put bike shorts in dryer?

[Pedal Wench]

While we're on the subject...

On my way to the shower, I tend to throw everything in the sink (jersey, sportsbra, shorts) filled with cold water and Woolite, and then proceed to forget about it for a few hours. Does the extra soaking damage anything? I keep forgetting about it until many hours have passed (and once, overnight!)

[MightyMitre]

Hi Irulan - yes, you're spot on about the Assos kit wash. Definitly another way to make an extra buck.

Having said that though, they do a rain jacket made out of this incredible fabric. When it gets wet the material kinda changes texture to block the water coming in, but let the sweat out. It's really strange - the fabric kinda gets thicker. ( Hard to explain) I guess it's a some kind of development on from Gortex.

Anyway... they recommend you use the special wash for this and so far we have, just washing the rain jacket by hand in a basin, as I'm not sure what effect 'normal' washing detergent would have on this stuff.

(note: Assos rain jacket v,v, expensive and don't want to ruin it .Couldn't afford to replace it.. )

Otherwise I just use regular, non- biological detergent and no fabric conditioner on the cycling kit. No probelms so far...

[maryellen]

waah, I love Tide. I am devoted to it. In fact, the washer is running a load of dirty bike and workout clothing with it right now!

[kimba]

I try to air dry the shorts- but when the hubby has done the wash, they've made it through the dryer with no apparent problems...

Kimba

[Dogmama]

Line dry. Absolutely. Paying $90 for a pair of shorts & throwing them in the dryer goes against my religion.

[Irulan]

I can't imagine too much soaking is a problem, unless you leave them so long they grow mold.

;-)

Fabric hint fo the day: the newest, coolest water proof breathable is called EPIC and it is really neat stuff. It's actually an impregnated cotton, not a membrane or anything else. I don't think it's trickling down to cycle wear yet, but it's certainly hit the technical ( climbing etc) lineup for this year.

Tide's pretty harsh. Stick your hand into the powder sometime and feel it burn your skin.

I wrote this, and I'd like to clarify. Most laundry detergents are like this, I've tried it with Costco brand, Arm and Hammer. The chemicals have to be strong to do their job cleaning! Some members of my family are super sensitive to them.

~I

[Veronica]

Thom has some convertible pants made of the EPIC stuff. He loves them. I tried to get a pair, but they're not sized right for me. Little waist, big thighs.

V.

[jobob]

Originally posted by maryellen
waah, I love Tide. I am devoted to it. In fact, the washer is running a load of dirty bike and workout clothing with it right now!

veering way off topic - In my past life as a biochemist I was in a research group that developed one of the enzymes that went into Tide. I still use Tide to this day. Good stuff.

I own hardly any clothing that cannot be machine washed & dried - I'm too lazy to hand wash

[snapdragen]

I do pretty much the same - bike clothes in the washer, hot water, gentle cycle, but I add an extra rinse. Then line dry. I figure the hot water wash kills any beasties in the chamois, the double cold water rinse makes sure the soap is out!

[pedalfaster]

"My name is Pedalfaster and I am a lazy-launderer".

Everything that lives in my house gets washed warm/cold in the machine and dried in the dryer on "med".

Wanna know how lazy I am (NBR)?

I buy wool sweaters at Goodwill a size or two on the large size, wear them all season, washing as described above, then, when they finally reach teeny-tiny child-size, I take them back to Goodwill and just buy "new" ones.

At least I recycle

All of my cycling gear is pretty much middle-of-the-road Voler team stuff.

When this batch wears out, I'll either have to start racing again or shell out the cashola for new duds.

Life is too short to spend time worrying about the laundry.

[Irulan]

I have a special recipe originally for men, for Stinky Bike Gear, I'll look it up...

[Kpicha]

Originally posted by jobob
veering way off topic - In my past life as a biochemist I was in a research group that developed one of the enzymes that went into Tide. I still use Tide to this day. Good stuff.

Hey no kidding!?? My Grandpa was a chemist on the original team that developed TIde!

Back on topic, I stick my shorts in the dryer on the low setting with my other delicate clothes and no problems

[pedalfaster]

Originally posted by Irulan
I have a special recipe originally for men, for Stinky Bike Gear, I'll look it up...

Does it involve vinegar?

I do add a cup o' white vinegar to loads with stinky cycling clothes.
Seems to cut down on the perma-funk.

[maryellen]

pedalfaster--vinegar--great idea! I've been adding lysol all purpose liquid (along w Tide) when I wash my workout clothing to get rid of the stink, but vinegar sounds kinder and gentler!

[Irulan]

Try this. Soak in "Biz" overnight, at least 12 hours. this is an enzyme
based presoak that goes after organic matter, not your regular presoak.
Then, rinse that out and then run through the wash with a laundry product
called Oxyclean, which is not an detergent it's an additive. You should be
able to get that at any supermarket.

Irulan