 5 minutes to cool off. Change into the clothing you would wear at work. Now smell yourself. Do you pass the sniff test?
I would call this a dry run.:) It's the only way to really know how it will work for you.
Try the commute on a day off. Shower just before you leave, wear freshly laundered cycling clothes (whatever you would be wearing when you ride to work). Ride to where you work. Sit down for about 5 minutes to cool off. Change into the clothing you would wear at work. Now smell yourself. Do you pass the sniff test?
I would call this a dry run.:) It's the only way to really know how it will work for you.
aikigreg
10-11-06, 10:56 AM
they make handiwipe sort of products with witch hazel in them instead of lotion. These will immediately kill odor. Just give yourself time to dry, wipe down with them, and you're all rosey again.
tuolumne
10-11-06, 11:00 AM
Search the commuter forum, this topic has been well covered.
TheBrick
10-12-06, 08:24 AM
shower at home + Cool down + baby wipes + change of cloths + deoderant + a good diet (it does make a diffrence as to how much you smell)
Also make sure you are not wear to much when you cycle. According to bbc weather it was about 50 F and misty when I left home this morning, most people where in coats I was cycling in shorts and t - shirt. Cold for about 1 - 2 miles and toasty after that.
Also make sure you are not wear to much when you cycle. According to bbc weather it was about 50 F and misty when I left home this morning, most people where in coats I was cycling in shorts and t - shirt. Cold for about 1 - 2 miles and toasty after that.
littlefoot
10-12-06, 08:51 AM
don't drink so much alcohol:beer:
jonathan180iq
10-13-06, 10:15 AM
I usually just take an Irish shower once I get where I am going. I always have a can of deoderant in my bag.
rajman
10-13-06, 10:21 AM
I usually just take an Irish shower once I get where I am going. I always have a can of deoderant in my bag.
Sorry about being naive, but what's an Irish shower?
Sorry about being naive, but what's an Irish shower?
Roody
10-13-06, 10:52 AM
Sorry about being naive, but what's an Irish shower?
Rubdown with whiskey? :)
Rubdown with whiskey? :)
BenyBen
10-13-06, 01:07 PM
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Irish+Shower
jonathan180iq
10-14-06, 10:38 PM
well, according to that definition, I don't actually take an Irish Shower.
I always thought an Irish shower was a quick rubdown with a washcloth in the sink. I usually rinse my head and face with a wet papertowel and then dry off with my mini-washrag and freshen up with some spray deodorant.
I always thought an Irish shower was a quick rubdown with a washcloth in the sink. I usually rinse my head and face with a wet papertowel and then dry off with my mini-washrag and freshen up with some spray deodorant.
genericbikedude
10-14-06, 11:24 PM
My commute is a little less than 7 miles. I was lucky enough to have a YMCA near work. I carry my work clothes in a bag, go to the Y, maybe swim some laps if I have time, shower, and go to work. It works great, and isn't that expensive. The creepy 60 year old quasi-nudists in the locker room are a bit iffy, but nothing that can't be handled.
stevelon
10-16-06, 03:48 PM
Monday morning I ride in with a back pack. Contains 5 shirts, pants. socks. I wear bike cloths. When I arrive I hit the rest room after a 10 min. cool down wipe off with wet paper towels, dry off with dry paper towels finish up with baby powder and deoderant. Put on clean cloths and hang the bike cloths to air dry. At the end of day I leave work cloths until friday and ride home in that mornings bike cloths. Friday the back pake returns for all the dirty stuff. Dress shoes for work stay at work bike shoes go back home daily. A system that has worked for me the pst 18 months. I have nerver noticed an oder problem and no one has ever complained about smells or the cloths hanging in the rest room to dry. In fact our HR offered the use of a sotrage closet in bad weather so I could keep the bike dry and secure rather than out on the rack.
BearsPaw
10-17-06, 10:43 PM
To all the people who clean themselves off in the bathroom: Do you feel weird when other people come in? (I guess this only applies if you have multi-user bathrooms at your workplace.) When it's really hot I dry off and change in a bathroom stall, but I feel weird when other people come into the bathroom, hiding in the stall and taking my clothes off...
bragi
10-17-06, 11:05 PM
These things work for me:
1. Bring deodorant with you.
2. Underdress a bit. You may be a little cold at first, but you'll warm up.
3. Change all your clothes when you get to work. (Including underwear and socks.)
4. Stop eating red meat. Red meat makes you stink when you sweat. Seriously.
1. Bring deodorant with you.
2. Underdress a bit. You may be a little cold at first, but you'll warm up.
3. Change all your clothes when you get to work. (Including underwear and socks.)
4. Stop eating red meat. Red meat makes you stink when you sweat. Seriously.
cerewa
10-18-06, 12:24 PM
Bragi (post 19) makes good points.
Also, stress can make your sweat stinky. If you heat your body up, you'll sweat, but if you manage to avoid feeling stressed about it (and generally avoid being stressed) your sweat is less likely to be stinky.
Easier said than done, avoiding being stressed. But I think it's kind of a matter of just accepting the things in life that you can't control.
Also, stress can make your sweat stinky. If you heat your body up, you'll sweat, but if you manage to avoid feeling stressed about it (and generally avoid being stressed) your sweat is less likely to be stinky.
Easier said than done, avoiding being stressed. But I think it's kind of a matter of just accepting the things in life that you can't control.
jakeaaron
10-18-06, 04:48 PM
well, according to that definition, I don't actually take an Irish Shower.
I always thought an Irish shower was a quick rubdown with a washcloth in the sink. I usually rinse my head and face with a wet papertowel and then dry off with my mini-washrag and freshen up with some spray deodorant.
Those are called *****'s baths (or so my mom allways called them).
I always thought an Irish shower was a quick rubdown with a washcloth in the sink. I usually rinse my head and face with a wet papertowel and then dry off with my mini-washrag and freshen up with some spray deodorant.
Those are called *****'s baths (or so my mom allways called them).
Artkansas
10-21-06, 01:28 PM
don't drink so much alcohol:beer:
But using a little rubbing alcohol on the worst areas after you arrive can help kill the germs that cause the smell.
But using a little rubbing alcohol on the worst areas after you arrive can help kill the germs that cause the smell.
MarkS
10-21-06, 02:19 PM
Hmm. What would happen if you covered your whole body with anti-perspirant?
jonathan180iq
10-23-06, 09:54 AM
Your body will feel kind of slimy and you'll smell VERY much like a powdered baby.
jonathan180iq
10-23-06, 09:56 AM
To all the people who clean themselves off in the bathroom: Do you feel weird when other people come in? (I guess this only applies if you have multi-user bathrooms at your workplace.) When it's really hot I dry off and change in a bathroom stall, but I feel weird when other people come into the bathroom, hiding in the stall and taking my clothes off...
I usually just take my top off and wash up in the sink. If someone walks in, well, it's a public bathroom and the showers in the gym have been out of service for two months. If someone complains about the creepy cyclist in the bathroom, maybe they'll get their bums busy fixing the showers. It used to be nice to get to school and have a fresh shower before class. Now, I'm just creeping in the bathroom.
I usually just take my top off and wash up in the sink. If someone walks in, well, it's a public bathroom and the showers in the gym have been out of service for two months. If someone complains about the creepy cyclist in the bathroom, maybe they'll get their bums busy fixing the showers. It used to be nice to get to school and have a fresh shower before class. Now, I'm just creeping in the bathroom.
BearsPaw
10-27-06, 08:57 AM
I usually just take my top off and wash up in the sink. If someone walks in, well, it's a public bathroom and the showers in the gym have been out of service for two months. If someone complains about the creepy cyclist in the bathroom, maybe they'll get their bums busy fixing the showers. It used to be nice to get to school and have a fresh shower before class. Now, I'm just creeping in the bathroom.
I would kill to have showers at work. It must be even more disappointing to have ones that are non-functional.
I would kill to have showers at work. It must be even more disappointing to have ones that are non-functional.
saviourag
10-28-06, 09:08 AM
I'd like to travel all the time by bike but hte only problem is that that someone drives more than 15min.. the body starts to sweat. Any idea? i have a neat job and i dont want to smell like sweat. HELP!
I know what it's like ganni, I do run many errands by bike and sometimes even go to Gozo to meet some people there. The trick is to go early and let the sweat dry out. Don't worry about the smell. Everyone smells in summer, even those who travel by car. I also drive a car and I sweat like a pig when I get stuck in traffic in summer so a car doesn't solve the problem at all. On the bike at least you have more air circulation and you don't get stuck in traffic.
Apparti hekk, minn fejn sa fejn trid tivjaġġa inti għax-xogħol?
I know what it's like ganni, I do run many errands by bike and sometimes even go to Gozo to meet some people there. The trick is to go early and let the sweat dry out. Don't worry about the smell. Everyone smells in summer, even those who travel by car. I also drive a car and I sweat like a pig when I get stuck in traffic in summer so a car doesn't solve the problem at all. On the bike at least you have more air circulation and you don't get stuck in traffic.
Apparti hekk, minn fejn sa fejn trid tivjaġġa inti għax-xogħol?
-=Łem in Pa=-
10-28-06, 09:25 AM
I never have a problem with odor, even if I take a 40 km ride on my way into work. (Like you, I work at a job where I have to be clean and odor free.) However, everyone is different in their body composition. Also, you live in a warm climate and you have big climbs on your commute. So maybe you'll want to do an experiment before you actually commute to work.
I perspire very little but never have a problem with odor.
People will disagree and they are entitled to thier opinions
even if they are wrong, but what you put inside your body
manifests itself on the outside. If you eat meat, you are going
to be more odiferous than a vegitarian. The same for loading up
on beer and other alcohol.
I dont know you so I would not insinuate that this is your problem
but it might be something to experiment with.
I kept a bottle of Wintrgreen Isopropal rubbing alcohol in my desk at
work and wiped my upper body off with it after my ride in to freshen
up just to make sure when I worked in an office environment.
A pre-ride dusting with Dr. Scholls powder helps too.
I perspire very little but never have a problem with odor.
People will disagree and they are entitled to thier opinions
even if they are wrong, but what you put inside your body
manifests itself on the outside. If you eat meat, you are going
to be more odiferous than a vegitarian. The same for loading up
on beer and other alcohol.
I dont know you so I would not insinuate that this is your problem
but it might be something to experiment with.
I kept a bottle of Wintrgreen Isopropal rubbing alcohol in my desk at
work and wiped my upper body off with it after my ride in to freshen
up just to make sure when I worked in an office environment.
A pre-ride dusting with Dr. Scholls powder helps too.
Roody
10-28-06, 12:03 PM
I perspire very little but never have a problem with odor.
People will disagree and they are entitled to thier opinions
even if they are wrong, but what you put inside your body
manifests itself on the outside. If you eat meat, you are going
to be more odiferous than a vegitarian. The same for loading up
on beer and other alcohol.
I dont know you so I would not insinuate that this is your problem
but it might be something to experiment with.
I kept a bottle of Wintrgreen Isopropal rubbing alcohol in my desk at
work and wiped my upper body off with it after my ride in to freshen
up just to make sure when I worked in an office environment.
A pre-ride dusting with Dr. Scholls powder helps too.
Just for the record....
You make it seem like you're talking about me, but if you re-read, you'll see that I said "I never have a problem with odor." And I don't even bother with alcohol or powder. I usually don't even wear deodorant. I just shower before the ride to work, wear clean cycling clothes, and change into clean work clothes when I get there. I eat red meat a couple times a week, but I don't drink any alcohol. Smokers often stink, but I gave that up a few years ago.
I've heard vegetarians make this claim for decades. It might be true for all I know, but I doubt that it's ever been objectively tested. I guess you would have to sniff a lot of armpits to test this claim, and so far nobody wanted it that bad, or they couldn't get a grant. :)
People will disagree and they are entitled to thier opinions
even if they are wrong, but what you put inside your body
manifests itself on the outside. If you eat meat, you are going
to be more odiferous than a vegitarian. The same for loading up
on beer and other alcohol.
I dont know you so I would not insinuate that this is your problem
but it might be something to experiment with.
I kept a bottle of Wintrgreen Isopropal rubbing alcohol in my desk at
work and wiped my upper body off with it after my ride in to freshen
up just to make sure when I worked in an office environment.
A pre-ride dusting with Dr. Scholls powder helps too.
Just for the record....
You make it seem like you're talking about me, but if you re-read, you'll see that I said "I never have a problem with odor." And I don't even bother with alcohol or powder. I usually don't even wear deodorant. I just shower before the ride to work, wear clean cycling clothes, and change into clean work clothes when I get there. I eat red meat a couple times a week, but I don't drink any alcohol. Smokers often stink, but I gave that up a few years ago.
I've heard vegetarians make this claim for decades. It might be true for all I know, but I doubt that it's ever been objectively tested. I guess you would have to sniff a lot of armpits to test this claim, and so far nobody wanted it that bad, or they couldn't get a grant. :)
-=Łem in Pa=-
10-28-06, 12:46 PM
^^^^ I was just agreeing with you....
Sorry for the misunderstanding:o
Sorry for the misunderstanding:o
Roody
10-31-06, 12:15 PM
^^^^ I was just agreeing with you....
Sorry for the misunderstanding:o
Cheers!
Sorry for the misunderstanding:o
Cheers!
jonathan180iq
11-10-06, 11:35 AM
I've heard vegetarians make this claim for decades. It might be true for all I know, but I doubt that it's ever been objectively tested. I guess you would have to sniff a lot of armpits to test this claim, and so far nobody wanted it that bad, or they couldn't get a grant. :)
I'm a vegetarian and I have been for 5 years. The only odor difference that I notice is that, when I do get stinky, it's very light. On top of that, the smell of my stinkyness has changed. I, and friends have told me the same thing, smell like metal. I don't know why.
I'm a vegetarian and I have been for 5 years. The only odor difference that I notice is that, when I do get stinky, it's very light. On top of that, the smell of my stinkyness has changed. I, and friends have told me the same thing, smell like metal. I don't know why.
TrackGuy
11-11-06, 05:40 AM
Despite their cooling and wicking powers, hi tech fabrics stink. I recently switched back to cotten polos for commuting.
turtle77
11-15-06, 10:21 AM
Leave 15-30 minutes earlier and really take your time getting there. I had a similar problem until I realized that I was always sweating because I was trying to be like Lance every time I rode anywhere. So I left the Tour for the ride home from work and kept the morning commute light and easy. I still sweat a little, but it's MUCH more manageable.
Also, what's your diet like? According to Chinese Medicine, there are foods that cool your core temperature. For example, certain raw fruits and vegetables are much more cooling, or yin. Heavy, greasy foods, cheeses and meats are warming, or yang. There are numerous books (and I'm sure a lot on the internet) that have been written about this subject. Something to check out if you're just kind of overly sweaty in general...
Also, what's your diet like? According to Chinese Medicine, there are foods that cool your core temperature. For example, certain raw fruits and vegetables are much more cooling, or yin. Heavy, greasy foods, cheeses and meats are warming, or yang. There are numerous books (and I'm sure a lot on the internet) that have been written about this subject. Something to check out if you're just kind of overly sweaty in general...
cooker
11-15-06, 03:54 PM
Coconut oil is a very effective natural deodorant. Buy some at a health food store and keep a small sealable jar of it in your pannier. You can dip a finger in it and apply it to your armpits in a toilet stall. It soaks into your skin like handcream so it won't stain clothes (unless you drip some directly on them - it's semi-liquid at room temperature) . When done just wipe your oily finger off on your face (It's a good moisturizer) or rub your hands together, and it will be gone. It works so well as a deodorant it can even neutralize mild BO that's already starting to be detectable.
gizem310
12-07-06, 05:18 PM
Talk to your boss and see if you can come in half an hour early and leave half an hour early. I did that and now when I get to work I take my time to freshen up, have breakfast and make coffee! I'm clean, full and all smiles by the time my colleagues show up.
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