Bluetail

Yep, wash everything after each ride & line dry: tops, bottoms, socks, bike chain....

z90

What if you are touring?

bjjoondo 

Wash after every use, especially in the hotter months!! Usually "air dry" in the bathroom after washing in the machine.

marathon marke

Wash jersey and bibs in extra gentle cycle, then hang dry. I used to throw everything in the dryer on high heat, but that's when I was sponsored and getting everything for practically nothing. Now I have to pay full price like everyone else, so I treat it all like I need it to last forever. On the other hand, I stiill have a couple pair of those "heat-treated" Descente shorts from over 25 years ago, that are still going strong.

sknhgy 

So, most of you are saying that you go through twice the amount of clothes per week, or whatever the time period, than a non-rider does? This would hold true if you wash your clothes after every ride, AND you ride every day.

Sounds like many of you spend your time riding bikes and washing clothes.

DnvrFox

The secret is to spend your time riding and let the S/O wash the clothes!! Doesn't work for me, though.

I ride 6-7 days per week - heck,that's a lot of wash.

Lauraspark

I throw biking clothes in with the rest of the wash a couple of times a week. I have enough to get me through even if I ride more than usual--usually only three or four times a week.

Robert Foster

well to be more exact. I have 7 pairs of Bibs and 9 jerseys. So I wash once a week and start over on monday.

Metric Man

Yer a rich retired guy...I haven't owned 7 pairs of shorts since I started riding!

rubic

Jerseys, bibs, socks and base layers get worn once and then washed. Festering bacteria, not to mention the stench, is not your friend.

Louis

Back in my touring days, I carried laundry soap and a plastic bag which became an instant washing machine wherever there was water available (campground). Slosh a jersey and shorts around in there, do about two rinse cycles and hang on my bike to dry.

I always carried at least three pairs of cycling shorts and often rode in tee shirts - so the above plan was quite flexible.

az_cyclist

Shorts get washed after every ride. Jerseys also, with one expception. In the summer when I have time for a 40 minute training ride in the morning before work, I will wear that jersey 3 days.

Recycle

I change shorts every day, and change shirts every two days if the ride isn't too hot 'n' sweaty. I do credit card touring and stay in motels rather than camp, so a shower is available each night. The shorts get stomp washed in the shower, wrung out in a towel, and hung to dry. If they don't dry overnight, they get hung on the panniers the next day. Depending on trip length, I have 3 or 4 pr of shorts ... one pr on and 2 or 3 pr dry bagged in panniers.

JazNine

Shorts/socks/jersey that touches skin, one ride, one wash (1:1)
Legwarmers 3:1
Headband 5:1
Jersey that does not touch skin, outer layers 3:1
Gloves 10:1 or when disgust alarm goes off
Jackets, etc., 5:1
Helmet fitting pads, when disgust alarm goes off
All cycling clothes air dry on bicycle using convenient handlebars, brifters, saddle, etc. as mounting points

Pista Largo

Clothes I commute in get worn for one day, then washed. Other than that it's wash-per-ride...except for gloves which, like some others here, i am inclined to let go far beyond reason

LesterOfPuppets

I give 'em a 5 minute soak and a good 2 minutes of squishing around with Dr. Bronners Peppermint soap after every ride. Rinse and hang on the shower curtain rod to dry.

Toss 'em in the machine once a month or so. Hang to dry then also.

wobblyoldgeezer

It's warm here.

Normal drill is to shower in full kit minus shoes and pocket contents straight after the ride, use shower gel, disrobe while showering, rinse and stomp the suds out, and fling the kit onto the clothes line outside the shower window. Dry in 15 minutes

Pamestique 

I have 3 clothes baskets... towels and sheets, regular wash and dry, and then my bike (or hiking) stuff. Generally I have 2 full loads of bike/hike stuff each week when I might not even do a load of the others for a week or two. As soon as I wear something and sweat in it, it gets washed. I use the perm-press cycle (so there is some warm water it address bacteria) and then everything gets hung up - no dryer. It's work but everything stays fresh and nice plus no worries about bacteria infections and smell!

I recently did a camping trip. I bought fresh shorts to wear each day (5 days of riding). I was able to wash out a jersey or two using Camp Suds. Jerseys will dry overnight. Chamois not so much, plus I want those to go through a good, thorough wash. When I used to tour, I would wear fresh clothes and desperately look for laundrymats in each town to do clothes. I never wore something twice without at least some washing.

Pamestique 

Just to add... I don't alway wash gloves after every ride, especially if the ride is easy and the weather cool. What I do after every ride, is spray down my helmet, shoes and gloves with rubbing alcohol I keep in a small spray bottle. It kills any bacteria that might grow and cause smell. Finally found a good way to rid my shoes of that funky smell. Also, every once in a while I soak my shoes (yes my good leather Sidi's) in a sink of water with a capful of bleach. I set them outside in the sun (liners pulled out) to dry. Shoes smell like new after!

az_cyclist

I should add I try to rinse off my camelbak every few rides in the summer. It tends to get sweat stains like helmet straps do. I know roadies arent supposed to wear camelbaks.. but I go thru 100+ oz on a 60 mile club ride in the warmer months. Also, since I freeze some water in the resevoir, I have cool water for the entire ride. This is a huge plus in the summer in AZ.

sknhgy 

Thanks. I will give these techniques a try.

Many of my daily rides are made while wearing my usual street/work clothes - which I change everyday. We do wash once/week. If I wear cycling clothes; say padded shorts or jersey, I hang them up after the ride. If I need them again before wash day, I usually wear them, then hang them again. On wash day they get washed. If they are at all funky, I don't wear them. I powder my privates and my feet daily with an anti-fungal.
What's the difference between 2, 20 mile rides several days apart, and one 40 mile ride all in one day?
People don't wash their shoes everytime they wear them. I don't see why you can't wear atheletic gear more than once between uses.

Pamestique 

I think it may depend on the person... and the gender. No woman I know will wear shorts more than once. For good reason. In addition, I sweat, alot. My clothes, even on cool days are wet, soaked through. That means they are also salty and gritty, they need to be rinse at least, between wearings.

Some people just don't sweat or get dirty or don't worry so much about funk!

DnvrFox

I generally take 20-30 mile rides in the EARLY AM - like 6:00 am. Temperatures about 55-58F starting out. It is quite dry here - humidity sometimes at 8%, so if I do sweat, it evaporates quickly. But, I am definitely NOT a sweater - err . . I mean I don't sweat much, not that I am not an article of clothing.

So, back to the previous question. If you take an 80 mile ride, do you stop every 20 miles and wash your bicycling clothes?

Personally, everything being equal, I will wear an outfit for a couple (or maybe 3) 20 milers, sometimes alternating. Everything NOT being equal, I will wash and dry.

There, I fessed up.

rumrunn6

oh you're supposed to wash your stuff? hahaha. come on now really - this stuff gets wet from under your arms and bent over a*s ... how often do you bathe in general? this question really surprises me. heck I won't even let the stuff sit for more than 1 day before I was them, and usually its right after a ride. it's gonna be a hassle once I get a new place w/o the washer dryer right next to shower and bedroom. what a sweet deal I have now except for the current spouse it's perfect!

BlazingPedals

One wearing, then wash. I have enough to go a week or two between wash days, though. I have my own laundry bag for them, so I can wash them instead of making the Good Wife(tm) do them.

Machine wash, regular cycle, cold/cold, then dry on 'knits' setting. My fav pair of shorts is at least 15 years old, and I can still wear every jersey I've ever owned.