oh so shallow.. but what the heck to do you do with your hair?

[mizzbananie]

i have lots of mid-length fine, curly hair.. and commute about 15kms to work. mostly rolling hills, and one longgggg steep hill. by the time i get to work, my hair is plastered to my head and sweaty. this spring/summer has been one continuous bad hair day.

do you have any suggestions?

woops on the title.. apparently i cannot proof read.

[HillSlugger]

I have a shower available at work.

[shootingstar]

Guess it depends mizzie how much you will get into commuting daily and how much cycling is part of your daily routine in general.

Some of us ..over the years from learning and cycling lots for a number of years..learn to have a shorter haircut.

I have found a haircut which looks ok after a ride and when I need to freshen up and change into something nicer. I have straight hair which requires a haircut that gives abit more shape and volume. Haircut is short enough that it leaves part of my lower earlobes visible and I have shaped hair layers all over. But right now, it's abit too long, that my bangs fall into my eyes. In the past..I actually used to bring in a curling iron.. But I haven't done this in the past 8 yrs. of cycling-commuting. Ah, what we do for vanity!

I gave up on shoulder length and longer hair when I turned 19. I'm 50 and it seems my hair cut style gets abit shorter every 5 yrs. or ao.. :p I do use a tiny bit of mousse when I blowdry hair after showering at home.

I actually have never showered at any workplace ..and I have cycled commuted regularily to work for past 15+ years. Depending on the employer and their location, my cycling ride have been approx. 12-16 kms. 1 way.

Yea, I'm wierd, but haven't worried about it.

N.B.: There are certain hair styles I would love to have and I know I might look abit better. But with cycling /helmet, it would be difficult to maintain to have the style looking continuously chic and sharp. But given the choice of a gorgeous hairstyle every day vs. a more fit body from regular cycling (and feeling healthier), I will choose the latter immediately first. To me, a very tiny sacrifice for long-term gains in terms of my health. A fit body will outshine any haircut...any time.

[lph]

I have shoulder-length curly fine hair too. I shower at work, but if I didn't have a shower I think I'd be fine with just running wet fingers through my hair several times and letting it air dry, adding some light gel to settle the frizz. But I have the kind of workplace where I could arrive just wearing a Buff and leave it in if I wanted to.

No, not just a Buff. You know what I mean. :rolleyes:

[OakLeaf]

Years ago I had a butane curling iron for touch-ups when I'd go to hearings on my motorcycle and there were no electrical outlets near the mirrors in the restroom. I don't know if they still make those.

You can wash your hair in the sink, if the restrooms aren't too gross at your workplace. Dunking your head in cool water will help the rest of you stop sweating, too. Keep a hair dryer, and whatever other tools and products you need, either at your desk or in the restroom if it's the kind of place where you can do that.

[Medianox]

I have long straight very fine hair that reaches past my tailbone and I keep it in a single braid down my back to ride. When I get to work, I unbraid, brush, fluff and clip it in some kind of bun. There is a shower at work but usually I clean up with baby wipes or at the sink...my hair dries quicky (a hair dryer stashed in a locker would be good though) and in a few minutes you can't tell I rode to work.
Short hair, depending on the style, could be easier to maintain I guess, but my hair doesn't suffer too much from being under a helmet and a little sweaty since its straight and pretty flat anyway-lol! If you had hair that reacted to humidity by getting frizzy you may have more of a problem
I wash my hair in the evening when I get home then and I'm ready to go in the morning.
Good luck!

[Becky]

I'm probably not the best person to ask.... I cut my hair very very short when I began commuting by bike :D

[Jolt]

I have long straight very fine hair that reaches past my tailbone and I keep it in a single braid down my back to ride. When I get to work, I unbraid, brush, fluff and clip it in some kind of bun. There is a shower at work but usually I clean up with baby wipes or at the sink...my hair dries quicky (a hair dryer stashed in a locker would be good though) and in a few minutes you can't tell I rode to work.
Short hair, depending on the style, could be easier to maintain I guess, but my hair doesn't suffer too much from being under a helmet and a little sweaty since its straight and pretty flat anyway-lol! If you had hair that reacted to humidity by getting frizzy you may have more of a problem
I wash my hair in the evening when I get home then and I'm ready to go in the morning.
Good luck!

I have long (all one length) hair as well and I find that it's actually easier to have it look decent after being under a helmet than when it was really short (because when it was short it would get really flat from the helmet). I generally just put it in a low ponytail and it doesn't look much different after riding--if I want to make it look a little nicer I can put it in a bun once at my destination. The other nice thing is that I don't have to keep getting haircuts every six weeks--just the occasional trim to clean up split ends.

[Eden]

I'm also lucky enough to have a shower at work - but I actually grew my hair longer when I started cycling more..... It would get so messy looking when it was short, but longer (I have curly hair too) I can at least put it in a pony tail and not look too bad.

[malkin]

My hair looks pretty stupid all the time whether it's been in a helmet or not.

[Medianox]

I have long (all one length) hair as well and I find that it's actually easier to have it look decent after being under a helmet than when it was really short (because when it was short it would get really flat from the helmet). I generally just put it in a low ponytail and it doesn't look much different after riding--if I want to make it look a little nicer I can put it in a bun once at my destination. The other nice thing is that I don't have to keep getting haircuts every six weeks--just the occasional trim to clean up split ends.

I agree! When I had short hair I was miserable since I had to wash and style it (using a bunch of stuff) to get it to look good...I had to wash it everyday too to get all that gunk out of it just to start over again. There are people that look great with super short hair that doesn't require all that of course, but it just never worked for me. I had chin length hair 4 years ago and I haven't cut it since! It is all one length and I just bun it or braid it and go...it always looks acceptable. Because it is straight and basically flat, being under the helmet doesn't seem to hurt it...it just gets a little damp.
:)
ps...I saw your sig....lol I'm an RN working ICU :)

[Jen72]

I refuse to remove my helmet when I'm out cycling. My hair looks like crap since it gets soaked with sweat. I'm always amazed when other women take a rest and pull of their helmets and their hair looks halfway decent. I couldn't commute to work on bike unless they did have a shower so I could get completely ready there.

[GLC1968]

I have a shower at work, luckily.

I have had both super short (right now it's less than an inch long) and super long (braid down my back) hair while biking. Personally, I look better with long hair. A helmet does NOTHING to my hair when its long since my hair is both curly and thick. In fact, nothing does much to my hair when it's long, even me! It's got a mind of it's own and I'm just along for the ride. ;) The problem for me was that it was HOT and that my helmet always felt too tight.

Now that my hair is super short, it looks ridiculous when I take off my helmet, but one or two handfuls of water through it and it's passable. It's way cooler feeling though, and I'll take that over how I look any day.

[Crankin]

I also have hair that looks awful when I take the helmet off. Up until last fall, I had a pixie with spiky stuff on the top. When I commuted, I showered and washed my hair before my AM commute and then just re-wet it and applied a bit of gel when I got to work. No shower, just wipes or soap and a wash cloth.
When I quit work, I grew my hair. It was chin length, with bangs falling about half way down my face. In addition to having to have it straightened, i had to use a blow dryer and flat iron, after years of having to do nothing. My hair is not curly in the traditional sense; it's twisty, bendy, wavy, and frizzy. When the cycling season started this year, I tried to deal with it, but despite cycling caps and buffs, I hated it.
So, I cut it off again, but I still have shorter side bangs and a little height on top, not spiked. I can let it dry naturally, but I still have to use the flat iron on my bangs. Otherwise, they curl up in a backwards C. I am *so* tempted to spike it again, but what I have now is much more flattering. I can't commute to my internship this coming school year or the next, but when I get a job after graduation, I do hope to commute again. And when I do, my hair style will have to adapt to my commuting.

[Fontinalis]

I found that for me, what helps keep the sweat off my hair is a headband, the kind that is quite generous, cotton, with some stretchy fiber in it. It does push my hair back a bit, under the helmet, and the sweat, if any, seems to be absorb by the headband. Once I take the headband off, at work, I can comb or brush my hair, and it doesn't look as bad as if I didn't use the headband. I often make a headband with a cotton scarf. That works just fine too. In my case, since I commute in more northern latitudes, the headband also helps protect my ears from the cold wind factor, since the helmet is vented and at time my ears will get quite cold.
The other solution I have is that I bring a towel and shampoo, and I will wash my hair over a sink, at work, and then dry them. It takes not even 5 minutes, and I have then no worries about bad hair.
I hope all this helps.
Lucky are the ones who can shower at work!

[Jolt]

ps...I saw your sig....lol I'm an RN working ICU :)

In that case, it figures you'd appreciate that kind of humor! I'm an RN as well, currently working on a dementia floor in a nursing home b/c that is all I could find as a new grad last year and I am STILL trying to get into the hospital (I do NOT belong in long-term care!). How do you like the ICU? I am hoping to work cardiac or ER.

[KnottedYet]

I'm probably not the best person to ask.... I cut my hair very very short when I began commuting by bike :D

Me, too. At least, short-er.

Baby-fine, very thin, and dead straight. Fluff it up with my fingers and it's good to go and actually has some BODY for once!

Bandanas are good: full coverage for really bad hair, headband for passable hair. I love my bandanas (I have more of them than I have bikes, even!)

[Becky]

Your hair sounds exactly like mine, Knott!

[Laterider21958]

I've not been able to find a resolution to the hairstyle/helmet hair problem and have resorted to walking to work instead. Only have to go just over 2kms each way and takes only 25 minutes of fast walking. My hair is much like Oprah's natural curl and volume, and if I pull it straight it would reach about 2 inches above my waist. I keep it up in a French roll while at work - just to keep it under control. Some days it goes up easily and on others it fights me, so riding with hair down and then trying to tame it at work could take up too much time. Hence the walking. If only there was a helmet designed for "up-do's".

[shootingstar]

I've not been able to find a resolution to the hairstyle/helmet hair problem and have resorted to walking to work instead. Only have to go just over 2kms each way and takes only 25 minutes of fast walking. My hair is much like Oprah's natural curl and volume, and if I pull it straight it would reach about 2 inches above my waist. I keep it up in a French roll while at work - just to keep it under control. Some days it goes up easily and on others it fights me, so riding with hair down and then trying to tame it at work could take up too much time. Hence the walking. If only there was a helmet designed for "up-do's".

True for that commuting distance one can walk easily..but unlike you when one of my previous jobs was same distance one-way from home (2 kms.), I quintupled my cycling distance with a 9% hill for workout, on my way to work deliberately just so I could get some fitness mileage. :) I deliberately added that hill in my route. :)


Jenn72: I refuse to remove my helmet when I'm out cycling. My hair looks like crap since it gets soaked with sweat. I'm always amazed when other women take a rest and pull of their helmets and their hair looks halfway decent. I couldn't commute to work on bike unless they did have a shower so I could get completely ready there

How about: some of us don't care what we look like when taking off helmet after a ride. :) I usually got into work earlier than the regular start time because I had to change etc. So not that many people even saw me regularily, with messy hair but..glowing in the face.

I worked for several employers where there were alot of men in the organization or senior managers saw me. Plus all the dressed up women. I did have various jobs where also there was a dress code where I had to wear business attire, jacket, dress shoes, etc. when I did cycle-commute.

You may be surprised: They will respect you a great deal for being committed to regular daily fitness. I had a number of employees express approval or it resulted in them asking me about more about cycling. Obviously they don't see /care about the sweat because I myself cleaned up. Yes, several directly attributed my regular cycling to my weight control in a positive manner. I even was introduced to an organization by email to all 400 employees that I cycled to work regularily.

I am intrigued though....obviously there maybe alot more women out there who just won't cycle regularily because of helmet hair. How unfortunate. Please look beyond and not worry so much.

My health/fitness is worth 20x times more to me than how my hairstyle looks. I credit regular cycling for keeping my weight the same as ...25 years ago when I wasn't cycling at all. It has been the only way for me to fit in regular fitness activity that served as transportation too, during long days of work and little evening hrs. left.

Thank God for cycle-commuting. (and other types of cycling done over the years).

And I agree for some women, long hair in ponytail/1 braid works. I just don't look good in long hair anymore...long hair on some women's faces....accentuates aging (lines, any time when not enough sleep, etc.).

[Crankin]

Well, I totally understand how someone would not want to take her helmet off. If you have straight hair, you can't imagine how having frizzy, clown like hair can truly invoke the meaning of "bad hair day." I never cared if someone saw me when I got into work early, for all of the reasons you stated, Shootingstar, but, also because it took me about five minutes to clean myself up and do my very short, spiky hair.
I sweat profusely and also am envious of anyone who looks like haven't exerted any energy after a 50 mile ride or a long/steep climb. I sweat when it's hot out and I sweat when it's cold out. Once my hair gets wet, that's it. I have side bangs now and it is not nice... I went to the beach today and by the time I got home I had a matted head of frizz, with my bangs curling backwards. I actually see my sweating as a badge of work, but I sure don't like looking like I stuck my finger in a socket. If that's vain, well... my DH and my riding buddies don't sweat like this, or at least their hair looks the same as usual when they finish a ride.

[shootingstar]

My dearie tells me, that he hears alot of complaints about helmet hair from some women as it relates to getting more people (including women) to cycle. I do agree with him and others here, that naturally curly hair causes problems.

But doubtful that a guy even thinks about this..at all. And some guys have a real mop of curly hair also.

Things always look greener on the other side of the fence. How much I wanted to have naturally wavy hair when I was young. Here I am tonight ...at around 6:30 pm after a 10 min. cycle. Earlier today at 7:30 am I went for a 42 kms. cycle, went grocery shopping with my helmet off and on. Then after some computer work at home, then I spent 3 hrs. lifting dusty boxes before evening mini-bike ride.

Meanwhile no shower nor brushing of hair since 7:00 am. --or past 12 hrs. (Helps that I live with dearie who is a cyclist also.)
Will be getting a haircut next wk., hair too "long" for me. :p My hair has grown 4+ inches since early May.

2nd photo shows my backward cowlick...which causes a natural hair split..according to hair stylist. One thing I strongly recommend to anyone: make sure you find and keep a skilled, precision-cut hairstylist..this is why back of hair looks good with no brushing for many hours and vigorous activity, every hair strand cut in a way to fall naturally into place...even after taking off helmet.

[OakLeaf]

One thing I strongly recommend to anyone: make sure you find and keep a skilled, precision-cut hairstylist.

+ a million!!!!

Like yours, my haircut looks simple, but when I moved I learned the hard way that it takes a lot of skill to cut. I'm on my sixth stylist now, and I've stuck with him despite a lot of problems just because I wanted a break from haircuts that left me in tears (really, I'm not one who cares a lot about my appearance, especially now that I'm not working, but five stylists in a row left me looking truly hideous).

[lph]

Here I am tonight ...at around 6:30 pm after a 10 min. cycle. Earlier today at 7:30 am I went for a 42 kms. cycle, went grocery shopping with my helmet off and on. Then after some computer work at home, then I spent 3 hrs. lifting dusty boxes before evening mini-bike ride.

Ok. There is no way in hell my hair would look anything like this good after that. Not that I don't usually look like a hobbit, but at least it's curly all over. After a ride where I sweat it's flat on top, parted in the middle, Art Garfunkle-style curly hair on the rest. No, I'm not posting pics ;)

[Crankin]

I'd be happy if my hair was actually curly. But, to put it bluntly, I have ugly Jewish wavy, frizzy hair. It's OK for me to say that :). I do have an excellent stylist. It takes her 45 minutes to cut my hair. But, unless I cut the top off again, which just looks too masculine for me, this is it. I had a perm for like 20 years, so I could deal with it, and then I just wanted to stop having to have a perm. My hair is fine, as long as I have time to let it dry naturally for awhile (30 minutes), quickly blow out the side bangs, and then run the flat iron over them. Once I sweat, it's over.
Naturally, this has not stopped me from riding at all. If I was commuting now, I guess I'd have to have a flat iron at work. But, it still amazes me that some people look as good as they do after riding. Shootingstar, your picture looks like my "before" picture.

[Selkie]

Ok.... After a ride where I sweat it's flat on top, parted in the middle, Art Garfunkle-style curly hair on the rest. No, I'm not posting pics ;)

Oh please, do! "Hello darkness my old friend... " LOL

My hair looks like shite after wearing my helmet---doesn't matter the length and frankly, I don't care. The only person I want to impress is my husband and trust me, he wouldn't notice how it looked (LOL :D -- it'll be 21 years since we eloped this Saturday). I always wear a buff on my head under my helmet (mops up sweat, keeps me warm in cold weather, etc).

I have fine, curly/wavy hair. Since I started swimming, I cut it short. Think it looks bad after being in a helmet? You should see it after I take off my swim cap following an hour in the pool! That's why I keep a baseball cap in my swim gear bag.

[shootingstar]

Like yours, my haircut looks simple, but when I moved I learned the hard way that it takes a lot of skill to cut. I'm on my sixth stylist now, and I've stuck with him despite a lot of problems just because I wanted a break from haircuts that left me in tears (really, I'm not one who cares a lot about my appearance, especially now that I'm not working, but five stylists in a row left me looking truly hideous).

Hope you find someone in the end, that is super-good, not just good. It's costly to try different stylists and to live with their mistakes for awhile/try to grow out one's hair for the next stylist.

You're right -- a simple-looking style is actually layers all over the head to give it abit of shape and (small) amount of volume. Alot of women I know with dead straight hair just live with the reality of flattish looking hair ...unless they get a perm or spiky/pixie cut. Which is what my cut was this past May. My entire ears were shown, it was that short. Having 1 hair colour and straight hair means that a cutting error where there is millimetre difference on left vs. right hand side of cut, becomes noticeable, even annoying over time.

At beginning, I do specify to hair stylist that it must be a cut that I can manage in less than 5 min., and will grow out still looking decent over 3-4 months (not 6 wks.) with bike helmet use. I bike to the hair salon..and bike slowly back with the helmet on. She knows all this and more so when I show up at the salon in cycling wear. This makes her not deviate too far because of cycling helmet reality. :p:o It still works...:)

[spazzdog]

So, this is the thing I used when I had my motorcycle. It kept the "helmet head" look to a minimum AND kept the inside of the motorcycle helmet clean. It's coolmax so not hot to wear, breathable, wicks the sweat away, etc.

I joking referred to it as my Quaker hat because the one I had had ear flaps.

This one is more a skull cap and you can velcro it in your helmet.

http://www.cbxmanmotorcycles.com/Brosh-Cool-Max-Reg-Motorcycle-Helmet-Liner.aspx

[GLC1968]

holy cow, shootingstar - If I could get my hair to look that good walking out of a salon, I'd be amazed! Never mind after hours of activity! ;)

[cylegoddess]

shooting star, wow you have great legs too! You could be a shorts model

I have long straight fine hair, and it pretty much looks crap no matter what I do:confused: so I just wash it at the gym, before I go to work and lucky, we have showers to( but cant use them on my early days, sadly.)
Also , maybe you could try ladies, that dry shampoo that famous people get used on by hairdressers . It is used without water and seems to fluff up hair.

I also love bandannas!!

[evangundy]

My stylist is/was a champion barber and has taught at schools. He has said that too many people over the years have only learned to cut "the latest look" even though it might take 1/2 hour of gels and blowing and curling, etc to get it to look that way. He always taught that a good haircut looks good no matter what you do to it - let it dry natural, blow dry, curl, gel, style, whatever. It shouldn't look good, "only one way". I keep mine really short, but only get it cut every 3 or 4 months, not 6 weeks. This was taken a couple weeks ago, and I'm overdue for a haircut. Hair washed Friday a.m., this pic taken Saturday morning and after 1/2 hour ride.
Edna
ps: it helps that my stylist is one of my best friends and a fellow cyclist, so he understands helmet hair.

[OakLeaf]

I can't say I envy slow-growing hair... but my hair cut is so similar to Edna's and shootingstar's, and four weeks is really pushing it for me. It's so thick and coarse that it turns into a complete mop. My stylist does much more thinning than shortening when I get it cut.

PS - Edna, you look great! Love the jersey, too. :)

[indigoiis]

I have fine, but a lot of, wavy hair with gray which is courser. I have found that if I part it far to one side, barrette off the bangs, sweep back from the crown the rest into a low ponytail/bun, then throw on the helmet, it looks good when I take the helmet off.

I also have a middle cowlick which throws off the far side part, but using the barrette helps. I can't part my hair in the middle because it makes my nose look huge.

[Crankin]

I'm with Oakleaf. After 4 weeks my short hair needs a cut. And if I let my hair just air dry, my bangs would be, flipped, curved, ugly, and overall not looking the way I want them to. When my hair was super super short, I could do this, but I just feel that I look better with a little bit more hair on my face.
Going to try the barrette thing this morning, since I am riding to an appointment.

[shootingstar]

He always taught that a good haircut looks good no matter what you do to it - let it dry natural, blow dry, curl, gel, style, whatever. It shouldn't look good, "only one way". I keep mine really short, but only get it cut every 3 or 4 months, not 6 weeks. This was taken a couple weeks ago, and I'm overdue for a haircut. Hair washed Friday a.m., this pic taken Saturday morning and after 1/2 hour ride.
Edna


+++1 for your champion stylist's friends opinion. You look absolutely great ...and alive/happy Edna in that cut. Well I suppose you need a cut but to me, it doesn't quite look it. However owner of haircut always knows best. :)

My stylist has shown me some cool stuff to do falling in 1-5 min., with 3-4 different looks. But am such a lazy bird. However some of this stuff works only within 1-2 months after the haircut.

Oakleaf & Crankin: 4 wks. only for your haircut? :eek: I'm such a cheapo. :eek:

Gettin' a cut today before flying out next wk. to see family not seen for past few years.

NB: cyclegoddess, re the shorts model: Thx for compliment, but I would fail the test. I'm only 5'1". No one is interested in legs that short.

[evangundy]

Oakleaf, my hair is thick and course too, he thins mine every other haircut. And the jersey is one of my favorites - I'm going to be bummed when I've lost enough weight that it's too big - might have to take it in.

Shootingstar, me too - I know different ways to style it, but end up just blow drying or letting dry natural. I don't like to spend much time on it.

And back on topic, I'm one of the lucky ones that can shower at work, even though no one really minds if you don't. September is the annual BTA Bike Commute Challenge, so I hope to get back in the habit again.http://bikecommutechallenge.com/

Edna