Commuter Questions

g0g

Ok so I've been commuting for a few months on/off to work and have some general questions I'd love to hear people's thoughts on....

1) How do you clean the pads on your helmet? Would they survive the washing machine? They can be damp enough after a sweaty cycle!

2) On a wet day what do people do with their bags? I bought a bag on Wiggle with a removable cover. In it I carry my change of clothes and my work computer. The cover I can take off when I get to work and pt in the dryer cupboard. But the straps on my bag are still gonna be wet. Between wet straps and I presume the back pad is gonna get sweatier over time, how do people deal with this? Do you wash your bag regularly? Is bringing a wet-strapped bag to your desk normal?

3) Do people wear gear for more than one day at a time? I'm having to wash an awful lot of gear! It's 30 minutes / 13.5km each way so my gear is already sweaty when I get to work and even worse by the time I get home, so no way I can imagine using it twice?

4) Same question as above for jackets - do people just end up owning multiple?

5) Is there any etiquette to "snot rockets"? I try to only empty my nose when there's no one behind me, but people in front of me have done it a few times. Should you only do them with grass beside you? If launching one at the road should you aim your right nostril in the kerb direction too? What do you do if you're travelling down a more residential road - just hold it back?

6) On wet days will pretty much any brand of glasses fog up or is there a handy solution I haven't heard of?

7) Is it legal to undertake cars - or is it a case that it's ok if a bike lane is marked but not otherwise? If there is no bike lane marked does a left-turning car have the right of way?

Thanks for any thoughts anyone has!

aFlabbyPanda

1. I can't remove my helmet pads so usually just wash it in the shower.
2. I use a pannier so my gear doesn't get wet (I have a backpack inside the pannier) but a mate of mine uses a second bag. He puts all his stuff in a compact backpack and places this inside another which he just leaves with the bike in work.
3. Clean bibs, base layer & jersey daily. Jacket will usually get a weeks use.
4. as above, yes own multiple.
5. I usually try to wait for the lights or else use the hedge side.
6. Best trick is to use cheap shaving foam (not gel) and apply it to both sides of the lenses. Wipe off and should be good, Lasts for a few spins at least.
7. Not sure on the legality but I usually only undertake or do between lanes when they are stopped. Had too many close calls of people pulling in on top of me otherwise.

Carawaystick

Ive never washed my helmet, the thought hadn't ever occurred to me that you can do this
Wash my hat when it gets smelly alright,

I don't wear a jacket, getting wet from sweat is worse than getting wet from rain

I wash my shorts/jersey in the sink, while running the shower at home

Wishbone Ash

Carawaystick wrote: »

Ive never washed my helmet, the thought hadn't ever occurred to me that you can do this...

Don't! I tried it once a good few years back and had to get a new helmet. I had it wrapped in plenty of towels etc. but the machine managed to take a large chunk out of the side of it.

OP - if the pads are removable, they can be washed but they never seem to fit as well after the first wash. Wipe the straps and the outside of the helmet with baby wipes.

(PS - some helmets have removable straps).

eeeee

1. I wash my pads regularly, just throw them into the net bag with my gear.

2. I have a regular backpack (Jansport), put anything that needs protecting in a plastic bag inside. Then leave it open to dry under a desk. I wash it every month or two depending.

3. I commute in normal clothes, I go at no-sweat speed. Change every day obviously I average about 20k per day now.
I wash bibs and jersey after every wear as I only wear them for spins/training/racing. I imagine they'd get mank otherwise.

4. Jackets, if I wear one a lot it's a once a month wash, but that wouldn't be worn every day. The smell guides me! If I can smell it it goes in the wash. They get an annual special expensive nikkiwash to top up their waterproofness, otherwise a 20min cold to 30 degree wash. A warm (not too hot!) iron can bring out the waterproofness again.

5. I snot into my gloves at all times

6. I wear glasses, there is no solution to the fogging. Mainly a problem in cold weather.

7. Left turning cars have right of way. I filter if traffic is slow, but at junctions they have right of way.

crosstownk

My helmet pads are removeable (velcro). I wash them in the machine. In winter I just put them in a pocket of my winter jacket and close the zip. In summer I wash them by hand in a basin with a bit of washing powder and rinse. It takes about 5 minutes.

I drive to work on very wet or cold (icy) days and there are always days when I need to take the car to work so moving clothing is easy for me. I usually have a spare shirt, trousers, underwear, etc at work. Thankfully I have a locker (well 3 of them) to store the gear.

I also wear prescription glasses which can mist up on foggy/damp days. No beating this one.

07Lapierre

Do you really need to bring a bag every day?
Is leaving cloths in work and maybe only bringing a bag once a week an option?

I drive into work and leave cloths in work. I can then commute by bike for the other four days without having to carry anything.

Wishbone Ash

OP - just wondering are you overdressed going to work? Unless you are going 'balls out' I can't see why you'd be sweating so much. You should be cold leaving the house. If you are warm leaving home, you are overdressed.

As for snot rockets, I don't get it. I know we are all different but I've never felt the need while on the bike. Mrs WA does it while we are out walking which I find mortifying!

tomasrojo

1) I don't wear a helmet

2) I use a pannier; it's pretty waterproof. My spare top in the pannier is in a Ziploc-style sandwich bag to keep it dry.

3) I wear normal clothes, and bring one spare top, as alluded to. If it's sheeting down, I bring a change of trousers, also in a Ziploc-style bag in the pannier

4) I have a light rain smock that I take out when it rains. Other than that, I wear layers of normal clothes and if I get too hot, I take off a layer and put it in the pannier

5) I have never had any need to void my nose in this fashion.

6) It only seems to be a problem for me when I've stopped. Then I breathe out of the corner of my mouth. That's largely solves it.

7) I think it's legal now, but be very careful doing it near junction, especially near HGVs and buses.

07Lapierre

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

OP - just wondering are you overdressed going to work? Unless you are going 'balls out' I can't see why you'd be sweating so much. You should be cold leaving the house. If you are warm leaving home, you are overdressed.

As for snot rockets, I don't get it. I know we are all different but I've never felt the need while on the bike. Mrs WA does it while we are out walking which I find mortifying!

My nose runs like a tap! It's even worse in winter! I've become pretty good at snot rockets. I agree it's a bit disgusting, but It's either a snot rocket or a sticky mess dripping from my nose, running down my face, or worse..it can be blown into the faces of whoever I'm cycling with!

If I'm in a group I'll wait till I'm at the back. If I'm commuting I just aim for the ground (I usually miss the ground and get it all over my shorts or legs!)

Wishbone Ash

07Lapierre wrote: »

...If I'm in a group I'll wait till I'm at the back...

Fair play! Chap on the Tour of Kildare last week pissed me off no end shooting his snots without taking those behind into consideration. I moved ahead of him several times but seemed to keep ending up behind him again.

g0g

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

OP - just wondering are you overdressed going to work? Unless you are going 'balls out' I can't see why you'd be sweating so much. You should be cold leaving the house. If you are warm leaving home, you are overdressed.

Unless it's raining I'm just wearing bib shorts and a SS jersey. I don't take my time on the way in/home because I enjoy pushing a bit and it's the only exercise I'm getting at the moment. I'm also not that fit which is a likely cause!

g0g

07Lapierre wrote: »

Do you really need to bring a bag every day?
Is leaving cloths in work and maybe only bringing a bag once a week an option?

I drive into work and leave cloths in work. I can then commute by bike for the other four days without having to carry anything.

Yeah there's a hangar area in work for clothes but I find it hard to plan when you don't know how the weather will be. I also kinda need the computer with me. We have two young enough kids and you just never know when one will be sick or something and I need to work at home.

07Lapierre

g0g wrote: »

Yeah there's a hangar area in work for clothes but I find it hard to plan when you don't know how the weather will be. I also kinda need the computer with me. We have two young enough kids and you just never know when one will be sick or something and I need to work at home.

Ok, first thing you need to do is get rid of the kids! They play havoc with your cycling plans!