Clean Shorts

[CorsairMac]

I guess I don't understand - what is the difference between wearing a pair of shorts say 12 miles, hanging them up and wearing them again the next day?....and wearing one pair of shorts for a 50-100 mile ride? The risk of exposure, and/or whatever else could happen by wearing the same pair of shorts 2 days in a row would - I think - be doubled by wearing that same pair of shorts for a long ride due to increased friction, sweat, exposure, etc. I don't carry extra shorts with me on my commute and I'll do a lunch ride in 90-100+ heat and wear those same shorts for my commute home. I just view it as "resting" the shorts between rides coz on a weekend I would wear 1 pair of shorts for a 50+ mile ride in 90-100+ heat. I guess I don't see the difference but am open to opinions.

[DrBee]

When one considers that research shows that we should not keep our toothbrushes in the same room as our toilet because fecal matter can be found in minute particles in the air up to 1 1/2 metres away after the flush...

I think there was a "MythBusters" episode about that...

[alpinerabbit]

You would not even want to have detailed knowledge of what grows in your oral cavity otherwise, so a few coliforms can't hurt.

[RoadRaven]

Gosh, I always thought 'dingleberry' meant "low-end, cheap" as in a "dingleberry computer" ... my vocabulary grows@!

A dingle-berry (in this context) is a little bit of s**t that has attached itself in a tiny clump to hair/s round the "exit hole"

Down under they are commonly seen on sheep and we call them "dags"

[RoadRaven]

I guess I don't understand - what is the difference between wearing a pair of shorts say 12 miles, hanging them up and wearing them again the next day?....and wearing one pair of shorts for a 50-100 mile ride?

I guess, as always, its personal...

For example, knickers... I wear them only once, whether I have worn them for a few hours or for 14 hours, and then they are in the laundry.
If I have a choice, I wear shorts for the least ammount of time I can, beacuse not only are there "normal" secretions etc but also all the sweat.

I really don't know, Corsair, I just know that given the choice I will wear a pair of shorts for the duration of that ride (whether its 1/2 hour or whether its hours) only once. And as soon as the ride is done, off come the shorts.

[RoadRaven]

I think there was a "MythBusters" episode about that...

LOL... probably - I lurve that programme.

I remember the "5 second rule" with food being tested, and the toilet seat actually grew less yucky things than the other surfaces they tested... it was cleaner to eat off the Mythbusters Workshop toilet seat than from the floors there!

[susanm8048]

I'm suprised that nobody has mentioned the good old " Sniff Test".

Enough said!

[iFKA]

This is little embarrassing but I have no one to ask. So please help, and don't laugh.Two years ago I went on a 2 week ride and of course I couldn't carry many things. The things is... In that period I had my period and I wore tampons but I also sticked one little daily libresse liner on my bike panties cause I haven't had the opportunity to wash it every day . We slept in tents and it was quite ascetic. And I thought it's not harmful cause libresse has it's upper part made out of natural materials and it supposed to breathe.

My question is... is it o.k. to put a daily liner during your period time which I could change more often or is it better to wore just your suit and a tampon although you don't have the opportunity to clean it every day. cause maybe the thing with "liners breathing" is not so as the commercials says.

I need help cause I would also like to go this year on a trip and it's hard to combine free days on work (mine and my boyfriend's) the weather and my period

[doc]

iFKA You have got to get the diva cup (or keeper or moon cup...). Please search for those threads and learn all about them. Or go to divacup.com and keeper.com

Menstrual fluid rinses out of the chamois surprisingly easily. So even if you can't officially wash, can you just rinse your shorts in the evening? Either way I would avoid using a liner. There is no way re-using a liner is more hygienic than just re-using shorts. And you are opening up yourself to the possibility of chafing.

Your trips sound like fun! I think I'm too old and spoiled to really rough-it anymore.

[iFKA]

I haven't re-used the liner I had a whole packet and I've changed the liner every few hours... But thank you for the information about the diva cup

and yes... it is soooooo fun But after you return home you appreciate more simple things like shower, pillow or just being able to sit on the toilet as long as you want

[betagirl]

This is a great thread

I typically am a 1 ride per shorts girl, but have reused shorts where the ride I just did was relatively short. Like, if I ride 15 miles and don't get all sweaty then they're "safe" to me, though it grosses me out a little if I think about it too much. Don't ask me why, maybe I'm a little of a germaphobe. But after a longer ride, forget recycling them. I have also used the wash in the shower technique, typically on RAGBRAI where no washing machines are available and you have to pack somewhat light for the week.

[DebW]

I will also get double duty out of a pair of shorts if the ride wasn't too long and I didn't sweat much.

[AutumnBreez]

I commute to work and when I get there I use my thin portable box of wet wipes (found in baby isle) to clean myself before dressing. Then I use a couple more new wipes and wipe down my chamis pad best I can, because I have to put the stuff back in my bag after getting dressed for work. I have a mesh bag to put the shorts in, then back pack along with sportbra/jersey. I put the shorts back on when commuting back home.

[doc]

I haven't re-used the liner I had a whole packet and I've changed the liner every few hours... But thank you for the information about the diva cup

Ooops. Silly me.

You'll love the diva for these types of trips because you don't have to bring tampons or liners or anything else.

[Lise]

Sorry, L.A. Can't come on here and start attacking our established members. Time to leave and not come back.

Unless....I'm so, so wrong, and you introduce yourself as requested, and turn out to be someone appropriate to post on these boards. Waiting for that.