Sunday 13 May 2012

Trying to ride away from your own stench

I'm used to getting sweaty twice a day, but it's usually good clean sweat - followed by a good long shower. I get rid of it before it has a chance to pong.


One of the beauties of lycra is that it dries quickly and rarely smells when I have to put it back on at the end of the working day. It might whiff a bit, but not enough to put anyone off.


That all changed last week with one jersey. I dragged it out at the end of the day, and it smelled like a wino had pissed on it. It reeked something awful. It was so bad, I couldn't stand still for a moment because the fumes wafting up were so over powering. Red lights were a nightmare - I was sorely tempted to jump a few, just to leave the stench behind. It was eye-wateringly bad.


I have no idea what caused it - my diet hasn't changed, I didn't eat anything odd the night before and I didn't sweat a bucket more than normal that morning. When I got home, I had to bolt for the shower, not even bothering to undress before getting under the water.


Next day, I had a different jersey, and it was fine.


And then the jersey rotated around again as the laundry cycle did its thing, and I was stuck with the smell again. Not so bad this time, but it was definitely there.


Some fancy cycling jerseys have things embedded in the fabric to stop this sort of things happening - maybe that particular one has just reached the end of its bacteria killing life. Whatever it was, it was nasty.


If it happens again, I won't throw it out. I'll save it in case the Occupy mob set up camp again. A quick visit to their camp wearing that thing should clear them out quick-smart.

5 comments:

Minicapt said...

Form 1999:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/08/990825081052.htm
More recent:
http://www.polartec.com/technologies/odor-resistance/

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Wash it in vinegar-white vinegar if you have no other kind.

Dakingisdead said...

They won't notice a thing.

Boy on a bike said...

Vinegar - why didn't I think of that?

cav said...

I think I have some undies made from that stuff.