# How often should I wash my bike shorts?? and gloves??



## DirtySanchez (Sep 26, 2011)

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to cycling and have 3 pairs of bike shorts. Is it ok to use them more than once before washing for short rides?? 10-20 mile rides

Also wondering how often I should wash my gloves... I'm riding 80-100 miles a week and wash them once a week

don't know if there are infection or bacteria issues that I should be worrying about

I'm cleaning out my bike once a week

Thanks


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

DirtySanchez said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I'm new to cycling and have 3 pairs of bike shorts. Is it ok to use them more than once before washing for short rides?? 10-20 mile rides
> 
> ...


Young people with thick skin might cheat a few times, but I can't risk it anymore. If I don't keep my chamois clean, I'll get pimples in places that'll put a crimp in my cycling regimen. :biggrin5:

So I wash the shorts out after every ride, summer or winter. Amazing how much dirt comes out of them in the water after only a 15 or 20 mile ride! :shocked: I just throw em in the sink and let em soak while I take a shower. Drip dry. Takes another five minutes. I always have clean shorts for the next ride.

Also wash headsweats and skull caps every ride. Dirty ones give me dandruff.

Gloves? Meh. When they start to smell funky. Sure, about 80-100 miles. Bike clean and chain lube 100-150 miles, depending on what kind of weather it went through.


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## rcjunkie3000 (Sep 5, 2009)

If possible, get extra shorts for everyday of the week. After most rides,I usually throw my gear in laundry along with other items, hang dry and rotate. If it was an easy 20 miles, I dont mind wearing the shorts a second time. I have about 3 pairs of shorts I really like. I use the others when I havent done laundry.

As for gloves i wash mine once a month unless they get really dirty or after a ride in the rain.


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## scirocco (Dec 7, 2010)

Yeah, don't skimp on the glove washing - they can harbour germs and mould and get just as disgusting as any other piece of bike clothing.


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## DL1 (Apr 10, 2007)

I am a bit sceptical that there is any connection between washing cycling clothes (or not washing them) and any sort of health risk.


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## tindrum (Mar 5, 2008)

infection or bacteria with shorts is def. possible.. most common is jock itch, which is fairly gross and uncomfortable. some chamois cream (assos) has some antibacterial properties, but why risk it. I can't afford more than a few pairs of bibs so they get washed often. gloves i don't sweat really, unless i'm using them to wipe a runny nose. my reasoning is the hand have harder. dryer skin and don't seem prone to infection.


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## cyclesport45 (Dec 10, 2007)

Wash shorts after every ride. Your crotch has it tough as it is,


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## hammer.six (Apr 15, 2007)

Relax... Wash them when a stripe appears. Or, just turn them inside out. Why should only one side of your chamois have all the glory of rubbing against your crotch?


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## scottzj (Oct 4, 2010)

I wash mine right after every ride so they are ready next time. Its so frustrating when you are loading up to ride and something isnt clean. Oh and believe me, even if its a short ride you can tell it.....we had a guy that everyone avoided since the stinch was so bad haha.


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## bwhite_4 (Aug 29, 2006)

Depends if you wear your briefs on the inside or outside of the shorts.


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Question: What is the diff between wearing your shorts for a single 6 hour ride and wearing them for four 1.5 hr rides? One difference is they get a chance to dry and air out between the 1.5 hr rides. YMMV


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

tindrum said:


> infection or bacteria with shorts is def. possible.. most common is jock itch, which is fairly gross and uncomfortable. some chamois cream (assos) has some antibacterial properties, but why risk it. I can't afford more than a few pairs of bibs so they get washed often. gloves i don't sweat really, unless i'm using them to wipe a runny nose. my reasoning is the hand have harder. dryer skin and don't seem prone to infection.


however, jock-itch is not a bacterial issue it is fungal, which has zero bearing on the original question at all. I wash my shorts when they are dirty, one ride, or three.......If you are NOT washing them after each ride, make sure you allow them to air out and DRY properly between rides.....putting wet shorts on at 6 o'clock in the morning for another 7 hour ride just plain SUCKS...HOWEVER wet from being washed is far superior to being wet from the sweat and salt absorbing moisture from the air!


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

Wow... never realized it was even a question up for debate. There are some things that just get washed after a single use - socks, underwear, bike shorts, jersey or base layer. I guess personal hygiene is just that - a personal thing. 

Regarding the "What is the diff between wearing your shorts for a single 6 hour ride and wearing them for four 1.5 hr rides?" When you get out of the shower, do you decide if you're going to rewear yesterday's underwear based on how many hours you were awake? 

"Funk" (bacteria, odor, etc.) does not develop in a single 6 hour ride. Over 4 days of 1.5 hour rides, well... give it a shot and see what ya grow down there.


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## Yolajeff (Aug 24, 2011)

I wash my shorts and gloves by how many miles I’ve ridden. Like the original poster I ride 70-100 mi per week. I wash my shorts and gloves every 100 mi or so which is generally about once a week. If I do longer rides they get washed more often. I have never had any butt problems doing this (after about forty years of cycling). I’m actually more concerned about the gloves since I’m always wiping my nose with the glove.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

Let's clarify - you guys are going commando under the shorts, right? And you're wearing them multiple times without washing?


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

OldZaskar said:


> When you get out of the shower, do you decide if you're going to rewear yesterday's underwear based on how many hours you were awake?


Sort of. The decision whether or not to re-wear underwear is complex and depends on a number of factors. This shouldn't be approached lightly however, as it is a learned skill developed over many years of experience living in college dormitories and subsequent post graduate bachelorhood. 



OldZaskar said:


> "Funk" (bacteria, odor, etc.) does not develop in a single 6 hour ride. Over 4 days of 1.5 hour rides, well... give it a shot and see what ya grow down there.


Perhaps. For me, one 6 hr ride generates more funk than four 1.5 hr rides...I suspect this is due to the previously mentioned drying and airing out periods the separate rides provide. A lot probably has to do with an individual's skin chemistry and personal flora as well.


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

Washing my shorts, jersey, socks and gloves after every ride is standard practice for me. I also will spray Ozium air sanitizer inside my sweaty helmet for good measure.


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## Yolajeff (Aug 24, 2011)

OldZaskar said:


> Let's clarify - you guys are going commando under the shorts, right? And you're wearing them multiple times without washing?


Yep, nothing underneath. 20 mi rides for multiple days (four or five rides) with no problems (including smell and I have a good nose). I also wash my helmet pads every two weeks or so to keep it from getting stinky. When younger I did a lot of bike touring (with wool shorts with real chamioux) and would put 500 miles (five days) before washing and again I had no problems. No jock itch, no saddle sores, just a tough butt I guess.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

DL1 said:


> I am a bit sceptical that there is any connection between washing cycling clothes (or not washing them) and any sort of health risk.


your knowledge of microbes is sorely lacking.

ever heard of 'jock itch'?

Tinea cruris - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

This topic is always fun when it comes up!
I'm firmly in the wash shorts/socks/jersey each time I ride camp. I wash helmet pads and gloves every week or two, depending on time of year. 

SHOES are my big question- yes, I dry them, but they don't really get *washed* (except for my CX racing shoes)... and they certainly get sweaty- what do people do for their shoes?


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

I wash shorts after every ride, with this exception: I commute, and I wear the same shorts going home that I wore in the morning. The ride is only 1/2 hour, and I let the shorts air out during the day. I have enough pairs to wear a clean pair each day and then wash them all on the weekend.

I really can't fathom the idea of wearing a pair of cycling shorts for a long ride, letting it sit for a day, and then putting it on for another ride. Letting the germs multiply and then grinding them into your skin again just seems like a bad idea. 

Gloves, I wash when they seem dirty. That depends on conditions. In the heat of summer it might be weekly, but they might go several weeks in cool weather. Same with helmet and pads.


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## DL1 (Apr 10, 2007)

JCavilia said:


> Letting the germs multiply and then grinding them into your skin again just seems like a bad idea.


Agreed, but I know people who have done some pretty extreme tours, where they haven't been able to wash themselves or their clothes for weeks on end, without suffering any skin problems.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

Good grief, is it really that tough to wash your shorts? I have half a dozen pairs of bibs and wash mine after every wearing. Who wants saddle sores? Gloves are a little different--I came of age in the era of leather gloves and was not habituated to washing them...ever. Now I handwash my gloves with a little antibacterial soap every few wearings.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

DL1 said:


> Agreed, but I know people who have done some pretty extreme tours, where they haven't been able to wash themselves or their clothes for weeks on end, without suffering any skin problems.


Undoubtedly true. Skin condition, resistance to infectious agents, immune system performance, etc. vary from one individual to another. The risk of infection for a given individual may be very low. It seems prudent to go the wear-and-wash route, given the low cost, but if circumstances made that difficult, many or most people would probably get away with it most of the time.

I heard some expert on the radio the other day talking about the recent outbreak of listeria infections from cantaloupe. More than a hundred got sick, more than twenty have died (the toll will likely grow). But tens of thousands of people ate bacteria-laden fruit and didn't get sick.


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## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

DL1 said:


> Agreed, but I know people who have done some pretty extreme tours, where they haven't been able to wash themselves or their clothes for weeks on end, without suffering any skin problems.


Nothing is black and white. Always exceptions. I've known friends who have pushed the boundary on everything and survived just fine. Others not so much. I'm sure one could wear the same shorts for multiple rides with no ill effect, but why take the chance? Why ignore basic hygiene in todays world?


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

DL1 said:


> Agreed, but I know people who have done some pretty extreme tours, where they haven't been able to wash themselves or their clothes for weeks on end, without suffering any skin problems.


lots of people have unprotected sex and don't contract an STD.

just roll the dice, see how things work out...


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## Max09 (May 3, 2011)

Oxtox said:


> lots of people have unprotected sex and don't contract an STD.
> 
> just roll the dice, see how things work out...


Oh thats FUNNY. But seriously I wash everything (bibs, jersey, gloves and headband) after every ride including my helmet pads there is nothing worse then the smell of old sweat not to mention the germs...


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## DL1 (Apr 10, 2007)

Oxtox said:


> lots of people have unprotected sex and don't contract an STD.


I dare say there is evidence that what they are doing is unwise.

What I am questioning is whether there is reliable evidence that cycling in unwashed clothing does increase the risk of skin complaints.


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## BlueWheels (Oct 17, 2008)

RRRoubaix said:


> SHOES are my big question- yes, I dry them, but they don't really get *washed* (except for my CX racing shoes)... and they certainly get sweaty- what do people do for their shoes?


I'm pretty curious what people do about this as well. I have never washed my shoes or done anything other than spray them with a de-stinker (febreeze, etc) and anti-bacterial spray. Over time, they seem to get gross at the same pace as they wear out, so I don't really worry about it, but my current shoes seems like they aren't wearing out at all and I want to protect them from funk.

As for shorts, I think I feel the same as the majority seems to. I have no problem wearing the same pair all day long, but at the end of the day, they get cleaned. I am more worried about bacteria and fungus than I am about sweat. Those things take some time to grow, but can get pretty nasty once they set in. It might be worth mentioning that I do clean my shorts to different extents at different times. Most of the time I hand wash in the sink and feel that's good enough, but they do get a good deep cleaning every now and then just because.


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## rose.johnp (Jul 20, 2011)

JCavilia said:


> I wash shorts after every ride, with this exception: I commute, and I wear the same shorts going home that I wore in the morning. The ride is only 1/2 hour, and I let the shorts air out during the day. I have enough pairs to wear a clean pair each day and then wash them all on the weekend.
> 
> I really can't fathom the idea of wearing a pair of cycling shorts for a long ride, letting it sit for a day, and then putting it on for another ride. Letting the germs multiply and then grinding them into your skin again just seems like a bad idea.
> 
> Gloves, I wash when they seem dirty. That depends on conditions. In the heat of summer it might be weekly, but they might go several weeks in cool weather. Same with helmet and pads.


This is exactly what I do too~ And I give the helmet a dunk in soupy water once a week or so as well. My shorts and jersey even stink up my office closet after a 30 min commute on a hot day, I couldn't imagine having to wear it again after the ride home!


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

DL1 said:


> I dare say there is evidence that what they are doing is unwise.
> 
> What I am questioning is whether there is reliable evidence that cycling in unwashed clothing does increase the risk of skin complaints.


either you're being deliberately obtuse or you don't know how to do basic research on the internet.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

DL1 said:


> I dare say there is evidence that what they are doing is unwise.
> 
> What I am questioning is whether there is reliable evidence that cycling in unwashed clothing does increase the risk of skin complaints.


I would be surprised if anyone has done a scientific case-control study (though it's not impossible). 

I would not be surprised if there are multiple anecdotal case studies of this sort: a rider who has had persistent saddle-sore problems finds that the problem clears up after washing habits are changed. 

It certainly seems plausible that there could be a causal relationship, and the cost of taking the prudent approach is negligible. There are also unquestioned benefits of washing (not putting on gross, stinky shorts), but those may be of less value to some individuals.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Just the smell of a pair of damp shorts left for a day to get Funkadelic should be enough to prompt everyone to wash their shorts after every ride. 

Gloves I sometimes leave for 2-3 rides before washing, but if they got sweaty or snotty they go in the wash too.


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

OldZaskar said:


> When you get out of the shower, do you decide if you're going to rewear yesterday's underwear based on how many hours you were awake?


Interesting concept -- never thought about that before!

Seriously, I wash the shorts pretty much every ride. Other stuff, when the mood strikes.


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## mopartodd (Dec 1, 2010)

I usally wash mine after 2 rides, drying them out thoroughly between rides, gloves as well.


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## BAKnine (Oct 10, 2011)

I never thought I would find such comic relief when I joined this forum. Good stuff, had me giggling for a few minutes, made my day. keep it coming.


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## DL1 (Apr 10, 2007)

Oxtox said:


> either you're being deliberately obtuse or you don't know how to do basic research on the internet.


Yup. I'm too stupid to use the internet. I prefer to rely on experience and on what I read in books.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

DL1 said:


> Yup. I'm too stupid to use the internet. I prefer to rely on experience and on what I read in books.


then I suggest _Crotch Rot for Dummies_...


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## Milk-Bone (Jul 10, 2011)

Retro Grouch said:


> Washing my shorts, jersey, socks and gloves after every ride is standard practice for me. I also will spray Ozium air sanitizer inside my sweaty helmet for good measure.


Same here! I can't see not washing them immediately after a ride. I don't know why anyone would want to wear any undergarment more than once before washing it? The thought of it is nauseating.


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## jmitro (Jun 29, 2011)

I'm with OldZaskar......I thought some things just go without saying......LOL

I bet all the posters on this thread are male. There ain't too many women that would be willing to recycle dirty shorts.

Or are there?


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

OldZaskar said:


> Wow... never realized it was even a question up for debate. There are some things that just get washed after a single use - socks, underwear, bike shorts, jersey or base layer. I guess personal hygiene is just that - a personal thing.
> 
> Regarding the "What is the diff between wearing your shorts for a single 6 hour ride and wearing them for four 1.5 hr rides?" When you get out of the shower, do you decide if you're going to rewear yesterday's underwear based on how many hours you were awake?
> 
> "Funk" (bacteria, odor, etc.) does not develop in a single 6 hour ride. Over 4 days of 1.5 hour rides, well... give it a shot and see what ya grow down there.


Exactly. I wash my shorts & jersey after every ride. Gloves, headsweats, arm warmers, leg warmers, maybe once per week depending on how much I wear them.


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## rgg01 (Jun 21, 2011)

tystevens said:


> Interesting concept -- never thought about that before!
> 
> Seriously, I wash the shorts pretty much every ride. Other stuff, when the mood strikes.


Surely everyone uses the sniff test on their underwear to determine the ability to re-use? I have to say I couldn't conceive re-using my bibs or anything else after a proper ride, I mean who dresses up that way to go to the shops? I put out a decent effort, get sweaty and then toss the whole lot in the washing machine.


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## Rogus (Nov 10, 2010)

I've found it best to wash my shorts half way through each ride. Putting them back on afterwards to finish my ride is a bit uncomfortable, but better to be safe than sorry.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Rogus said:


> I've found it best to wash my shorts half way through each ride. Putting them back on afterwards to finish my ride is a bit uncomfortable, but better to be safe than sorry.


Good idea. If you just ride through a car wash you can wash the rest of your kit, your helmet, and your bike at the same time. Don't forget the spray wax to keep that shiny look on your Oakley's.


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## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

rose.johnp said:


> give the helmet a dunk in soupy water once a week or so as well.


Chicken noodle or vegetable beef?


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Beat me to it*



seacoaster said:


> Chicken noodle or vegetable beef?


I really wanted to ask about that. I was thinking minestrone or French onion, to get some of that Euro-pro spirit. Maybe gazpacho if you're the wiry Spanish climber type.


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

seacoaster said:


> Chicken noodle or vegetable beef?


Split pea. Duh.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Cock-a-leekie.


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## seacoaster (May 9, 2010)

qatarbhoy said:


> Cock-a-leekie.


One more reason to wash after every ride!


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

Aren't most of the chamois fabrics made with anti-microbial fibers? I have enough shorts to last me a week, but I've used the same pair twice here and there.


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## The Weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

A large majority of the time after one ride. But there are those times when I am going for a shorter ride, have a 'used' pair laying around, and don't want a second pair to wash. If they've air dried and are not funky, they get used a second time. During warmer months, I try to wash bibs right away to minimize the effects of sweat.

Socks too. Well, wool ones at least.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

The Weasel said:


> A large majority of the time after one ride. But there are those times when I am going for a shorter ride, have a 'used' pair laying around, and don't want a second pair to wash. If they've air dried and are not funky, they get used a second time.


Of course, this advice comes from a rider whose avatar is a turd... 

(And this comment comes from Stimpson J. Cat.  )


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## jlamb (Jan 28, 2011)

I only have 1 pair of bibs, so I bought a small bucket and some woolite. After each ride, I fill the bucket up with hot water and woolite. I then handwash my bibs and gloves. Dump out the bucket and refill with cold water and rinse. I like the woolite cause it is pretty gentle and does not need as much rinsing as other brands. I then let the bibs and gloves dry out in the basement-- ready for the next day. I would rather have more pairs of bibs just havent gotten around to getting more- this is the next best thing to save time and running the washer with one thing in there.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

qatarbhoy said:


> Cock-a-leekie.


Winner!


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## VAMurph (Aug 28, 2010)

After every ride cause I use an abundance of Chamois Butt'r on my paper thin arse. I think if Jock Itch is a problem like it is with me then I'd do the wash after every ride. My dog tries to bury them otherwise.


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

Bibs, jersey and socks after every ride.

Gloves when my hands start to smell like feet.

Helmet stuff - I wait for a good rainstorm.


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## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

So this was the reason I would wear brief's with my shorts, but you guys convinced me to go commando. The only nose test I am doing on shorts is if they are panties. So my answer is, after every ride if you go commando, you can get away with *one* if you wear briefs.

My gloves, they get washed from time to time, but that really starts the dedegredation process of my gloves.


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## scottzj (Oct 4, 2010)

Dont forget those with the cloth Road ID! WOW! There was a lady at the LBS the other day buying a new bike. She was at the counter with me checking out and I smelled some nasty oder coming from her. As I stepped back to gasp for clean air, the manager pointed to his wrist...motioning to hers. Well she left and come to find out her cloth road ID hasnt been washed in quite sometime......talk about nasty! Main reason I got the rubber ones haha.


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## Digger51 (May 12, 2006)

DL1 said:


> I am a bit sceptical that there is any connection between washing cycling clothes (or not washing them) and any sort of health risk.


I hope you are kidding!


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## Digger51 (May 12, 2006)

If you do not want to wash your clothes for yourself then please do it out of courtesy for others. Yes! If you do not wash your clothes you stink.


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## Milk-Bone (Jul 10, 2011)

Tommy Walker said:


> The only nose test I am doing on shorts is if they are panties.


You'll break that habit when you run across a pair that was visited by the Wicked Yeast Beast of the East!!!


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## DL1 (Apr 10, 2007)

Digger51 said:


> I hope you are kidding!


No. I'm quite serious. Nothing in my personal experience indicates there is a connection. Nothing I have heard from other cyclists indicates a connection. And I have never read of any research or anything else that shows there is a connection.


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## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

DL1 said:


> No. I'm quite serious. Nothing in my personal experience indicates there is a connection. Nothing I have heard from other cyclists indicates a connection. And I have never read of any research or anything else that shows there is a connection.


Wow, wouldn't it be true that unwashed clothes would develop bacteria from the moisture from sweating during a lenghty bike ride and at the very least cause jock itch?


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## Stratocruiser (Jan 18, 2010)

One question regarding full-fingered winter cycling gloves. Mine do not have a washing instructions label, and they appear to be partially leather. Wash them anyway? I assume all current bicycling gloves on the market were intended to be washed, right?


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## Cyclin Dan (Sep 24, 2011)

Man, this thread was hilarious to read. Comedy gold.

For me...I wash my bibs/jersey after every ride. Gloves...not that often...it really wears them out.

Helmet pads? I don't ever wash just them...but I do throw my entire helmet in the dishwasher a couple times a month.


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## eychow (Jul 8, 2011)

wash everything after every ride
your sweat and other stuff will eat through the fabric
plus it's not sanitary


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## robc in wi (Sep 8, 2011)

My first "real" pair of shorts were some Descente shorts ($70 in 1983) that had cow hide or some other animal for the chamois. You gently hand washed it once in a while, then wiped vasoline or whatever so it wouldn't get hard as a stone. I have several pairs of shorts but only one good pair of Pearl Izumis that I got as a Christmas gift and they get air dried after rides and if they don't pass the smell test or skid mark test they get washed and then air dried. I ride 150-200 miles a week during the summer months and my shorts just don't get that funky, even with fast group rides. I can't afford a new pair of shorts every few months from washing them after every ride and having them disintegrate. Just suck wheel in the fast group rides and no one will know. Cycling is expensive enough without replacing clothes every year.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Re: shoes-I remove the insoles then put the shoes & the insoles in the washer. There's almost no leather on today's cycling shoes, and if there is any washing won't hurt it. When they're finished I put them in the dryer on low heat. They make a helluva racket so you might want to leave the house, take a walk, run an errand or 2 while they're being cleaned. It also helps if you put a large load of rags, old towels, or blankets in with them. Cuts down on the noise. Your shoes will come out looking & smelling great.


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

jlamb said:


> I only have 1 pair of bibs, so I bought a small bucket and some woolite. After each ride, I fill the bucket up with hot water and woolite. I then handwash my bibs and gloves. Dump out the bucket and refill with cold water and rinse. I like the woolite cause it is pretty gentle and does not need as much rinsing as other brands. I then let the bibs and gloves dry out in the basement-- ready for the next day. I would rather have more pairs of bibs just havent gotten around to getting more- this is the next best thing to save time and running the washer with one thing in there.


Do you mix the laundry with a wooden stick over a flame?

1955 called, it said there is a better way to wash clothes.


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

Wash shorts and jersey after every ride people. My only exception is on my commute to work – I let my shorts air dry in my locker during the day.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

now I know why sometimes being in a pace line stinks.


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## trek21_wash (Oct 22, 2011)

*At first I was laughing....*

then not so much...Anyhow just getting my 5 posts so I can be a Man on my own mission.....

The hint is in the name I bought my Trek 2.1 today....having 2nd thoughts....

Promise I was shorts after every ride....well unless I don't have any clean ones before the next ride...


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

Tommy Walker said:


> Wow, wouldn't it be true that unwashed clothes would develop bacteria from the moisture from sweating during a lenghty bike ride and at the very least cause jock itch?


No, it wouldn't. Within reason, the frequency with which you "should" wash your clothes (any clothes) is dictated mostly by cultural conventions. Yes, there will be bacteria in your clothes, but these will be there from the moment you wear them, and your skin is perfectly capable of dealing with the bacteria that develop under _normal_ circumstances. No reason to peddle silly scare stories.

And, no, personally I am not OCD enough to wash my stuff after every ride, and I have never developed any kind of bacterial or fungal skin infection in my life, and that's been a while...


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Stratocruiser said:


> One question regarding full-fingered winter cycling gloves. Mine do not have a washing instructions label, and they appear to be partially leather. Wash them anyway? I assume all current bicycling gloves on the market were intended to be washed, right?


If it's real leather, *do not* wash them in the machine. Handwash only. Gloves with Clarino palms (like a soft leather material) can be machine-washed, however.

I machine-washed some Adidas leather-palmed gloves and they shrivelled and went hard (oo-er!). They're still wearable as sweat softens them up but it was a dumb error.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

LOL! I still find it hard to believe that somebody actually asked this question.


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