Stop the stank at work
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Hampton, VA
Bikes: 2006 Trek 7.5FX, 2010 Trek 7.3FX, Nashbar Cyclocross
Check these out. They sell em at Wally World and are only 10 bucks. Personally I think the Under Armour stuff is a scam when it comes to wicking shirts.
Last edited by USAF1C1X1; 10-22-10 at 09:42 AM.
#27
Old, but not really wise
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 814
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From: Fairfax, VA commuting to Washington DC
Bikes: 2010 Kona Dew Drop (the daily driver),'07 Specialized Roubaix (the sports car), '99 ish Kona NuNu MTB (the SUV), Schwinn High Plains (circa 1992?) (the beater)
Not saying I'd break wind in the boss's office, but there is seriously much less smell. Same goes for other waste products, too, though my liquid waste does pick up a suspicious odor if I eat too much asparagus ;-)
#28
Senior Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 976
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From: Flagstaff, AZ
Bikes: Marin Pt. Reyes, Gary Fisher HiFi Pro, Easy Racers Gold Rush recumbent, Cannondale F600
I work in a college campus building with lots of public traffic, don't have a shower at work and share an office with a co-worker, so being smelly isn't an option. I do a quick towel-bath in a storage room and follow up with deodorant or baby wipes. Wet/sweaty cycling clothes go in a metal storage cabinet that's big enough to allow them to dry- it was a lucky find, I salvaged it on its way to be surplused. Am also lucky in that I can keep several sets of clothes at the office so I only have to do one clothes hauling trip to and from work per week.
#29
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 800
Likes: 2
From: Overland Park, KS
Bikes: 1999 Giant TCR 2T 2009 Giant Cypress DX 2015 Giant Anyroad 1
Check these out. They sell em at Wally World and are only 10 bucks. Personally I think the Under Armour stuff is a scam when it comes to wicking shirts.
I picked up the long sleeve compression tee ($10) and a pair of compression tights ($12). So far they're working great. Especially the tights. It's been down in the low 40's in the morning and it's more comfortable then my usual winter tights that are too warm at 40°.
#30
nashcommguy
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,499
Likes: 0
From: nashville, tn
Bikes: Commuters: Fuji Delray road, Fuji Discovery mtb...Touring: Softride Traveler...Road: C-dale SR300
Also, shower before leaving and have plenty of time to cool down when I arrive. Even during the dead of winter.The advice above about wool over any other fabic is right on. And don't get a wool/acrylic blend either. It'll stink w/just 5% blend. Merino wool. Close knit 100%. Layer as the weather cools down. Plenty of info @ www.icebike.com or the winter cycling sub-forum.
I bring a weeks worth of clothing in on Mondays and take my daily wears home every night. I keep extra socks, shoes, deo, toothbrush, paste in my locker. Maybe I should get a cot and move in?
#31
eMail Sold to Spammers
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 522
Likes: 19
I do things a little differently than most commuters. I leave cloths and my lunch at work on my driving days. On my cycling days, I wear my cycling cloths. When I get to work, I take my bag of cloths with me to the bathroom, strip naked, towel off, put on some deodorant, then put my cloths on.
It works so well that most people don't have a clue what days I ride and what days I drive until they see my bike in the office.
It works so well that most people don't have a clue what days I ride and what days I drive until they see my bike in the office.
#32
Senior Member


Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,846
Likes: 20
From: Fort Worth, TX
Bikes: 2006 Specialized Ruby Pro aka "Rhubarb" / and a backup road bike
I ride in bike clothes and carry work clothes in a pannier. I chug water on arrival and sit outside in shade/breezes until I quit sweating. Then head indoors to clean up and change clothes. I've worked at a few different office locations. If there's a shower I use it; where there is no shower I do a sink-shampoo with COLD water then go to the handicap bathroom stall to strip and do a birdbath. I fill a small bucket with clean cold rinsewater. I put liquid hand soap on one microfiber washrag and scrub down with it. Then I use a second washrag and the bucket of water to sponge off the soapy stuff. Towel completely off with a microfiber camp/travel towel. The toiletries are all in small sample-size containers refilled from standard containers. Fortunately at the office without a shower I am able to keep the cleanup kit near the bathrooms.
It is important to not mess up the bathroom with the birdbath cleanup - it is as tidy when I finish as when I arrive. Otherwise somebody would try to get privileges revoked and make life difficult for me.
Riding easy isn't an option (hills) and I go through buggy dusty/muddy humid areas on my commute so sweating and desire to clean are inevitable. Distance is 12-17.5 miles each way. Even the birdbath cleanup leaves me feeling great and refreshed, not all gritty/sticky.
It is important to not mess up the bathroom with the birdbath cleanup - it is as tidy when I finish as when I arrive. Otherwise somebody would try to get privileges revoked and make life difficult for me.
Riding easy isn't an option (hills) and I go through buggy dusty/muddy humid areas on my commute so sweating and desire to clean are inevitable. Distance is 12-17.5 miles each way. Even the birdbath cleanup leaves me feeling great and refreshed, not all gritty/sticky.
#33
I ride 4 days a week. I have a small closet of clothes and toiletries at work. Bring in food and change out pressed clothes on the driving days.
I shower after riding home (or before leaving in the AM if i drove the prev day). Ride in cycling gear, change at work into nice pressed and clean clothes. Deoderize/cologne and eve shave if i need to. Change at the end of day, leave work clothes at work and ride home. May sound weird but I get at least two wears out of my work clothes because I don't do anything "dirty" or sweaty at work.
Works great and with 5 pants/jeans and 5 shirts/polos I can have an alternating combination of outfits all the time. No worries here, works great. No stank.
I shower after riding home (or before leaving in the AM if i drove the prev day). Ride in cycling gear, change at work into nice pressed and clean clothes. Deoderize/cologne and eve shave if i need to. Change at the end of day, leave work clothes at work and ride home. May sound weird but I get at least two wears out of my work clothes because I don't do anything "dirty" or sweaty at work.
Works great and with 5 pants/jeans and 5 shirts/polos I can have an alternating combination of outfits all the time. No worries here, works great. No stank.
#36
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 2
From: Pacific, WA
Bikes: Custom 531ST touring, Bilenky Viewpoint, Bianchi Milano, vintage Condor racer
I shower before leaving for work, then under-dress slightly on my way to work most of the time -- if I'm pushing hard, I'm warm but not too sweaty; if I have to stop for long, I'll get cold unless I put on a jacket. (For example, this week it's been in the upper 30s in the morning, so I've been wearing light tights, bib shorts, and a sleeveless jersey. Plenty warm as long as I'm riding hard.) The last half-mile to work I slow down a bit and unzip my jersey or jacket depending on the weather, so I'm mostly cooled off when I get to the office.
I ride three miles to the train station, sit on the train for half an hour, then ride a bit over six miles to work up and down the hills of Seattle -- not a commute I want to do in slacks and a dress shirt, especially when it's raining. Slacks and an undershirt go in my pannier, dress shirts and shoes live at the office -- I use the dry cleaner across the street, so my shirts never go home, just off to the cleaners at lunch once in a while.
No shower or lockers at work, I change in the men's room. In the hottest parts of the summer I do a quick sponge bath, otherwise, cooling down before arriving is good enough.
I ride three miles to the train station, sit on the train for half an hour, then ride a bit over six miles to work up and down the hills of Seattle -- not a commute I want to do in slacks and a dress shirt, especially when it's raining. Slacks and an undershirt go in my pannier, dress shirts and shoes live at the office -- I use the dry cleaner across the street, so my shirts never go home, just off to the cleaners at lunch once in a while.
No shower or lockers at work, I change in the men's room. In the hottest parts of the summer I do a quick sponge bath, otherwise, cooling down before arriving is good enough.
#37
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 12,948
Likes: 9
From: England
Merino base layer should be 100% wool and superfine grade.
You dont need any "bike" features,a T shirt cut is fine. Use long sleeved for very cold conditions.
The material has a natural elasticity so should be form fitting without being tight.
There are some big-name brands such as Icebreaker, now made in China. The original New Zealand products are still available under various small brand names.
Its best to wash the same as your hair, hand hot in a detergent (dish-washing or shampoo) NOT a soap, gently .
Rinse a few times. Dont wring it out.
You can machine was using wool setting at 40C with a gentle spin
Dont hang to dry; place on a dry towel, gently roll and press to get most of the water out. Unroll and leave in a warm, dry place. It dries pretty quickly.
You dont need any "bike" features,a T shirt cut is fine. Use long sleeved for very cold conditions.
The material has a natural elasticity so should be form fitting without being tight.
There are some big-name brands such as Icebreaker, now made in China. The original New Zealand products are still available under various small brand names.
Its best to wash the same as your hair, hand hot in a detergent (dish-washing or shampoo) NOT a soap, gently .
Rinse a few times. Dont wring it out.
You can machine was using wool setting at 40C with a gentle spin
Dont hang to dry; place on a dry towel, gently roll and press to get most of the water out. Unroll and leave in a warm, dry place. It dries pretty quickly.
#38
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 13,237
Likes: 75
From: Fallbrook,Calif./Palau del Vidre, France
Bikes: Klein QP, Fuji touring, Surly Cross Check, BCH City bike
Luckily work had a shower. Never a problem. But, once the water was out.. I was prepared . I bought in advance those jumbo sized body wipes.. They work fairly well. not as refreshing as a shower. That and the use of the bathroom, sink- I got through the day OK..
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#39
Senior Member


Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,480
Likes: 4,560
From: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
shower before you leave home if there is no shower at work.
strip head to toe; wash head to toe; put on new clothes head to toe. there's no way around it.
strip head to toe; wash head to toe; put on new clothes head to toe. there's no way around it.
#40
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,398
Likes: 6
From: Seville, Spain
Bikes: Brompton M6R, mountain bikes, Circe Omnis+ tandem
#41
Giftless Amateur

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,322
Likes: 844
From: MD / metro DC
Bikes: Cross-Check/Nexus commuter. Several others for various forms of play.
- a colloquialism, mutated part participle of some such conjugation of stink, see also stunk, as the OP seems to have meant it
- various unmentionables, as in "I'm gonna get me some stank," particularly when relating to coolio's aforementioned skank(s), and which could result in another source of stink, stank, stunk
"No more stank" in some circles may be heard as more of a moral than olfactory plea.
#42
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,398
Likes: 6
From: Seville, Spain
Bikes: Brompton M6R, mountain bikes, Circe Omnis+ tandem
In some throats of the forest, it can be used as:
- a colloquialism, mutated part participle of some such conjugation of stink, see also stunk, as the OP seems to have meant it
- various unmentionables, as in "I'm gonna get me some stank," particularly when relating to coolio's aforementioned skank(s), and which could result in another source of stink, stank, stunk
"No more stank" in some circles may be heard as more of a moral than olfactory plea.
- a colloquialism, mutated part participle of some such conjugation of stink, see also stunk, as the OP seems to have meant it
- various unmentionables, as in "I'm gonna get me some stank," particularly when relating to coolio's aforementioned skank(s), and which could result in another source of stink, stank, stunk
"No more stank" in some circles may be heard as more of a moral than olfactory plea.
#43
What does an native zulu man do after he's chased and killed a big hog to feed his wife and kids? Does he spray on cologne before he takes the hog home, in fear that his wife might say he is too sweaty? Somehow I don't think so.
If she doesn't like the way you smell, tell her to marry someone who lies on the couch all day!
If she doesn't like the way you smell, tell her to marry someone who lies on the couch all day!
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