How to not arrive so sweaty..

[coco69]

Surely this isnt a serious question given what the op has said

'Why am i constantly farting...i eat chicken vindaloo for dinner and tea.......

 

[cycle_bug]

Set off feeling cool... So that it takes a couple of miles to start to feel warm. Don't push too hard, give yourself a little more time. And I think as you get a little more used to it you will sweat less.

This last week I don't think I've wore a waterproof once... And I've been in shorts and bare arms. It's been warm in NI from bits I saw in the news so I'd say you are wearing too much, I'm not in a waterproof at this time of year unless it's raining.

Get a pannier rack and bags and that will help with a sweaty back!

I normally do take it easy at the start, letting my legs warm up rather than thrash it and end up dead-feeling shortly after. NI was warm last week, even though the weather didnt look the part it certainly felt it! I'm worried about how the rain starts randomly and how this can quickly progress to a heavy, persistent shower which would literally soak all non-waterproofs to needing a radiator to dry them, plus uncomfortableness on the bike. I've just bought a rack (fitting it this week) and am seeking advice for a bag on another thread :-) thanks for your help!

Don't wear a waterproof coat and tracksuit and get a rack.

How do I stay dry from the rain? Arriving soaked and with cold like symptoms is as bad as my initial problem. Rack arrived yesterday, fitting this week :-) thanks

I keep a towel, babywipes and a hairdryer at work. (As well as the advice above)

Towel and baby wipes I can (and will) do. Never thought about a small cloth for my face.. great idea. Thanks!

Why wear a coat? Are you cold? is it raining?
Save a waterproof for heavier rain. Get a non-waterproof windproof for cooler weather.
You can ride comfortably in our UK summer conditions without sweating just by adjusting your clothing.
For rides under 10 miles you don't really need specialist cycling gear. A wicking T shirt, some casual shorts or hiking trousers or closer fitting tracksuit bottoms (Ron Hill tracksters or bikesters), a light fleece midlayer and a windproof are good for the current mid-teens temperatures.
Backpacks are OK for short journeys but for longer ones, fit a rear luggage rack and pannier bags. Most commuters only carry one pannier bag on one side.
If you don't have a shower at work, take one before you leave.
Ride at a moderate pace.
Slow down and roll along for the last few hundred m, to cool down more effectively than you can standing still.
On hotter days, splash some water over your head, neck on your cooldown.

Adjust your haircut for helmet wearing. Don't forget gloves or fingerless mitts as safety gear.

Its more for wind protection and even though I dont feel the cold whilst in motion, its certainly there and could lead to a cold if not wrapped up enough? Thats what I think anyway. It rains on and off, so far light showers but twice I was caught in terrential downfall! Thankfully it faded to a bright sunny day in those isolated cases. Excellent suggestions for clothing, added to my 'to buy' list. What brands can you recommend? It is a 12 mile commute altogether so I assmue it doesnt need to cost hundreds? I shower before leaving, and try to not push it. Good idea, maybe its time for short hair again! Thanks for your help.

First off set your pace for the commute, and lower your efforts unless you can shower at the end. My commutes in are slower than my regular pace for this reason, though I just found out we have a shower...
Ditch the rucksack, and get a rack with pannier. They don't have to be expensive.
Incorporate a decent cool down. I usually do the last mile at a much reduced pace to cool things off, makes a remarkable difference.
Dress appropriately. This time of year it's shorts and a wicking top, regular t-shirts don't cut it.
If all else fails then baby wipes and a Scottish shower on arrival..

I plan on keeping it slow. And a new rack is sitting there to be fitted, so now just a pannier. Scottish shower?! what could this entail?! lol

Just leaving a little input as I have commuted using a rack/panniers & Deuter Race EXP backpack/rucksack. the Race EXP makes cycling with a rucksack bearable for shorter to mid length journeys - 10-20miles is fine with one of those so long as you dont need to carry a huge amount of stuff.

If you dont wish to go for a rack then id recommend getting something like a Carradice Super C saddlebag with a bagman mount as it holds 23ltr's which is a lot bigger than it sounds. It wont carry paperwork, a laptop or a change of shoes but it will carry odds and ends and a change of clothes providing you fold them neatly before packing.

Currently still using my Deuter backpack but since i have spare SQL mounts for my Carradice i might make the switch over as i dont need to carry a huge amount of stuff anyway.

A rack and pannier bag is the way forward I think!

Ditch the big clothes. Thin layers are better for temp regulation than effectively a duvet or a plastic bag. A Soft-shell jacket is far far more breathable and comfy to wear and still has enough water and wind resistance for 90+% of the weather you'll ever meet.
If you don't want to look bikey at all then consider Merino wool, t-shirt or jumper wicks sweat and doesn't smell and works well as an underlayer. Can.be costly but you can get good VFM effective merino in Decathlon and general outdoor/hiking shops.

Go for rack and panniers or a saddlebag over a backpack, at the very least consider a backpack that sits off your back to allow airflow. Or maybe a satchel type over one shoulder and sits to your side bike bag/musette.

Entirely up to your own preference but if you have problems of head sweats & presentability after riding in a helmet then maybe consider not using it for a ride or two and see how you feel without.
A headband, buff or cycling cap can soak up forehead sweat, are less insulating and easier washed if you do feel the need for something on your head.

Consider how long you want to spend on the bike and maybe take longer at a slower pace or vary your route to get the most even and gentle gradients to minimise peaks and troughs in exertion and spikes in heart rate / body temp.

Some people, me including, just naturally run warm, it may be that you have to minimise sweatiness on the bike but still have to have a clean up routine for at work, a shower is ideal but wet wipes and a decent travelling miceofibre towel with deodorant will do for a sink wash and keeping your colleagues sweet.

Soft shell? Is that what I should invest in? Dont want to go without my helmet, I'm a believer it could save my life! Gentle hills (on the return journey) are the scope of it thankfully.

Don`t ride

Bit of a paradox given the problem was only a problem as a consequence of the need to ride a bike..

I assume you are getting changed at work (unless you are a personal trainer, I hope you don't wear a tracksuit all day). Don't get changed straight away, you will still be sweating when you get off your bike. Wait until you are quite cooled down, then change. Baby wipes, if needed, for freshness, and top up with deodorant.

I've been considering taking a complete change of clothing, or shirt at least. Tracksuits were for a leisure ride, no way would I walk about in a civilised setting like that ;-)

Mistake number 2:
p.s. I've been cycling in a waterproof coat (not intended for cycling

Mistake number 3:
full length tracksuits

Mistake number 4:
and with a backpack on my back

Btw mistake number 1 was riding a bike in the first place.

Just kidding. Kind of. You have to ride at a sweet spot speed, minimal effort versus wind cooling you down. The rain coat won't help with that and the backpack will get you a sweaty back.

So what you gonna do? I haven't read the other responses but if guess someone must have mentioned panniers by now. Get mudguards too and a lighter breathable jacket. Can't beat a shower at the end of a ride though.

I'm aware of the mistakes, it's finding solutions to replace them I've been seeking :P

 

[jonny jeez]

I'd keep a rucksack but ditch all the layers, ride slower and think about losing the helmet.

Edit, sorry just seen your answered above.

Only wear the jacket when its raining ,clearly...but also consider a breathable shell or light weigh outer. A gillet may be the answer in the summer.

In all though I suspect you just need to take it at a slightly slower pace untill your body learns how to deal with the exercise a little better.

Last thought. Are you able to arrive 20 mins early and just sit and cool down outside, before you go into work.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Soft shell. A lycra mix very comfortable, quite snug fitting cycling jacket that is lightweight, flexible, breathable and with a decent level of being windproof and showerproof.

Often with some semblance reflective detail and the usual rear pockets, you can get some that have zip off sleeves to give you a nice light gilet too.

As you are set on wearing a helmet then maybe when it comes time to replace then consider the vents and level of airflow they channel over your head to help your comfort. A buff will fit underneath a helmet too and while adding a thin breathable but warming layer will also help as a sweatband.

 

[si_c]

How do I stay dry from the rain? Arriving soaked and with cold like symptoms is as bad as my initial problem. Rack arrived yesterday, fitting this week :-) thanks

I do a similar commute to you, I have a Deuter rucksack which I put a waterproof jacket into. I carry a t-shirt and a jumper in my bag to change into when I get to work, plus some anti-perspirant. If it starts to rain I throw the waterproof jacket on, I use an Altura Nightvision Evo for what its worth. I find it mostly waterproof but it's not the most breathable, so I do need to change when I get to work if I need it.

If the weather is particularly terrible I ride in shorts with jeans in my bag and change those when I get to work too. I don't wear "cycling" gear, just normal sports shorts and t-shirt. My bag has a wet pocket so I put the damp clothes in there and the rest of the stuff in the bag stays dry. I also take a spare pair socks in case it's particularly wet, but if you have full length mudguards your feet shouldn't get too wet.

It is a 12 mile commute altogether so I assmue it doesnt need to cost hundreds? I shower before leaving, and try to not push it.

My rucksack cost about £70, and my jacket about £40, so not the earth really. I find riding in normal clothes fine for distances up to 15miles or so each way. In winter I tend to wear the waterproof jacket both ways for warmth in the wind, I also supplement it with a pair of very thick nightvision waterproof gloves (about £20), and that pretty much completes my commuting gear.

The best thing to do is just to get on with it and you eventually work out what intensity of riding works for you to arrive not sweaty.

I've been considering taking a complete change of clothing, or shirt at least. Tracksuits were for a leisure ride, no way would I walk about in a civilised setting like that ;-)

I'd not worry about a complete change of clothes unless what you are wearing is soaked through when you get to uni. You'll quickly learn to guess when that is.

 

[jefmcg]

How do I stay dry from the rain? Arriving soaked and with cold like symptoms is as bad as my initial problem.

Your coat is probably of the boil-in-the-bag variety. If that's all I had, I'd probably choose rain rather than sweat if I was going to arrive wet. You won't get a cold just by being wet. If you keep moving on the ride and promptly get out of the wet clothes you won't get cold.

But there are better coats for keeping off rain. In winter commuting I wear a Altura jacket, that has plenty of vents, in summer I'd probably skip it, unless it was really miserable. Just keep my hair dry with a buff. But that's London. NI has a different climate.

 

[speccy1]

I normally do take it easy at the start, letting my legs warm up rather than thrash it and end up dead-feeling shortly after. NI was warm last week, even though the weather didnt look the part it certainly felt it! I'm worried about how the rain starts randomly and how this can quickly progress to a heavy, persistent shower which would literally soak all non-waterproofs to needing a radiator to dry them, plus uncomfortableness on the bike. I've just bought a rack (fitting it this week) and am seeking advice for a bag on another thread :-) thanks for your help!




How do I stay dry from the rain? Arriving soaked and with cold like symptoms is as bad as my initial problem. Rack arrived yesterday, fitting this week :-) thanks




Towel and baby wipes I can (and will) do. Never thought about a small cloth for my face.. great idea. Thanks!



Its more for wind protection and even though I dont feel the cold whilst in motion, its certainly there and could lead to a cold if not wrapped up enough? Thats what I think anyway. It rains on and off, so far light showers but twice I was caught in terrential downfall! Thankfully it faded to a bright sunny day in those isolated cases. Excellent suggestions for clothing, added to my 'to buy' list. What brands can you recommend? It is a 12 mile commute altogether so I assmue it doesnt need to cost hundreds? I shower before leaving, and try to not push it. Good idea, maybe its time for short hair again! Thanks for your help.



I plan on keeping it slow. And a new rack is sitting there to be fitted, so now just a pannier. Scottish shower?! what could this entail?! lol




A rack and pannier bag is the way forward I think!




Soft shell? Is that what I should invest in? Dont want to go without my helmet, I'm a believer it could save my life! Gentle hills (on the return journey) are the scope of it thankfully.



Bit of a paradox given the problem was only a problem as a consequence of the need to ride a bike..



I've been considering taking a complete change of clothing, or shirt at least. Tracksuits were for a leisure ride, no way would I walk about in a civilised setting like that ;-)



I'm aware of the mistakes, it's finding solutions to replace them I've been seeking :P

It was called a joke

 

[MichaelW2]

Cycling waterproofs need plenty of venting and you should use it. Make sure the front zip has poppers, and you should have underarm vents and if possible a back vent. Only wear it during rain. One poor aspect of modern waterproofs is the tight under-arm fit which is fashionable but prevents good airflow.
Windproofs are far more useful for cool, dry, damp and spitting conditions. You sweat less and don't get condensation.
I get most of my budget outdoor gear from Go Outdoors. Their own-brand stuff is sufficient for everyday riding. Aldi do occasional bike sales.