drying clothes on tour.
 

I'm doing my first light tour this summer. Although we are staying in hotels and stuff there are no laundromats in Korea and people there don't use clothes dryers. It's only a week but I don't have and don't want to carry a week's worth of cycling clothes. I read once that a lot of people bring 3 sets of shorts and dry them on the bike rack. How do you fasten them to the rack? The only thing I can think of are clothes pins. Do you do the same thing with jerseys or just wear them a bit damp? I like to wear thick hiking socks while cycling even in the summer, they seem to protect my feet. So I guess washing socks will be impossible. I have a brooks with spings so as a last resort I could just bring normal shorts. Can some of you guys tell me what you do?

Thanks

Hang wet stuff all over the hotel room overnight.

While riding, attach wet stuff to the bike rack/load with bungee cords. I slip stuff under the bungee cords I use to secure my tent and sleeping pad to the rear rack.

What scroca said plus pick clothes that dry quickly and are comfy when damp. That goes for jerseys, shorts, and socks too. I find that some synthetic socks dry very quickly and are reasonably comfy when damp any way. Others are not so good that way, find what works for you. I like the low cut poly Under Armor socks that come 4 pairs for about $13, but I don't know if they are available where you are. Shoes that don't soak up much water and have plenty of mesh are ideal since they allow socks to dry while you are wearing them.

I avoid cotton at all costs and am not crazy about wool either, but a lot of riders swear by wool.

Drying clothes when camping isn't usually much of an issue when camping. When staying in a room it is even less so.

Three sets of clothes seems excessive. I have two sets of on bike clothes and one for off bike, but can get by with one set of bike clothes if I have to.

Edit: I forgot to mention... In the rain I put damp clothes under a pannier flap to dry.

If the hotel has a heater or fan or even an open window, hang the clothes near the heater, fan, or open window ... much like you'd do at home. Here in Australia many/most people don't use clothes dryers either.

When I hang my quick drying clothes on the line outside or on the drying rack inside, they are usually dry within a few hours.

If a few articles of clothing are not dry by morning, attach them to the panniers using the straps and cords on the outside of the pannier.

These are a newer version of my panniers. Mine, unfortunately don't have the cords on top which would work great for doing a final dry while cycling. But they do have the cinch straps to hold things on the outside of the pannier, and mine have a mesh pocket which can also be used to dry things. As you look closely at these, you'll be able to see lots of places to tuck and hang stuff ... now check out your panniers and see what options you have.

http://www.axiomgear.com/img/prod/lasalle-dlx-1.jpg

For on bike I usually take two pair of shorts, one pair of tights (the type that goes over shorts) (depending on weather), one long sleeve jersey, three short sleeve jerseys. I'd take 2 jerseys but I like all 3 as they show my home city and nearby city. I have been stopped as far away as Italy by people that either lived there or knew the city.

Off bike depending on how I feel, I might take one or two pants and shirts.

I spot clean my off bike clothes at hotel or campsite and do a proper cleaning and drying at a laundromat. I take a pair of shorts and t-shirt to sleep in and change into that when washing clothes.

On bike clothes I rinse out as soon as I get the the room or campsite. I wring them out as much as possible and allow them to hang dry. In a hotel, after a shower I roll my clothes in the towel. You can always use the hair dryer too.


Next day if clothes are still damp I but them under straps on my pannier. Straps can be feed through the holes in the leggings or arm holes to be sure they don't slip out.

Off bike pants, I use those zip off pants so I can have shorts and long pants.

I'll take a sweatshirt if needed and reluctantly use it for both on and off bike.

Roll damp clothes in a towel and hang to dry.
On the bike I use a nylon mesh stuffsack, tied to the top. Be careful of dust and dirt settling on damp shorts.

If the hotels you're staying in have radiant heaters (not just the ones built into the floor - I've been to Korea!) bring a line and pins to hang your drying clothes. You should ring them out first by rolling them up in dry towels. Also as Pete said, use synthetic fabrics. I'd go only with one change of clothing.

I'm sorry what do you guys mean by roll them in towels? Do you mean wring them once then wring them again in a dry towel, then hang normally?

Yes ring them out thoroughly! If you have someone to help it is much easier as a two person job. Hang them a big (if you have time) then roll them in a towel before you go to bed. I have not tried to hang them after rolling but that might work two.

You could always experiment at home and see what works best.


I also take a length of rope that I use to tie up my bike box for shipping. It doubles as a clothes line while on tour.

I use Merino Wool for almost every bit of clothing I wear. Insulates well, holds up to serious wear and tear and doesn't ned to be washed every day. Dries ultra fast as well.

When I do need to dry things I have a cargo netting that goes over my rear trunk bag which turns into a little clothesline. I either loop underwear through a biner so I don't lose it, socks I weave in and out of the netting as well. Doesn't take much time to stop and flip it around, and I'm sure it is going to be dry before I stop for the day to unpack tent/sleeping bag. Unless it rains, and then I just try the whole affair over again the next day.

+1 Wringing out in a towel works. Roll the clothes up in the towel, stand on one end and wring. While rolled tight run hand down towel to remove the water. Watch how hard you do it because you can ruin a towel this way. Standard backpack Europe clothes drying 101.

This method works for shorts in areas of high humidity or when they need to be dried in a hurry. However, it takes an incandescent bulb, not one of the compact fluorescents bulbs to produce heat.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...DSCN1227-1.jpg

An improvised clothesline works in motels and campgrounds. Hand wash and hang.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...PICT4046-1.jpg

Up side to wool is that it is much better keeping you warm when wet. Use the towel as a wringer then hang to dry. I line dry all of my clothes (even at home). As long as they are wrung out well it doesn't take that much time. Lamps pictured are good as long as the clothes are only damp - wet and you are asking for trouble and DON'T let them touch the bulb.

Wring out the clothes gently, lay on a towel, roll up and press firmly. There is no need for aggressive wringing, this can stretch or damage some clothing.

thanks for all the tips. I was kind of embarrassed to ask at my age. I still don't have a good way to put them on my rack. I need some straps or something. All I have is a net that's too big. Unfortunately my panniers don't have cords on top. I use super Cs. One of these might help: http://www.citybike.co.kr/front/php/...isplay_group=1

On the bike I prefer putting stuff on the front panniers instead of rear, I think there is less dust up front. I also have dried small items hanging them in front of my handlebar bag.

I do what others do. I hand wash the day's bike clothing in the shower after the ride. I hang them up in my campsite overnight. They're often still damp in the morning. I drape them over my panniers and secure them with the bungees that are always over my load. If it's raining I don't wash them. I don't mind wearing dirty clothes at least once - twice in a pinch. I keep wearing my non-cycling clothes until I get to a place with a washer/dryer - either a motel or a laundromat.

I met a woman who took a flag - like the ones on the back of Bob trailers - and bungeed it horizontally on top of her load in back. The flag stuck out to the left, adding discouragement to anyone who might be tempted to pass too close. On both sides she had little clothespins, and would pin her socks to it to dry during the day. It made quite a picture when I rode behind her!