WonderMonkey

I have no shower at work. However I do have access to a large private bathroom that I can do in and spend time cleaning up, etc. Previously I used to drive to work, bike home then the next day bike back to work then drive to a shower place. That's not working out due to time constraints and that I then don't have my vehicle at home.

So.... I have access to the large private bathroom. My commute distance will get me a bit sweaty. I don't mind showering before I leave home then cooling down and cleaning up when I get to work but I'd like some advice on how people do this. Best practices I suppose.

I KNOW there are threads out there that cover them. I am far too stupid to find them. Any help on locating a good thread that has already beat this topic up?

cplager

You basically got it right.

Take a shower at home. In the private bath room, use baby wipes to thoroughly wipe yourself down and put on new clothes. Don't forget deodorant.

erg79

All depends on your personal level of comfort, plus how sweaty you get. I would have a 3 mile ride to work with a short incline, and I'd be dripping when I got there, no matter how leisurely a pace I went at. That's just me.

Baby wipes and deodorant. Having a private bathroom is nice, because I'm assuming that there's a sink in there that you could use as well. I'm assuming that you're changing clothes. Not sure what clothes you're wearing on the bike, but you may want a change of underwear, depending on...well, you can figure that out, I suppose.

Is this bathroom just used by yourself, or is it also shared? If it's shared, be sure that the lock works (!), and perhaps try to minimize the amount of time you're in there.

stringbreaker

We have large bathrooms with 4 stalls and one is a large 4'x4' handicap so I use that to change. Paper towels wetted down first then baby wipes. Works great for me.

WonderMonkey

Thanks all.

The bathroom has a sink and I would be the only one in it. It locks.

My ride is 14 miles if I take the shortest route (I usually would). I have an office where I would keep changes of clothing and all my cleanup gear. I could even have a wash rag, towel, etc.

My general plan before consulting with this group was to have in my office (I can lock my office) about three days worth of clothing, to include shoes, undies, socks, etc., two wash cloths, a towel, pit juice (deodorant) and whatever else is needed.

On my ride in I would wear bike shorts, shirt, etc. and not my work clothes. I arrive, cool down and get to cleaning up.

Vlaam4ever

I tried the stall changing technique last year and could not keep it up. I joined my office gym and keep a change of clothes there and in my office. Last year I completed possibly 10 commutes. This year I completed 30+ already so it's working better.

The first few will feel akward, like your forgetting something. Likely you're not. Then you feel like you have this figured out. And you do, but you begin forgetting things. You may drive the car a few times, just to realize you prefer riding it. this is when you remember what you really need....

kardar2

I will take a dry wash rag to work with me wash down take out my clean tshirt put it on. Put on some pitstick and good to go. Before going home change into shorts that I brought and away I go. What is close to your work? gym? Some kinda bathroom ? You just have to figure out what works for you.

CandSAdventures

I have tied a couple of ways. We have a changing room, no sink, in our exercise room. I tried carrying a wet towel in a large ziplock and a dry towel. It was ok. The baby wipes seem to work better and I can just throw them away. The small flat pack fits well in my pack too. Allowing plenty of time is important. I have not figured out the sweaty tshirt yet....guess I could bring one to ride home in and put the sweaty one in a ziplock. I don't really have a place to hang it up to dry.

I am more comfortable in bibbs than in gym shorts but they cause some "looks" when I get into the office (especially if I am supposed to be in a tie!) so I added some thin jogging sweats that Target sells over my shorts.

WonderMonkey

A few miles away is a community rec center. I joined last year (elapsed) and used to do the "ride to work, get in my truck I left there yesterday" deal and go shower. It is too far away to ride there, shower and slowly ride to work.

I am certainly going to give using this private bathroom a try. I have enough room in my office to store everything I may need so I certainly don't have an excuse. For sure I'll come up with a few but I'll know they are LIES!

WonderMonkey

I just came down from 300lbs (now 249) so I may strut around the parking lot for 20 minutes before I walk in door!

gerv 

Irish shower.

But basically shower at home, cool down a bit (not necessary so far this year...), clean up a bit, then Irish shower. Works every time.

fietsbob

Mop, dry, the floor when you're done.

Ritterview

Really, this should be a sticky thread on this forum.

Sticky... ironic!

My tips. Squirrel away in your desk, locker, or cubicle...

this....




...and this:



Other tips include keeping at work a white merino base layer as a t-shirt, and if in an office having a merino long sleeve polo knit shirt for the first hour when starting the day, as you can wear it while still sorta hot and sweaty.

ka0use

one place i worked had an emergency shower in the bathroom. hard deluge, cold water.
pull the chain and hold on. welcome to use it if you didn't mind a daily heart attack.

rommer25

I ride around 14 miles to work a couple of times a week. I use a community bathroom. First, the last mile to work, I slow down (and cool down). When I get there, I rest for about ten minutes and then to the bathroom. I carry my work clothes in a pannier. I wash my face and head in the sink, go to the stall and wipe down with a wet wash cloth first, then the wipes, plus deodorant etc. Then I change clothes in the stall. I have a hat rack in my office that I use to hang my ridding clothes on, with a large coat on a hanger placed in front so you cannot see them. My company supplies Lysol spray for the room. That has been my routine for about a year.

WonderMonkey

My last mile contains a nice steady uphill so cooling down on that isn't an option unless I want to go real slow. Also that hill is where I use up whatever energy I want to get rid of for that leg of the commute. Some days leisurely, some days not so much.

Good suggestions all. I like the idea of keeping a merino base layer handy as suggested.

CommuteCommando

My AM commute starts at 6:10. Five miles I take easy on the way in, hot and sweaty is almost never an issue. Last job was a four man office with single locking restroom let me take lunch time rides. Current job has large ADA stall. I talked the management into allowing me to install additional hanger hooks for changing.

tdister

I'll 2nd the alcohol and wool. Thanks for the aerosol link Ritterview.

I shower before I leave and just use 99% alcohol on my pits (sometimes just a quick wipe with water) and rinse my face.

Juha

Sounds good. If however you choose to haul clothes back and forth daily (like I do), it's still a good idea to keep at least spare undies & socks at work. Don't ask me how I know.

--J

dramiscram

I work in an automobile dealer so if I stink too much one morning I'll spill some gear oil on a wipe and put it under my desk to cover my own smell

jrickards

LOL, I don't know what's worse, the smell of gear oil or the Irish shower!

I am fortunate to have a shower at work because, during the warm months, even after my shortest 4km route, I'd be dripping and no amount of baby wipes would do me.

Boudicca

No need to ask Juha. I know how you know.

Been there, done that.

CandSAdventures

You have earned the right to strut around the parking lot!

nkfrench 

My routine was similar. On arrival to work I sat outside in shade with a breeze and drank water until I quit sweating. My restroom stall cleanup was with a lightly-soaped washrag, a small bucket of clean water, and a 2nd wet washrag. No wetwipes. The first wipedown pass was with the soap scrub washrag. The second wipedown pass was with the non-soapy washrag as a "rinse", using the bucket to re-wet the washrag after wringing it out over the toilet. After particularly sweaty morning commutes I would sink-wash the bike clothing. I had a small fan in my cubicle to help the bike clothes dry faster. No Lysol needed. I used thin microfiber towels/washrags that pack small, dry quick. I kept 2 sets at work.

It was actually a much easier and faster transition than I had at other facilities with showers due to walk distance.

gerv 

That's not a shower. It's an English loo! :grin: