Originally Posted by EKW in DC (Post 12563902)

I find it easier to search BF by using the site:bikeforums.net tag in Google.

As for cleaning up, other suggestion would be watered down hand sanitizer or watered down rubbing alcohol to help clean up. Cleans, dries sweat, kills germs, and helps to cool thanks to rapid evaporation. I use that when a shower isn't quite necessary or isn 't available, though fortunately I have a shower at work.

Originally Posted by SactoDoug (Post 12567795)

This is a common subject, especially for us commuters.

First, sweat does not smell. It has no odor. What happens is that bacteria like the wet environment and consume some of the compounds in sweat. Their waste product is what smells.

Deorderants and antiperspirants attack the smell three ways:

1. Mask the smell with some other smell
2. Kill the bacteria that cause the smell. The aluminum zirconium octachlorohydrex gly in deodorants kill bacteria.
3. Prevent the secretion of sweat

The first two is what deordorants typically do. The third one is what antiperspirants do by covering up the sweat glands and physically blocking them from secreting sweat.

The first step is prevention. If you have trouble areas, then consider taking a wash cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to those areas to kill the bacteria. Do so regularly until the odor is gone and then a couple days more. You should also consider trimming any excess hair too. The hair gives more surface area for the bacteria to live on. Along with prevention, use antiperspirant before you start the commute.

Once you get to work, remove all of your sweaty cloths, towl off, use a wet wash cloth with a little soap to scrub where neccessary, reapply antiperspirants and change into your work cloths. So long as you have your body odor under control, no one will be the wiser.

Originally Posted by pallen (Post 12567907)

That's what I started off doing - stashing a pair of shoes in my desk. Then I noticed some empty shelves in the back storeroom where I keep my bike so I started stashing shoes and a belt there. Then, I found a clothes rack where some of the sales people would keep a nice shirt hung up in case they need to run out and meet a client. I now have 2 pair of shoes, 3 pair of pants and 5 shirts here. These clothes never leave the office so I can wear them several times before bringing them home to wash. At this rate, in 6 moths, this will be my closet and I'll be shuttling clothes home to wear on the weekends :lol:

Originally Posted by MKIV987 (Post 12571554)

Another thing to think about: your office may not have a shower, but there may be a fitness club nearby that will give you a "shower membership" for a few bucks a month. That's what I do and it works nicely. Good luck!