How Often Should You Shower on Tour?

Floating around the web is a BuzzFeed article about how often you really need to shower: How Often You Really Need to Shower (According to Science).-Rachel Wilkerson Miller January 12, 2015 I read this article and thought, “Yes!” I totally agree! In fact, I’ve already written two articles about this very thing: How to Stay Clean (without a proper shower) While On Bicycle Tour, and Touring Clean vs Home Clean. It’s nice to see that the science backs me up.

On our most recent bicycle tour my tolerance for going to bed without a shower was increased dramatically. When you’re traveling through isolated regions (ok, so New Zealand isn’t really all that isolated, but there were days where we didn’t have access to a shower, so it counts, I swear!) there are sacrifices you make when it comes to cleanliness. Or are there? According to the article, it isn’t really necessary to shower every day, or even every other day. Showers can dry your skin out (especially paired with harsh soaps) and might remove beneficial bacteria from your skin. It’s much more important to change your undergarments daily. And if you’re really grossed out, you can clean your dirty bits (underarms, groin, bottom, and face, hopefully not quite in that order) with a wash cloth.

Speaking of changing undergarments daily, does that mean you should bring a week’s worth of bicycle shorts with you on tour so you can have a fresh pair every day? I think not. During our recent New Zealand tour, I tried a new tactic for undergarments and cycling shorts. Previously, I’ve stayed away from wearing anything under my shorts. I have a tendency to chafe (not fun). But, my husband found these great merino wool boxers for me, and they’ve changed the way I cycle. The wool is soft and comfortable, easily cleaned, and doesn’t develop a smell because it’s a natural fiber. They’re easier to wash out than cycling shorts, don’t irritate my nether regions, and don’t take up much space in my clothing bag. I can get away with two pairs of cycling shorts, and three pairs of underwear.

So, bottom line is: in daily life, and in cycling, showering daily isn’t necessary. You can do it, but it won’t kill you if you don’t.

Touring Clean vs. Home Clean

As a woman on a bicycle tour, you’re bound to get questioned on many topics. Even if you’re traveling with a companion, male or otherwise, there are questions that invariably get asked. For example: “Do you ever feel unsafe?” “Why would you want to do that?” “How do you stand not being clean?” The first two questions, I can understand. It’s the last one that gets me, and it’s actually the most common question from other women. Why are women so concerned about this?

Well, I’m here to tell you that modern cleanliness has taken the meaning of clean a little too far. The idea that you have to be stripped free of every bit of dirt and sweat immediately is something that you get over really quickly while on a bicycle tour. You get used to your own smell pretty quickly, in a matter of days usually. And don’t get me wrong, a nice shower at the end of the day feels amazing, but it’s easy to ride and sweat through a day (and sometimes two) without thinking too much about it. A clean bathroom on bicycle tour is a luxury. And you learn to never pass up a toilet, no matter how dirty. Just do your business and get on with it. (You also learn how to do your business behind the cover of a tree, or in a culvert, or pretty much any other opportune place. When you gotta go, you just go!)

And speaking of modern hygiene, let’s talk about body hair. On my first bicycle tour, I was very aware of how quickly my leg and underarm hair was growing out. At home, I can get away with a shave once a week or so, but while on tour it began to seem out of control, as I didn’t even bring a razor. I was more than a little embarrassed about it. After talking to other women bicycle tourists, I came to the realization: it doesn’t matter. You’re riding a bicycle all day. You’re using your own powerful muscles to push and pull pounds of gear, plus your own weight, up massive hills. What does a little leg hair matter?

Once I stopped caring so much about it, I felt relief. Like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. In the present moment, when all that matters is making it to the goal you’ve set for yourself for the day, a little leg hair is irrelevant. Everything gets put into perspective. The simplicity and beauty of the ride should be what you are focused on; this is what your body was built to do. Plus, there’s plenty of time when you get home to lather up or on a rest day (you are scheduling rest days on your tour, right?). Until then, just eat, sleep, and ride!

Girl Trouble

When I told my mom about my plan to ride a bicycle across the country, she had a few concerns. Most were not legitimate (isn’t it dangerous for your future reproductive prospects to ride on a bike seat all day? (It’s probably not)) Some were, though. Invariably, when I talk to other women about cycle touring, they bring up a number of issues that concern them. We’re all adults and humans with daily needs to take care of. Let’s talk about some of these.
One of the most common questions I get asked from potential female tourists is: “Where do you go to the bathroom?” If you’ve never spent much time outdoors, you may have never had to do your business in anything other than an indoor toilet. Here is the short answer: anywhere you can. Always take advantage of a toilet if you see one. Supermarkets, gas stations, and restaurants are all great places to use the toilet. Construction sites typically have porta-potties. Sometimes there’s porta-potties in fields for the fieldhands.
However, there will be some times that you’ll have to go when you don’t have a toilet handy. You’re going to have to squat somewhere. Look for a place off the road, behind a tree or bush which hides you a bit. I take off any high-vis I have on just to make myself a little less conspicuous. If I’m cycling through an area with no trees or anything to hide behind, I use culverts-those pipes that run under the road. It puts me down below the surface of the road, making it a little more difficult to be seen. Remember to try to not go within 100 feet of a water source.
What about menstrual cycles? Well, that can be a little more complicated, but while touring in the United States we have not had a day where we didn’t have a place or two I could take care of this in a restroom. In my experience, the fact that I’m cycling for many hours a day lessens my symptoms. I’ve had a lot of success with tampons. If I need to change it out during a daily ride, I have baby wipes to make sure my hands are clean. If there is no place to dispose of it I have a shovel to bury it in a cat hole. I’ve read about women using an internal cup, and I’m intrigued; I think I’ll try this for my next tour.
Other things that I’ve found that really helps include having a sport’s bra that hooks in either the front or the back. At the end of the day, my arms are usually sore enough that pulling a sports bra up and over my head can be difficult. Also, getting dressed in a tent or inside a sleeping bag can be tricky if you have to pull that bra on. On my last tour, the hooks were a welcomed addition.
As for shaving legs, arms, or whatever else you may be used to shaving: I choose not to shave while I’m out there on tour. Carrying a razor and shaving cream just to try and shave in a dingy camp shower is not my idea of fun. No one is looking at your legs while you ride. If you do stay at a hotel every now and then you can always ask the front desk for a razor.
Don’t let your fear of these issues keep you from riding. You just take care of things as they come. In the end, you just do it. It’s really no big deal. What other concerns do you have?

How to Stay Clean (without a proper shower) While on Bicycle Tour

At the end of a long day of hard bicycle touring, you ride into a primitive camp gritty and grimy from the day’s ride. The sunscreen you slathered on in the morning and then reapplied has now mixed with sweat and dirt and chain grease to give you a nice film on your skin. If you’re lucky, you have a shower waiting for you in that camp. Sometimes, though, you have to make do with what is available. Here’s a few things I’ve done when I have to improvise.

1. The towel rinse: If there’s water available at your campsite, just not a shower, you can still freshen up. I’ve been known to strip down to my sport’s bra and shorts, or even put on a bathing suit, to stand under a spigot. I also wouldn’t shy away from wetting down my towel really well and giving myself a “sponge bath”. It does the trick of getting the grime off and making you feel better.

2. Baby wipes: I’ve used baby wipes in the past. However, these are made for wiping, um, babies, and aren’t particularly durable. I find I need to use a LOT of them to get the job done. On the other hand, I love having baby wipes on hand to clean my hands after changing a flat tire or putting a chain back on. (Yeah, you could just wipe them on your shorts, but who wants to do that?)

3. Bathing wipes: These things are awesome. They’re thicker than baby wipes, and more durable. They don’t fall apart on the first go. The ones I’ve been using lately come with directions on the proper way to wipe (hint, you clean your face first, not last!). Some varieties are biodegradable, too, which is a plus. Although, that doesn’t mean you can just throw them on the ground. (Pack it in, Pack it out!) I bring along a special ziplock bag just to store them until I can find a trash can.

I tend to really enjoy a nice shower at the end of the day so it’s not my favorite thing to do when I have to skip one, but once in a while there will be no other option. And hey, it’s not going to kill you to go without a shower every once in a while. Trust me!