Bike commuting is great, it brings benefits for your physical and mental well being, saves you hard cash and it means you do your bit for mother earth. Amazing right? Why doesn’t everyone do it? There are several reasons that only 6% of the UK bike commute, one such reason is the lack of available facilities when you arrive at work, such as NO SHOWER, how can you possibly bike commute with no shower?
Successfully bike commuting with no shower is dependent on the commuting distance, the weather conditions and the level physical effort you put in. You can bike commute without a shower, but it is challenging and you need to take a number of things into account.
I know what you are thinking! What!!! NO SHOWER? Come on ‘insert generic name of the employer here’, what do you mean you don’t have showers for your loyal ad trusted employees? Look at all the benefits we can all get by bike commuting, and you don’t support us with a simple changing room and showers?
Whilst, it is disappointing, some employees are not willing, or able, to provide these facilities for a raft of reasons. Some employees don’t even realise the benefits that bike commuting could bring to their employees health and wellbeing and the added benefits that the employer gets as a result.
Increased loyalty, improved productivity, better stress management and generally happier employees are but some of the benefits of a more active and healthy lifestyle, of which bike commuting can be a massive part.
Personally, I wouldn’t consider bike commuting with no shower. With my 10 mile commute, I arrive at work a complete sweaty mess, and nobody deserves to sit next to me for the day in that state!
I like my commute to be my daily workout and so I like to push it harder, showering is simply a necessary part of this process. Luckily my place of work are accomodating and supportive of healthy and environmentally friendly commuters and so provide good facilities. Unfortunately, Not all workplaces do!
Although challenging, you can still bike commute to if you don’t have any access to facilities! There are options to cope without a shower, and whilst they may not be suitable for everyone, you can assess whether it would work for you!
The worst part out of all this has got to be the smell. There is nothing worse than when a college smells of BO, this article tackles this issue first!!
Why Sweat Smells Unpleasant
Body odour is the perceived unpleasant smell our bodies can give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids. It is not sweating that cause body odour, referred to as BO, but it is the bacteria that is breaking the sweat down that causes the foul stench.
Of all the places on your body you can sweat, the main contributor to the bad smell is armpit sweat. Feet are the next area but can be masked then covered in socks and shoes unless really bad. So, how do we tackle armpit odour? The following steps may help:
- Keep the armpits clean: Wash them regularly using anti-bacterial soap, and the number of bacteria will be kept low, resulting in less body odour. It may be more beneficial to actually shower BEFORE your bike commute which is counter-intuitive but the more bacteria that can be removed from sweat susceptible areas (such as armpits) the better to help control unpleasant-smelling sweat.
- Hair: When armpits have hair, it slows down the evaporation of sweat, giving the bacteria more time to break it down into smelly substances. Shaving the armpits regularly has been found to help body odour control in that area. Removal of hair can have the double impact of aiding the removal of bacteria too and making it easier to keep them clean.
- Deodorant or antiperspirant: Deodorants make the skin more acidic, making it more difficult for bacteria to thrive. An antiperspirant blocks the sweating action of the glands, resulting in less sweating.
To reduce the chances of badly smelling body odour on your bike commute you can try the following remedies that anecdotally have some legs.
- Wash daily with warm water – Have a shower or bath at least once a day. Remember that warm water helps kill off bacteria that are present on your skin. If the weather is exceptionally hot, consider bathing more often than once a day. This may mean a shower before your commute, which is counterintuitive but removing the bacteria prior to sweating may reduce the smelly odour.
- Clothing – Natural fibres allow your skin to breathe, resulting in better evaporation of sweat. Natural-made fibres include wool, silk or cotton.
- Avoid spicy foods – I don’t give this advice without some regret, I absolutely love spicy food, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Curry, garlic, and other spicy foods have the potential to make some people’s sweat more pungent. Some experts believe a diet high in red meat may also raise the risk of developing more rapid body odour.
Managing the effect of body odour could be a great strategy in improving the ability to bike commute with no shower!!
What other strategies are at our disposal?
Alternatives to the Shower
I am not an advocate of the baby wipe advice that seems to get thrown around if you don’t have a shower. If, you are an average adult, giving a full-body wipe down with baby wipes will probably take a full pack and will not be very effective. Baby wipes are very gentle, they are for babies after all, and they will just not be sufficient at removing the smell and bacteria that causes the bad BO. Using a full pack of baby wipes in neither effective nor friendly to the planet.
The best method to clean sweat and freshen up after a bike commute is to use soap and water, you could do this in a washbasin or a standard work bathroom if you so wish but do be careful not to become ‘that guy or gal’ who gives themselves a full body wash in full view of colleagues with no regard to how awkward that may be. You need to respect the social boundaries and norms here. If your work bathroom lends itself to this, with sufficient privacy, then it may be an approach you could take but you will have to assess it.
Standing in front of the mirror in the nude, only for Stephen from Accounts to walk in is not cool for you or him!
Alternative ideas for managing without a shower could be as follows, I think your choices are limited here:
- Using a local gym – this would give you access to a shower near to your workplace, but who wants to pay for a gym membership just to use the shower. This would negate any cost savings you make from swapping the car for your bike. If you already have a gym membership nearby, then this strategy could work as a strategy for when you bike commute but special membership, just for a shower seems extreme!
- Properly cool down – many advocate a longer cooldown time before you change into work clothes. Whilst this will mean you are sweating slows before putting on warmer clothes, the damage may already be done with body odour.
- Deodorant – spraying a can of deodorant may mask the smell but the combination of sweat and deodorant can sometimes be worse than the BO. You can’t spray the smell away!
- Don’t wear a backpack – this is advice you will often find, this will reduce back sweating which is great, but back sweat doesn’t usually smell as bad as armpit sweat and in addition to this, how will you carry your things!
- Keep your hair short – more great advice, so for the long-haired amongst you, you need to change your whole look just because of your commute. Not really a sustainable introduction to bike commuting is it!!
I hate to give bad news here but it is difficult to see how you can effectively bike commute when you don’t have a shower but some factors affect your personal decision and, ultimately, it is your call. Try out the tips below to see if it a solution for you. I am all for promoting bike commuting so I hope this advice means you can make it work!
The Number 1 Tip and the Only Real Solution – Talk to Your Employer
The best solution to not having a shower at work is…. to get a shower installed at work!!
Surprisingly, very few people actually talk to their employer about what they want/need to be more effective at work, including how they commute. A seemingly ‘unsupportive’ employer, with regards to shower facilities, may simply not be aware of the need for it. This happens more often than not, especially in small and medium-sized businesses.
If you want to bike commute and you are struggling to see how you could do it without a shower, then tell your employer. Share your aspirations to bike commute and be the champion in your business. You are your employers biggest asset and they will do more for you than you sometimes realise.
Installing shower blocks on existing work premises need not cost the earth. These modular cabins can be lifted onto your current premises and installed for as little as £12,000 + VAT and can be configured to include shower, WC and changing facilities. Lockers can also be brought into your business at a very reasonable cost.
Converting existing space within a building, also need not cost the earth. It is amazing how much wasted space most businesses have, rooms that are used to store old junk can be easily tidied up and converted. Your employer just needs the right motivation and encouragement to do it. That’s where you come in!
You could include this in a conversation with your employer about joining Cycle Scheme, or similar incentives, if they have not done so already and launch a campaign on healthy commuting for the wellbeing of all the people employed. This is great for you, and your colleagues, but also a great marketing and PR potential for your employer showing they invest in their workforce.
The benefits for your health and wellbeing, as well as the productivity improvements this can bring, due to a more active lifecycle, will easily pay back your employer quickly so it is worth reminding them of these options. These ‘perks’ are great for staff retention, attracting talent and improving health, its win-win for you and your employer so don’t be afraid to have that chat! Be the Champion for your colleagues!
Distance and Terrain
This is a bit of an obvious one, but the further you commute and the tougher the terrain and route, the more likely it will be that you will need a shower at the other end. No matter how steady your ride, if you are riding up steep hills or for a prolonged time you will sweat, unfortunately.
You need to consider if this is a factor. I a couple of miles will be fine, you will be able to manage without a shower, but anything more will be troublesome. Also, you may end up having to ride so slow that you lose some, but not all, of the fitness benefits. You will still be active. A slow ride is better than no ride.
If you commute is too long, or the terrain too challenging, why not opt for a multi-modal commute. This is where you combine commute methods. Examples of this are taking your car part of the way and cycling the rest. Or take your bike on public transport, such as a train, and cycling to the and from the station. This is a way to get the benefits of a ride without the need for a shower.
How far you can do is down to how much sweat you can tolerate. This will vary, some people sweat way more than others and some people mind far less than others too. This will be a personal choice on how comfortable you are at work without having a shower and how much you smell. You need to maintain social standards in the workplace.
Climate and Temperature
Temperature of your climate plays a big part here too. In warmer climates, there is going to be more need for a shower at work but in cooler climates, you may be a little better off. Your morning commute is usually at cooler times of the day but even temperatures in the mid teens can soon mean you work up a significant sweat.
It is not only temperature, the weather can play a part too. If you are cold and wet when arriving in the office, then a shower would be preferable to warm upon arrival and to make sure you can get clean and dry from any splashing from the roads in wet and cold weather.
If you are faced with more extreme climates, hot or cold, a shower is a necessity unless you are commuting really short distances.
Choice of Clothing
If you are considering cycling without a shower, you should consider what you wear. You will need clothing that is odourless, breathable and wicking. You need to let air into the clothing to help keep you cool and you will need a material that removes sweat from the body, which is referred to as wicking.
Allowing airflow and wicking in combination will be the best at making sure your arrive at work as sweat free and odourless as possible. You can make a big improvement here but from personal experience, this is not a perfect solution. I always feel I need a shower even when I wear these types of cycling jerseys for my bike commute.
My personal favourite is this cycling jersey by Feixiang, which is breathable and wicking and pretty stylish too. Worth a try, but as I said, it is not always fully effective depending on your cycling style, commute distance and climate.
Ride Easy – Don’t Work as Hard
A way to ward off sweat is to work at a slower pace. Slow down and take the extra time to complete the commute.
Lower levels of physical exercise, whilst increasing heart rate slightly may not inflict vast amounts of sweat if the heart rate is kept within a lower range. A brisk walk may or may not make you sweat but there is a level of physical activity in which you can keep sweat at a minimum for example.
To stop excessive sweating during cycling to work, you will need to modify your riding style to be more gentle and relaxed. Whilst this slower pace will extend the length of your commute, it doesn’t have to be too much of a detriment.
You don’t even need to go that much slower. Remember, effort and speed don’t have a linear relationship. Cutting back to 80% normal speed can be a big reduction in effort, while only increasing your travel time by 25%.
Take this simple, pessimistic example. Most cyclists can achieve 10 – 12 mph with minimum training. You will have to reduce this if you want to stay smart. At 10 mph a 5-mile commute would take 30 minutes (easy right?). Let’s assume you can manage your sweat levels at a 5 mph. At this pace, your 5-mile commute (that took 30 minutes) would take an hour (I told you it was easy).
If you are prepared to take the extra time on your bike commute then a slower ride may be a solution to no shower.
Bike to Work in a Suit
You could consider bike commuting in your work clothes. For tips and advice you can read this article by True Commuter.
Summary
There are many difficulties and challenges with bike commuting with no shower. The best advice I can give is to plead with your employer to go out and look for solutions to this problems. Chances are you are not the only person wanting the bike commute in your workplace who is put off by not having access to shower and changing facilities. Don’t be afraid you ask for some help here. Most reasonable employers will be willing to help. As you can see the costs are quite low in making this happen.
If this is not an option, then the tips in this article can help you decide if you can work a solution here. The main issues are with the distance and climate but there are some measures you can put in place to help. Good luck!!
If you have any other experience of bike commuting without a shower then leave a comment and join the conversation!
