Practicalities of drying clothes on tour

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Debade

Über Member
Location
Connecticut, USA
Lots of good advice here.

I hang some wet clothes on the bike to dry during the daily ride. If something large, I just move it around during the day so all is exposed to the sun. Sometimes, I will only wash the chamois part of my bike shorts. And/or wear chamois underwear and regular shorts rather then bike shorts with chamois attached. Chamois lined underwear dries quickly or with 2 pair one gets hung on the bike to dry for the next day. Finally, I think chamois are overrated for wearing everyday and I will wear quick dry underwear and shorts that easily goes into the drier as another alternative.
 
An adaptation of the above trick... take a bath towel and roll the washing in it flat

Then do the dance of your choice on the rolled up towel

Removes far more moisture than simply wringing and speeds up drying
 

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
One spare of anything you will need to wash. First task on arrival is to wash that day's wear. Use towels or whatever is available to remove excess water, then hang it to dry. What ever doesn't dry overnight, hang on the outside of the bike the following day (assuming no rain of course).
Mahhooosive arse-curtains* drying during The Friday's tour....

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Bungees make a good makeshift drying line....

* @theclaud
 
Location
Midlands
Idonthave anything that doesn't go in a tumble drier - but I don't read the labels anyway - But first find a tumble drier

When when it is hot it is easy - you don't need to wear much - day clothes dry overnight '- camping clothes get washed in the morning and dry during the day attached to the bike - when it gets cooler/colder becomes the problem - apart from the fact that due to their bulk you can't carry much more than one set - getting them to dry at all is Impossible - fortuently it being cooler they don't get so 'contaminated' - and that's where finding a campsite with a washing machine and a fumble drier comes in - typically when it's cold i can go for up to a week without washing kit
 

oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
Generally wool should be ok on a wool cycle. If you do not use a wool cycle you can shrink most wool garments. I have a felted wool jacket which is too big for me. Cannot get it to shrink!
 
Location
Midlands
As does a lightweight cord that is platted.

First find a tree to attach it to :smile:

My policy is not to get behind in the laundry - and to give it a fair chance to dry - tend to always change out of my cycling outfit and wash it before I do anything else - and sometimes you have just got to accept that it's not going to happen - one lot of laundry that I did in Denmark one year on a nice drying evening and got wetted by a shower in the early morning made it to Finland via a big chunk of Sweden before it was all dry
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The worst thing about persistent rain is putting your wet/damp shorts on in the morning because you know if you wear your spare pair of dry shorts you'll have nothing dry to change into at the end of that days ride.
My record is about two weeks damp and Sudocrem works very good on nappy rash .......... ^_^.
 
Location
London
The worst thing about persistent rain is putting your wet/damp shorts on in the morning because you know if you wear your spare pair of dry shorts you'll have nothing dry to change into at the end of that days ride.
My record is about two weeks damp and Sudocrem works very good on nappy rash .......... ^_^.
I'd take an extra pair to wear in camp. Always good for the soul/mind/body to have fresh/ish clothes in camp, particularly after a shower. Lidl and aldi regularly do synthetic shorts for well under a fiver. They take next to no room.
 
Location
London
I'm more impressed by the creative bungeeing to be honest. I assume you bought it unfinished lengths? Have recently been experimenting with my own bungee library.
 
Lightweight sports tops/cycling tops - basically the same kind of fabric as cycle shorts. Wash them, wrap them in a towel and wring them out, hang up and they'll be dry in the morning. Take a string bag to tie to your bike somewhere should anything hold onto a bit of dampness.
 
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