Question for those that ride to work...don't you get sweaty and gross?
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Question for those that ride to work...don't you get sweaty and gross?
Part of me would love to ride to work, but the fact is there's no shower at the office and I'd just be a sweaty disgusting mess. Do you guys have showers at work? How do you deal w/ that?
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My ride is less than a mile away, no need to shower. If it was a longer ride, I would probably take a towel with me and a wash cloth and use a sink. Then after shave lotion and deoderent.
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You need to go read the stickies over in the commuting forum. There are a lot of strategies, primarily involving showering in the morning, not wearing your work clothes to bike in and doing a "sink bath"/cleanup with wet wipes or witch hazel or powder or some combination thereof at work. And, of course, there's also the consideration that your co-workers who just rode in on a jam-packed subway train, and who took twice the time you took to ride in, are probably not smelling like roses either.
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Mine is about 7 miles. When I start riding, I'll have Gina drop me off on the way as she works in the same direction. We get off at different hours so it'll work out.
I just can't start the day without taking a shower and feeling fresh. A sink bath just wouldn't do it for me!
I just can't start the day without taking a shower and feeling fresh. A sink bath just wouldn't do it for me!
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Not a concern since we had showers. However, those giant sized body wash wipes work quite effectively.
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Check the commuting forum. For me, I take a shower, put on my work clothes and ride to work. Wipe down w/ a towel, use a moist towlette and I'm ready for work. Give yourself a few mins. to cool down when you get to work.
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Mine is about 7 miles. When I start riding, I'll have Gina drop me off on the way as she works in the same direction. We get off at different hours so it'll work out.
I just can't start the day without taking a shower and feeling fresh. A sink bath just wouldn't do it for me!
I just can't start the day without taking a shower and feeling fresh. A sink bath just wouldn't do it for me!
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next week i start a new job where i'll be commuting at least partially all day and sometime hopefully up to 25miles one way.
i'll stage shower and clenup stuff at work.. AXE spray and then cool down in the lab / datacenter.
mmmm Will i feel groos.. no.
will i look good helll yeah. i am a clyde but after a year if getting serious about weight loss I am cut clyde.
i'll stage shower and clenup stuff at work.. AXE spray and then cool down in the lab / datacenter.
mmmm Will i feel groos.. no.
will i look good helll yeah. i am a clyde but after a year if getting serious about weight loss I am cut clyde.
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+1. These are nice
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I don't take a shower, ride into work and shower there (the office building has better water pressure than my place anyway).
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I keep a towel at work to wipe off when I get there. I generally shower before going, put on ant-perspirent, and take the anti-perspirent with me. I stay in my cycling clothes while I cool down and get my office up and running.Then I go to the bath room and change. I wipe excess moisture, reapply the anti-perspirent, and then get dress with the cloths I brought into work. I ride 16-19 miles to work (depending on route).
Only thing that people notice is if I forget to brush my hair and I show up at my first meeting with helmet head.
Only thing that people notice is if I forget to brush my hair and I show up at my first meeting with helmet head.
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Shower before you go
Bring work clothes
Get some pit-stick going
Clean up in the sink
Baby wipes
Easy as that - yeah I feel a little overheated for about 10 minutes or so, but I get to work early enough so I'm cooled off when it's time to start dealing with the common folk. Gross? not a bit. All the ladies at work know I bike commute in and I always catch them checking me out...that's right ladies...clyde power.
I'm more ready to work after a bike commute than I ever was during a car commute. The company should offer me an incentive for cutting down on parking, pollution, and added productivity.
Bring work clothes
Get some pit-stick going
Clean up in the sink
Baby wipes
Easy as that - yeah I feel a little overheated for about 10 minutes or so, but I get to work early enough so I'm cooled off when it's time to start dealing with the common folk. Gross? not a bit. All the ladies at work know I bike commute in and I always catch them checking me out...that's right ladies...clyde power.
I'm more ready to work after a bike commute than I ever was during a car commute. The company should offer me an incentive for cutting down on parking, pollution, and added productivity.
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I have a shower at work, so I am fortunate, but I would shower at home, pack your work clothes, plan to arrive a bit early and cool down for 20-30 minutes-does your building have a picnic table outside? maybe chill there and drink some water and cool off. Then, wipes or wet towel/dry towel method, change and voila!
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Sure, it's nice to be able to shower at work, but the lack of a shower isn't a deal-breaker when it comes to commuting by bike, though it does seem to be used by many as an excuse why they don't do so.
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Well...you may just be a rather fastidious person, and you may be in a situation where you live in an air-conditioned house and drive an air-conditioned car to your air-conditioned office, and never really have to sweat except when you decide to do so for exercise. However, having air conditioning everywhere you go, not having to do any physical labor, and having hot and cold running water every fifteen feet is a relatively recent phenomenon, one that most of the planet still doesn't enjoy -- including most people in the United States. Most people don't live their lives in an air conditioned bubble, the sun shines down on them, they need to walk down the street in the heat, and they sweat. If they're "gross", then it's "gross" to be a human being who sweats and excretes and all that good stuff.
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No shower at work for me. I (try to) ride 10 miles every morning, but, my short ride is only 6 miles....and by the time I get back to the house I'm soaked with sweat, so I need to shower.
My work is 15 miles one way and that's using interstate highways that bicycles are prohibited. If I take roads that it is legal to ride bikes it would be over 25 miles one way. So, biking to work is out of the question for me....at this time anyway.
I moved into a house 2 years ago, but before then I lived in a condo 1.5 miles away from my office. That would have been a perfect commute for me.
I envy those who are in a position to commute to work using their bicycles. I see a lot of them and I always make it a point to check out their bikes.
Best,
Brian
My work is 15 miles one way and that's using interstate highways that bicycles are prohibited. If I take roads that it is legal to ride bikes it would be over 25 miles one way. So, biking to work is out of the question for me....at this time anyway.
I moved into a house 2 years ago, but before then I lived in a condo 1.5 miles away from my office. That would have been a perfect commute for me.
I envy those who are in a position to commute to work using their bicycles. I see a lot of them and I always make it a point to check out their bikes.
Best,
Brian
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Solve your shower problem for just $30.00 - set this up on the lawn of your business or a nearby park.
(I don't believe the girl is included in the $30 price.)
Portable Camp Shower / Shelter Combo
Here at army surplus world we carry a portable camp shower / shelter combo. The portable camp shower is 30" x 30" x 72"h. The portable camp shower has heavy-duty rip-stop waterproof polyethylene walls, a fiberglass pole frame system, durable web straps with quick-release buckle to secure frame and shower for hanging, a large 5 gal. capacity camp shower, and the black polyethylene shower attracts warmth from the sun for heating water. The portable camp shower meets C.P.A. I. -84 flame ******ant specifications. The portable camp shower comes complete with a heavy duty carry / storage bag with straps, full length zipper and informational panel. Order your portable camp shower today.
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(I don't believe the girl is included in the $30 price.)
Portable Camp Shower / Shelter Combo
Here at army surplus world we carry a portable camp shower / shelter combo. The portable camp shower is 30" x 30" x 72"h. The portable camp shower has heavy-duty rip-stop waterproof polyethylene walls, a fiberglass pole frame system, durable web straps with quick-release buckle to secure frame and shower for hanging, a large 5 gal. capacity camp shower, and the black polyethylene shower attracts warmth from the sun for heating water. The portable camp shower meets C.P.A. I. -84 flame ******ant specifications. The portable camp shower comes complete with a heavy duty carry / storage bag with straps, full length zipper and informational panel. Order your portable camp shower today.
Purchase Options
Description: Portable Camp Shower / Shelter Combo
Stock Number: 01086
Our Price: $29.95
Last edited by DnvrFox; 07-15-08 at 08:15 PM.
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I've commuted for over a year now and honestly the "gross" thing is in your head. Always shower immediately before leaving and wear clean cycling clothes, carrying a completely different change of CLEAN work clothes or pre-staging those clean clothes.
For me the ticket is a clean shampoo'd head after my ride. I have a shower in my building but honestly I generally skip it in favor of just a sink and a bottle of herbal essences. Seriously, comfort wise that made the difference like night and day for me. I also soap and rinse the nether regions.
I have an assistant across the hall and four marketing girls who, believe me, wouldn't hesitate to let me know of unfavorable smells. so far, zero complaints.
Its 99% in your head. After doing it for a month, driving the car will feel gross.
For me the ticket is a clean shampoo'd head after my ride. I have a shower in my building but honestly I generally skip it in favor of just a sink and a bottle of herbal essences. Seriously, comfort wise that made the difference like night and day for me. I also soap and rinse the nether regions.
I have an assistant across the hall and four marketing girls who, believe me, wouldn't hesitate to let me know of unfavorable smells. so far, zero complaints.
Its 99% in your head. After doing it for a month, driving the car will feel gross.
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If its my week in the training center we have a shower there. Otherwise, I work at a nuke plant. Steam lines everywhere and the normal temp is around 110-125 so no real worries. I do keep clean clothes, a towel and extra deo at work though. As long as you shower before you ride and wipe down when you get there you shouldn't have any problems
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+1 on all the suggestions regarding showering first, bringing work clothes, wearing cycling clothes, etc. Been working great for me so far (added bonus for this year - the weather hasn't been bad enough that I haven't been sweating enough that I would have to clean up after I got the cycling clothes off). After I get there and change into the work clothes, I feel just the same as if I drove there in my work clothes (minus the benefits of exercise of course).
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I ride 13.5 miles to work with 750 feet of elevation gain, all in the last 4 miles. So I am a sweaty mess.
Luckily we have showers and I have a locker.
One day I notcied that I was having a smell "issue" with some of my clothes. It turned out to be my shirt, which had picked up a smell from my backpack.
I slipped off to the locker room and put on a spare shirt.
The next day I discreetly asked the woman who sits next to me if she had noticed anything. She said she had. I asked her to let me know if it happens again. So we are smell buddies (for want of a better word).
Luckily we have showers and I have a locker.
One day I notcied that I was having a smell "issue" with some of my clothes. It turned out to be my shirt, which had picked up a smell from my backpack.
I slipped off to the locker room and put on a spare shirt.
The next day I discreetly asked the woman who sits next to me if she had noticed anything. She said she had. I asked her to let me know if it happens again. So we are smell buddies (for want of a better word).
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I ride 13.5 miles to work with 750 feet of elevation gain, all in the last 4 miles. So I am a sweaty mess.
Luckily we have showers and I have a locker.
One day I notcied that I was having a smell "issue" with some of my clothes. It turned out to be my shirt, which had picked up a smell from my backpack.
I slipped off to the locker room and put on a spare shirt.
The next day I discreetly asked the woman who sits next to me if she had noticed anything. She said she had. I asked her to let me know if it happens again. So we are smell buddies (for want of a better word).
Luckily we have showers and I have a locker.
One day I notcied that I was having a smell "issue" with some of my clothes. It turned out to be my shirt, which had picked up a smell from my backpack.
I slipped off to the locker room and put on a spare shirt.
The next day I discreetly asked the woman who sits next to me if she had noticed anything. She said she had. I asked her to let me know if it happens again. So we are smell buddies (for want of a better word).