Dumb question from newbie. Can bike shorts go in washing machine?

[Pedal Wench]

Fabric softener should NEVER be used on technical, wicking materials. It clogs up the little channels that do the capillary action wicking thing. No harm if done though - just rewash without the softener.

[kiwi girl]

I must admit I am VERY lazy about laundry. I never sort colours (except very dark or bright stuff for the first couple of washes only) and all my bike gear just goes through the normal cycle in the wash with everything else and then either on the line, or more often than not, the warm cycle in the dryer. Although Ground Effect (who make most my gear) say line drying is preferable, the only ill effect I have ntoiced is that the emergency puncture repair patches that Ground Effect sew into the seams of all their gear does tend to fall out eventually under this sort of treatment

[fixiegrrl]

Cycling clothes can be washed in the machine, but I NEVER place them in the dryer because I was told that it ruins the lycra over time. Also, I removed the washing instructions because they irritate so I also do it as a precaution. I wash my gear using a special soap (Cafe Suds made by Branford Bikes - (203)488-0482) which is specially made for exercise equipment. I use 2 capfulls and wash on the delicate cycle, then air dry them. This gets them cleaner than hand washing alone, especially all the road grime and shammy lotion that seems to get everywhere.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Cycling clothes can be washed in the machine, but NEVER place them in the dryer - it ruins the lycra over time.

Funny - I've been drying my cycling shorts and jerseys in the dryer on low heat for years, and I have not had a problem with the dryer ruining the lycra. My suggestion would be to follow the washing / drying directions from the manufacturer - my PI ultrasensor shorts carry a tag that says "tumble dry low".

Yes, the shorts do wear out over time. But I can tell you from experience that line drying does not save them from wearing out. When I rode cross-country back in 2002, I started with 2 new pairs of shorts. I wore a pair & washed a pair every day, and the shorts were line-dried on that trip. I replaced the shorts with new ones in Colorado as my original shorts were woefully worn at that point in time (but from wearing them out, not from a dryer!).

--- Denise