PolishGuy

Excellent suggestions so far. In my particular case, and as mentioned by Robert Foster and others, is the cool down phase. Once my body lowers it's temp from the mild activity of riding slowly any offensive odors cease to exist. Carefull seletion of clothes and personal hygene also plays a major role. I've used baby wipes and a washroom wipe down in the past but have found just waiting for my body to cool down works the best for me. PG.

zoltani

YES! +1000000000 Amazing stuffs...i wear merino t-shirts everyday under my button down shirts. Even wear them multiple days and still no stink! Starting to get warm enough some days to just wear the t-shirt. Love this stuff, have 3 t-shirts and want to buy more, even if they are expensive.

Roody

Wool is pretty amazng at odor control. I had a Brroks Bros. cashmere sweater (paid $3 at Salvation Army) that I wore nerly every winter day for several years. I wore it as a base layer nest to my skin and it NEVER smelled bad. I never had it dry cleaned, but I hand washed it a few times....in like 5 years! I almost cried the other day when I finally threw it out because it was torn in a few places.

Hippiebrian

I got all excited, at least until I found out what this thread was about...

Roody

To me, when I see an attractive person on a bike, they look even better.

coldfeet

What is it that they object to? If it is the dark patches on the clothes, well, you're human, humans sweat. If it is the odor, clean sweat isn't unpleasant, B.O. is. For that, crystal stick is amazing! Does absolutely nothing to stop sweat, but man does it ever do a number on smell. If you have a major problem, i.e. really hard ride in, or overactive sweat glands, carry a spare stick in the purse or wherever, and just pop into the washroom and give it another swipe.

zonatandem

A bit of perspiration smells a hell of a lot better than some of these over-perfumed women!

Ekdog

and men.

Curious LeTour

I totally agree.
My girlfriend rides over to my place for dates sometimes, and we've also been riding to restaurants at times. She does sweat, but I don't think that it smells bad. In fact, all I smell is just more of her usual nice scent that I smell when she isn't sweating. Actually, I sometimes smell more of a fragrant soapy smell when she is sweating.

I think it's sexy, but this isn't the only issue where I'm non-traditional.

Hippiebrian

People sweat. It's totally natural, and in fact, when a woman sweats it's kind of hot. Anyone else noticed that ad here with the two women in the spinning class? 'Nuff said.

Robert Foster

when someone asks for advice on what to do about a problem on most of these forums they get several types of answers. Some deal with the question make suggestions and the person can take or leave it. The second most common answer it seems is to dismiss the problem as if it didn't exist. But to the person asking the question the problem does exist and "they" can see the sweat spots and "they" notice the smell.

There have been some pretty good suggestions given by people that have learned how to deal with the problem. I have never tried the wool thing because I don't happen to live where it is cool enough to wear wool most of the year. But I have been in close quarters with people that didn't see sweating as a problem and I for one wish they had taken some of the suggestions mentioned here.

At least for a majority of people there is a far better chance of selling them some Coco Chanel or Polo for men that Ode de sweat for an after five engagement.

Ride when it is cooler, wear something that helps keep you cool, slow down if it is hot. Cool down or shower before social contact when possible. Socialize with others that are physically active all seem to work pretty well. Pretending it doesn't matter only works if you don't have to be around other people. And I do understand that some people don't have as big a problem as others.

cycleobsidian

+1

Roody

There's much I agree with here, but i do think that most people are overly sensitive to the smell issue. (their own smell, that is.) In other words, we think we stink, even though we don't.

Everybody needs at least one totally honest person in their circle of acquaintances. There's a young lady where I work who is totally outspoken and honest. If I'm worried that I have an odor, I stand next to her for a minute. I know that if I stink, she will announce it loudly to me and to everybody else in the vicinity. So far she hasn't had to do that with me, even after a fast hot commute.

Robert Foster

...Yes we all have those. I have a woman that rides with me now and then who thought my sun screen smelled like stale beer. I didn't notice it but she tracked me like a blood hound and let me know. When I got home my wife asked what the smell was that lingered in the living room when she got up. Needless to say I had to toss a new bottle of sun screen that afternoon. But you have to admit there is a rather large industry in our society that deals specifically with body odor. It exists and the OPs wife or her family may be sensitive to it. If they are suggesting it isn't a problem it is only going to get the wife talked about at family gatherings when she isn't there. And people shouldn't act so shocked at that suggestion because if we have a family we know it happens.

DogBoy

Sorry for the off topic:
I believe that women glisten. My great aunt was at an outdoor wedding reception with temps in the upper 90s and humidity well above 80%. She commented to my grandmother "I'm sweating like a horse." My grandmother corrected her..."Lotty, Women don't sweat, they glisten." So my great aunt said. "Oh, well then I'm glistening like a horse is sweatin!"

BIG-E

Diet can play a big role in odor. Avoiding processed food really helps.

robi

diet helps with stench, but does it help with preventing sweat?

wahoonc

Possibly? I know I sweat like crazy after eating too many hot peppers Some things like alcohol will increase sweating not sure about other foods.

Aaron

Nycycle

I rode to Church Sunday, mostly up hill, 5 miles, head wind. Had I left 15 minutes early I could have dried off,,but I had to throw the Church Clothes on and get to my job behind the audio desk

junkyardking

I roll into work everyday as sweaty as one can be, and I have two tricks to keep myself "fresh".
The first is time. Give yourself a little extra time to cool down, and let your body release all the sweat that it was planning on letting go of before you stopped. Then let it dry. The second trick is a beautiful invention called action wipes. They clean you up, get rid of the smell and are easy to carry. Maybe bring a spare shirt and socks and ride in a shirt that is very light.

Bikepacker67

The only time I stink is when I'm trying to ride away a hangover.