fantom1 

I assume many of you have access to showers at work, but also many do not. For those that have to be somewhat "presentable" and can't shower at work, how do you do it? Any tricks? I can't ride at virtually any speed without getting sweaty and disheveled.

pdlamb

I'm luckier now than I was a few years ago, but back then, there were a few steps I took to deal with no convenient shower:


1. Shower before leaving the house. Start clean, you'll smell better.
2. Ride (fairly) slowly, trying to minimize sweat.
3. Cool off 15-30 minutes when you arrive (check email?).
4. Baby wipes: the key. 3-4 baby wipes in the handicap stall while changing.
5. Douse head in sink to get helmet hair to lay flat(ter).

prathmann

The 'mini-cleanup' above works quite well. But first make sure there really aren't any showers in the building. Several office buildings in which I worked had showers that almost no one knew about. Some were hidden behind HVAC and other building eqpt. in the basement, one was located in a first-floor bathroom tucked behind a door labeled "Mtce. Staff Only". The showers were there for the janitorial staff to use if they had had to use particularly caustic chemicals. But there were no objections to my using them after a morning commute once I found out about their existence.

PaulRivers

I was going to write pretty much the same thing.

I'd add:
- Change clothes when you get to work. Don't wear the same clothes on the bike that you wear at work.
- You can cool yourself down by going slow for the last 5-10 minutes of the ride. It takes a couple of minutes for my body to catch on that we're not working hard any more and stop sweating, if you leave a few minutes of easy riding at the end your body catches up and also cools you off from the airflow over you on the bike.

dieselrover

I keep a full change of clothes at work so I have to carry less. Shirts hanging in a coat closet and underwear,socks,jeans in a messenger bag under my desk. The shirts stay at work and go to the cleaners in the 'hood down there. Other laundry comes home once every two weeks or so on a rainy no-ride day.

Skipjacks

First off remember that sweat doesn't stink. Old sweat and the bacteria in it stinks. So if you sweat a little and dry off quickly, you shouldn't stink too bad. (Keep in mind I'm bald. I can change my clothes and don't need to worry about my hair, which you can't just swap out with clean hair)

The time of year makes a HUGE difference.

This time of year (December in the mid atlantic) I can wear my work clothes on the bike and be fine. It's 35 degrees in the morning. There is no sweating. Though I typically wear my work pants and a t shirt, then put on a fresh t shirt and a polo/oxford when I get to my office as I start to sweat between the parking garage and my office when my heart is still racing but I don't have the cold air blowing by me anymore. But it's not bad sweat. I get to my office, change my shirt, and the problem is solved.

In the summer it's a whole different story. I wear shorts and a t shirt on the bike and pack a full change of clothes in panniers. (I can get a full change in 1 bag, leaving the other one for lunch, a laptop, whatever)

When I get to work in the summer I sit at my desk in shorts for 15 minutes while I cool down and sweat a little in the workout clothes. Once my heart rate drops I change to work clothes and wipe all the excess sweat off. I don't stink when doing that. And my riding clothes don't smell so bad that I can't leave them in a gym bag under my desk fro the day. (Your mileage may vary and may depend on how much pork/curry/McDonalds you've eaten recently) As long as I only wear them once then wash them when I get home, we're good there.

I do keep towels in my office for just this reason. I don't carry the towel with me every day. I leave it here and take it home to wash it when I drive.

I also don't push too hard going to work. It's more of an early morning relaxing ride where I take shortcuts to minimize the distance. Going home I push it hard, take the long route, and get the really good workout in...as I don't care if I'm sweaty and gross when I get home because there is a shower and change of clothes there.

doubravsky 

There's a company names "HyperGo" which makes sports wipes. They are like big giant baby wipes... one wipe is generally enough to wipe off. I don't push too hard coming to work and use those before changing into work clothes.... works well.

davei1980

Can't complain. Have full showers and lockers in basement/indoor storage with FT security. Very blessed. Hope we never change buildings!

RoadKill

Showers or not is the same process for me. If I have a shower I use it, if I don't then some damp paper towels and the stall work just about as well. Either way I change clothes, apply new deodorant, and comb my hair.

Kedosto

Heck, I thought "sweaty and disheveled" was the hip and trendy look these days. I swear, I see more people wearing torn up clothing, multi days beard growth, hair that looks like they just rolled outta bed, etc.

There's a guy on TV doing commercials for Comcast who seriously looks like they just did an underpass sweep and threw a suit on the guy for the 30 second spot. His hair is poking out at all angles, the suit barely fits and he's got at least 3-4 days worth of beard stubble.

Just ride in and throw on whatever wrinkled, torn up stuff you can pull out of your bag. If anybody asks, you tell 'em that helmet hair is "in" and you're gonna report them for harassment.

-Kedosto

dieselrover

Looked up the HyperGo wipes on Amazon. There's an alternative called "DUDE Shower Wipes"

Fresh deodorant is always a must, but I've been just dealing with the salt crust. May have to try the Hypergo - or just get some regular baby wipes which are probably not $0.50ea

s

wipekitty

All good stuff here. Pre-shower (and hair wash, if you have hair): keeps the new sweat coming out from being gross. The wipe down at work will get the new sweat off, preventing post-ride stink. For super-sweaty weather, I prefer to use a nice-smelling shampoo and start out with wet hair. The result is that the hair smells nice even post-ride.

Lately, I've been a fan of witch hazel for all kinds of things ranging from stench prevention, quick cleanup, and acne prevention. A bottle of witch hazel and some cotton balls can do wonders. There are also "body deodorants" that have witch hazel as a main ingredient, but they can be a bit too floral.

salcedo

If you are not doing this already, get some racks and panniers.

When I started commuting I used to carry my stuff on a backpack. It was a good cycling backpack with lots of ventilation, but it it would still make me sweat a lot. On hotter days or faster commutes by back was completely drenched by the time I got to the office.

Carrying stuff on panniers reduces the amount of sweat considerably.

BobbyG

I am fortunate to live in a high, dry climate. It's almost always cool in the morning. Arriving early and cooling down usually does it. I keep toiletries and some towels for "bird baths". I also felt a lot fresher after I went bald and began wearing a buzz cut. A fresh change of clothes, socks and undies is essential.

In the winter I dress to stay cool, not warm. I'm usually slightly cold the first 10 minutes. When I nail the layers right I arrive at work, cool and refreshed, and quickly strip down to my shorts and bike shirt to further cool off.

McBTC

That's not a bad thing. Think... M U S K !

kellichou

Being able to shower at work is one of life's great pleasures. I ride in early (leaving 5-5:30am), so it's usually cold and dark. Asking the right people got me access to an amazing private bathroom with a shower in my building that almost no one else uses. There's lockers! Although I think all the other bike-riding colleagues I have don't shower. Personal preference. I can keep my bike in a locked room, so it's safe inside the building. Like many others have said, I try to be very courteous and not bring a dirty or wet bike into the building.

I like those camping towels--they offer full coverage, and dry quickly (Drylite), along with a waffle weave towel for my hair. I can keep all my various products and flip-flops in the locker, and I use a second locker that I keep open during the day so my cycling clothes can dry out.

Our custodial staff doesn't clean this bathroom much--they're really overworked in our building--so I brought in some bathroom cleaning supplies (toilet bowl cleaner, brush with caddy, as well as surface cleaner and a sponge for the sink and shower). I empty the trash in the bathroom, too. That way, I can keep the bathroom clean, which is how I like it. When the room needs more toilet paper, I ask a member of the custodial staff and it gets changed. For me, showering in a sparkling-clean facility is important to me. It's depressing to be around filth.

I also have a small closet elsewhere in the building where I can keep all my clothes that I bring in. I'm finally bringing a shoe shine kit in, so I don't have to periodically take my work shoes home and polish them. My dad is a Marine, and he taught me how to keep my shoes looking sharp.

But riding in the pre-dawn darkness, coming in and taking a hot, glorious shower, then getting ready with all the products I like to use? Priceless.

Looking back at OP's original request, I see that you want feedback on how to be fresh without showering. I second everyone else in the thread--shower before you come in, and use baby wipes and the sink to freshen up, then change into clean work clothes and use deodorant. Ride in cycling clothes, and change when you get to work. I just brought in a shoe-shine kit, so I no longer have to bring home my work shoes to polish them. Keeping clothes at work definitely helps.

Leebo

Any places near you that have shower access? Gym, workout place/ ymca? I use a full sink, washcloth/towel thing. Soap and rinse. Works well.

fietsbob

Use the bathroom sink and a sponge? bring a towel? I like Pack Towl , I brought them on my bike tours, https://www.packtowl.com/

ptempel

I just shower at home in the morning. Then wash face and hair in bathroom at work. Usually, that gets me by. I also keep two travel size deoderants at work but rarely need them. If riding in the rain, then you can use 1 or 2 baby wipes on your legs if needed. I also wipe down my shoes since they can be gritty from the rain as well. If your shoes and socks are wet from rain, then stuff a bunch of paper towel in them. They paper will absorb the water. Maybe repeat at noon time if they still feel wet/damp. I'm lucky in that I have a big roll paper dispenser in the bathroom. So rarely run out.

Edit: I also always wear a tee shirt under the dress shirt at work. I think it will also help keep the sweat off of your dress shirt.

Sullalto

Showered at the gym a quarter mile away at an old workplace.

Before I did that, I would get to work early enough that I could sit around for 20-30 minutes and stopped sweating. Then wipe down with baby wipes and change.

I work at hotels with locker rooms next to the pools now. I use those showers. If I worked morning, using an uncleaned room to shower would be an option as well.

As some other people have mentioned, talk to maintenance/janitorial staff-they might have their own shower. They often do.

TheCharm 

I do have showers but I don't use them often. I find giving myself 10 minutes to cool down (when it's warm/hot) is sufficient followed by a clean-up with baby wipes/Shower Pill/etc. does the trick.

I work in computer/network tech support so our patrons I think expect us to smell a little bit. As long as I'm not the worst, it's all good.

CrankyOne

OP, where are you located? How far of a ride each way? Hills or mountains along the way? For me showering or cleaning up isn't an option. I'm usually riding to a café to meet someone or meeting at their office so I need to arrive fresh.

Obviously exertion from riding fast or up steep hills increases sweat as does high temp+humidity. Leaning forward or covering your head will also increase sweat quite a bit. Given all the same conditions, I'll sweat much more riding 13 MPH on my road bike than 13 MPH on my 40lb upright Dutch Citybike.

More (bottom of page): City Bikes | LocalMile

And, as mentioned above, an e-bike is a great option. Most days I have only about a 5 mile commute but occasionally I need to ride 11-12 miles in to town for a meeting. I generally do well but if it's over about 85f or high humidity I'll borrow my neighbors Gazelle e-bike and it does make a considerable difference. I'll get one sometime in the next year or two I think.

fantom1 

Great advice and tips, thanks!

I should have mentioned I'm in the tropics, so even at 6am, in the Summer its still 80+degrees and 80+ humidity. Ride is 10 miles each way.

I will take a look at those sports wipes.

InTheRain

A lot of days, I get a shower on the way to work... as well as on the way home.

Korina

+1

I'm not sure what's up with the obsessive bathing either. I just strip in the bathroom, wipe down with a wet washcloth, apply deodorant that I keep here, and done. Dried sweat isn't very smelly, but it is crusty and sticky, and the washcloth takes care of it. I like washcloths for their sturdiness, and you only pay for them once. Wash and reuse instead of throwing them in a landfill and buying them again.