Question about bike shorts and commuting...

[GLC1968]

I think I need to explain myself a bit better.

Up until the past two commutes, I have always used Assos chamois cream. It's wet and kind of slimy and then it mixes with sweat (and perhaps other bodily fluids). If I were to leave the shorts hanging in a locker for 8 hours, I figured it would either be super stinky, extra slimy or worse...hard. The thought of pulling that up against my naked privates is very unappealing. It's bad enough when I have to pee at mile 75 of a century...I didn't want to have to do it every damn day unless there was no other option.

I don't bike with any other women whom I could ask...and men are obviously structured a little different down there!

For whatever reason, it never occured to me that I could just skip the cream. Now I get it...and no, it's not gross to wear bike shorts for two consecutive commutes when the chamois isn't saturated with stuff! I appreciate all the info...you learn something new every day.

[Geonz]

Okay, now it makes sense :-)

Happy slime-skipping commutes!! See how long it takes you to get to a "commiting century" - 100 trips!

[Tater]

Happy slime-skipping commutes!! See how long it takes you to get to a "commiting century" - 100 trips!

Woo-hoo! I am over a century. I will have to count the rest of the days in the year to see if I can squeeze out a double, though!

[Veronica]

Woo-hoo! I am over a century. I will have to count the rest of the days in the year to see if I can squeeze out a double, though!

Hey no fair. I don't work 200 days. I have commuted 106 days this calendar year. Not bad when you consider I have the summer off.

V.

[Tater]

Hey no fair. I don't work 200 days. I have commuted 106 days this calendar year. Not bad when you consider I have the summer off.

V.

Yeah, but then there are those beautiful summer days when I am stuck on the inside wishing I could be outside and you can just hop on you bike and go! I envy your summers off!

[Geonz]

Then according to Sue's Rules of the World, you are allowed to count other trips you take with the bike instead of a car. You could end up ahead!

[ladyjai]

letting stuff dry out really helps with the smell. not allowing it to dry creates a big stink...

when I first got shorts, I'd wear them 2 days, 4 trips of about 8-12 miles each, so that i could make them go.
now I have enough for each day of the week. I keep to one a day. occassionally if i come home and need to leave in an hour or so, i'll change, but that's only because i've had issues with the jock itch stuff, and walking around long term in wet chamois isn't always the best. no issues if i let it dry out though.

i never needed the creams, but as i lost mass, i am having issues. my theories are either I can't find a good fitting short, or my saddle no longer fits.... even so, I only use it on long trips of over 60 miles.

[GLC1968]

Happy slime-skipping commutes!! See how long it takes you to get to a "commiting century" - 100 trips!

Oooh, what a great idea! I'm off to see if its possible get a century in before the end of the year....

[cherinyc]

hey - just contributing my 2 cents. When I commute to/from work, I turn the shorts inside out and wipe down the chamois with a clean baby wipe, and then let dry - hung up all day. It probably doesn't do much as far as bacteria is concerned (that stuff probably goes deeper than the surface) but I think it just gives me peace of mind.
Baby wipes are such a wonderful invention. After a long ride, when I have sweat a lot, having baby wipes in the car to wipe the scratchy salt off my face is sooo refreshing. And they're much cheaper than the Olay, or Ponds, etc facial cleansing wipes. I always figure that with the regulations being pretty strict with baby products, pretty much anything that says "baby" on it will be pretty gentle or soothing.
Good for you for commuting!!

[postiechic]

an ultra thin panty liner isnt a bad idea for keeping the chamois a little fresher/dryer for the commute home and a 2nd day's use from a pair of shorts.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Watch out Cheri and Postie!- the forum anti-pantiliner/babywipe police are going to come after you!

Lisa "Don't get between me and my pantiliner" Johnson

[KnottedYet]

Lisa "Don't get between me and my pantiliner" Johnson

Snortin' coffee and rice milk out my nose, thank you very much!