bike commuter and no shower, help!

[Steph_in_TX]

Baby wipes are also about the best thing to use for getting grease off of your hands or legs if you run into the chain...which I frequently do! It's somewhat alarming that the things we use to clean delicate baby bottoms take grease right off!! We've finally gotten rid of diapers, but I'm still buying wipes.

[RoadRaven]

I guess what I'm worried about is mostly using those kind of products in the crotch area (I think half the threads on this board end up being about crotch issues, sigh! the life of a female cyclist). I mean, I guess diaper wipes MUST be ok if they're made for baby butts, but I'm still suspicious!

I agree with Steph... if you are going to use wipes, get Baby Wipes - they are made for the area and made for extra delicate skin. We have ones with aloe vera over here which are supposed to be fantastic.

But I guess its like all cosmetic products, try whatever you decide on on just a little bit of skin and make sure you have no reaction instead of just wiping blithely all over the place.

Good luck

[roughingit]

For those using handtowels, there is an awesome thingy called a packtowel we use for backpacking. They aren't very spendy, fold down super small and dry in a minute or two.

I'm not a fan of the baby wipes, they leave my skin feeling funny and I don't care for perfumes, but quick cat baths work great!

[DeniseGoldberg]

...there is an awesome thingy called a packtowel we use for backpacking. They aren't very spendy, fold down super small and dry in a minute or two.

I used to use the PackTowl too, but I discovered another brand that I like the feel of much better. It also folds down just as small and dries in the same fashion - they are Adventure Towels from Aquis.

--- Denise

[SimpleCycle]

What do you all do about your hair? I can wash my body down in the bathroom no problem, but I can still smell the sweat in my hair. I'm not sure if others can too, but I'm paranoid.

I have some hair de-stinkifying stuff from when I used to hang out with smokers - I wonder if it would work for the sweat... Would it be totally gross to blow dry my sweaty hair? (I have LONG, THICK hair - it takes about an hour to air dry and even then I swear I smell sweat)

[newfsmith]

I'm lucky, while I don't have a shower at work, I do have full size kitchen sinks with spray hoses available and just hose of my head and use a hair towel I got at Linen-n-things. I use "No-Rinse" body wash for the rest, I get that at REI.

[JanT]

My question is similar to SimpleCycle's--What do you do about Helmet Head? My hair is short, but after a sweaty ride, it's a wreck. This school year my commute will increase to about 40 minutes one way, and I know my hair will be plastered to my head. Do you women have any secrets to share about how to get hair presentable quickly?

[newfsmith]

I'm not much of an authority here, but the key is a simple style that you can finger comb or gel or if you have time, blow dry. It helps a lot to not have very high standards; that I am an authority on. Since I wore out my Flowbee, I've been going to SuperCuts where "don't cut the bangs straight across" always results in my bangs cut straight across.

[spazzdog]

I just got my locks shorn again (read that shaved down to 1/4 in all over), thusly I just stick my head in a sink and dry it with whatever is available.

Except today... today I ran from my house to a friend's where everyone else already was for dinner around the pool. It's about 3 mi... 90 deg (love that). So I ran to the pool, waited for my heart rate to settle, then jumped in the pool, running togs and all.

Fabulous!

spazzdog

[DeniseGoldberg]

...What do you do about Helmet Head?

To tell the truth - I just laugh! I usually have a good case of helmet head after my commute in to the office. I'm one of the lucky ones in that I have access to a shower, but I usually don't wash my hair again. I just run a brush through it, and it usually looks acceptable. My helmet head? You can see it in this post in the Northeast topic: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showp...2&postcount=32 - it's the last picture in the bunch.

Seriously though, if running a brush through it doesn't work, I'd just stick my head in the sink!

--- Denise

[JanT]

The gel and fluff routine worked OK for my shorter commute, so maybe I won't have a problem. My hair has never been the "no strand out of place" type, so no one is too shocked when my hair doesn't look very professional. I kind of place it in the same category as the mountain biking scars: a badge of pride of the bike rider. The good news is that I already know the female PE teacher from working with her at another school, and she'll probably allow me to have access to her private shower. That will save me alot of time and hassle, and with a locker, I won't have to carry so my stuff in the panniers. I think I'm going to like my new school!

[CorsairMac]

I have very long hair - to my hinney. I pull it back in a braid and just leave it there all day. I don't have access to a shower so that was the easiest solution. On really hot days - I just wet down the sides and run a comb thru to seperate out some of the sweat and go. Since I work in a machine shop environment with 9 guys, they don't seem to really care much what I do, heck they don't even notice me in bikie clothes anymore! *cigh*

[JesTutripup]

Bessy, pick up a box of Summer's Eve Feminine wipes, a container of rubbing alcohol (I use 71-90%), and maybe Summer's Eve Feminine wash. It has a nice lite air-y scent. I use these wipes like an overly sexed male keeps a condom in his wallet. Can I say that here?

I keep two in my seatbag because I sweat profusely from riding. As for the rest of your body keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a dry towels at your desk. Take the towel you used for the day home. A batch from the local dollar store is fine.

Add a handful of alcohol to a wet rag and wipe down, as many times needed. This also helps if you have ach-i-ness after riding. Then use the femwipes.

Good luck.