Cycling Shorts - How many miles between washes?

[Biscuit]

Every day. Once there and once back on the commute. I found bacteria will cause saddle sores otherwise.

 

[Globalti]

Every second ride.

 

[yello]

Silly question, but what's the best flavour of non-anionic surfactant (washing powder to you) to use on Lycra ? Is the supermarket's hand wash powder OK?

Good question. I use a liquid detergent, a generic 'soft and gentle' kind, it may even be a babies clothes variety. There's an ecover one that I sometimes use but it really depends on what's on the shelf in the shop. But I do avoid the regular powder type.

Edit: btw, I wash shorts after every ride. Or rinse/hand wash, if I'm unable to machine wash them for any reason.

 

[BSRU]

As someone who is a recent convert to Lycra, I never knew you were meant to go commando.

 

[Melonfish]

wash as often as possible, we have alot of cyclists in work (which is a good thing) but they leave their unwashed bibs and shorts hung up around the locker room and the smell is Physical its repulsive.
seriously wash as often as possible.

 

[numbnuts]

with all this washing one has to think is cycling all that green

 

[al-fresco]

As someone who is a recent convert to Lycra, I never knew you were meant to go commando.

Me neither! If an item of clothing comes into direct contact with groin or armpits it gets put for the wash after each ride. So that's boxer shorts and tops. My baggy MTB shorts tend to get treated as though they were jeans.

 

[Dave Davenport]

After every ride. Apart from when touring when it depends on whether they can be washed & dried overnight, if not I apply an extra thick layer of sudecrem.

 

[Fiona N]

with all this washing one has to think is cycling all that green

Well frankly I'd hope that tube / train commuters change their shirts and undies everyday too so there's not that much in it. You don't have to put the washing machine on for one pair of cycling shorts any more than you would for one shirt. Besides as many posted have pointed out, handwashing shorts means you can look after them better - I mean do a pair of shorts (or even a full load of shorts) require a full 40 min cycle to fresher them up?

 

[monkeypony]

I know I don't have as many pairs of cycling shorts as I should have considering I use my bike 6 out of 7 days. The materials used these days seem to be very good at wicking away moisture and I seem to be able to go a long distance without them well smelling . I know I should buy some more (waiting for DHB ones at Wiggle in the right size) but does a 150+ miles between washes seem excessive?

How many days do you go without changing your underwear?

Dirty bugger

 

[MacB]

dirty, filthy, disgusting beasts....if it's worn next to the skin, boxers or lycra shorts then change every day at least. Baggy shorts etc can last longer if you're wearing boxers(padded or otherwise) underneath.

It's all about the bacteria that can come back to haunt you as a saddle sore style infection...oh and it stops you being too stinky as well.

If you only have one or two lots of cycle shorts then get more, repeat wearing is the same as repeat wearing of underwear.....it's skanky

 

[rualexander]

Every three or four rides. Not a problem.
Totally unnecessary to wash every ride for males when leisure riding or touring, females and commuters may need/prefer to wash every ride.

 

[ianrauk]

Cycle clothing goes in the wash after every ride.

 

[HLaB]

but does a 150+ miles between washes seem excessive?

Not if you are riding 150+ in one go ;-)

It tends to vary for me after Sundays Etape Caledonia 81 miles they went straight in the wash but I tend to wear them a couple of times on shorter rides if I don't sweat noticeably. I also don't go commando (I wear boxers), if I did I'd almost certainly wash them after every ride.

 

[Chrisz]

After every ride regardless!!