Look After Your Cycling Kit With These Quick Washing Tips
Looking to keep your cycling gear in prime condition? In this video, we're sharing our dos and don'ts for washing your cycling kit. Our tips will help maintain the fabric, elastic, and colour of your gear, extending its lifespan and preventing accidental damage. Don't miss out if you want to keep your kit looking its best!
How do you clean your cycling kit? 0:00
What do you do if your ride was really muddy? 0:23
How do you prepare your kit for a wash? 0:50
Wash similar clothing with similar items 3:26
How to prepare recently purchased kit for a wash 4:01
What temperature should you wash your kit at? 4:20
Which detergent should you use? 4:51
Why you shouldn’t use fabric softener on your cycling kit 5:26
Best techniques for drying your kit 6:33
How to prep your water-repellant or water-proof clothing for wash 7:50
That's it for our kit-washing tips! 9:04
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Are you washing your kit properly? 🧽
No washing machine - No problem! :D Thanks to sanctions, there are no longer BOSCH washing machines in my country - this is the equipment I trust. Therefore, now you can only wash by hand :).
Apparently not. I wait for 5-6 rides to have a full load of just cycling kit, don't use a mesh bag, don't zip up or turn inside out. All seems fine though years later. I do let them air dry, never in the dryer. These are probably good tips and I am just lazy.
Good tips Conor but I prefer hand washing in cold water
I have been very interested in this topic. I am afraid y'all really missed a large demographic with this video. MANY of us do not own washer/dryers and have to go to the laundromat. It is not reasonable to live at the laundromat all week to wash our kit in a timely manner. So we have to either let it sit (and grow) or hand wash it. I have a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and keep it full of soapy water and just drop the kit into it put the lid on and give it a shake and once or twice a week I will then pop the lid and hand knead it and then hand rinse it and then line dry it in the shower. I have wanted to know the best way to do this and if Castille Soap is OK?
@gcn please do a video with all the presenters racing 100 miles to see who is faster with video from each perspective
I have my process dialed. Really no need to watch this video. But I figured I'd click to see if I was overlooking anything. I was overlooking everything. I can admit when I'm wrong. Thumbs up!
Love this! Thanks for commenting 🙌
Please ignore the haters! Videos like this are appreciated and insightful! The same people complaining probably do nothing but watch tiktok shorts or clickbait videos and complain about how frequent they are when giving those low effort videos the same attention!
3rd in line of at one hater org.
Came here to say the same! We all started somewhere and had to learn these tips. These haters assume you need 5 years of road cycling experience to be elligible to watch GCN videos.
@SonnyDarvishzadeh This is how you learn. Best schooling is alone on your Bike. All this is easier if you take Care of all your prized bike stuff. All your Kit obviously very valuable for many reasons. Great to participate here.
Thanks! We love creating videos like this, we understand for some it's nothing new but for many it's tips and tricks like this that will keep them cycling. We're all about getting more people in bikes, sometimes that means we have to explain the basics. Skills sharing is the future guys 🙌
Finding something on KZhead to be vacuous and unnecessary doesn't make one a "hater!" Possibly just someone with some ability to discriminate between good content and naff! And please GCN don't ignore the "haters," take note of what they are saying and ask yourself whether they represent an outlying minority or a significant majority.
Great tip to use a mesh bag. Never thought of that. Cheers 👍
The more you know 💡 Glad we could help 🙌
I actually use the mesh bag for the Velcro items like gloves, for additional protection.
Laundry bags are very cheap to buy and pro teams use wash bags
My wife is a runner and between us we thought we had this covered. Turns out we were doing ok, but a few tricks were being missed! Thanks, Connor. Topics like this are very useful, even as a checklist, or maybe pick up something new.
That's why we're here 🙌 Glad we could help, which bits were you missing?
Turning kit inside out, doing up zippers. Not convinced about non-bio (never worked well with the baby/young kid's stuff) but will try.
Nice one thank you - glad it helped! Anything that helps lengthen the life of your kit is a must for me! Thanks for watching!
Lots of good info, thank you. 🙏🏻 When at my Mediterranean home, I simply handwash my kit on the spot. I soak it in tepid water with handwash-specific detergent while I shower, then rinse, squeeze-dry a bit and hang up to dry on my balcony. It has lasted an eternity. 😄
We're not jealous of that home at all... Thanks for the comment! 🙌
I go for the "shoving it in the washing machine with all the other clothes" method. It seems to work very well.
Excellent video!! It is confirming that I am doing things right with washing my kit. I go tips from a female cycling group especially about antibacterial cleanser and wash at 30 degrees. Mesh is an idea that I got from my mom! Thanks for the great video!!
Excellent video!!! I wash my road and BMX race kits, (and my daughter's race kit) all together. Cold cycle. Half the recommended detergent. Jerseys in bag, bibs in another, gloves in a third, merino wool separately all together, taking care not cram them in! Hang it all to dry on hangers we made especially for the job. I have kit that's 6 plus years old, still look new, but the padding isn't what it once was😂
Thanks Conor, this is very useful and I know because i had to ask a friend for advice years ago. I used to just wash sports gear with everything else. Now it's inside out, non bio and 30 degrees delicate and I put velcro stuff in a mesh bag. Makes a huge difference. Sports gear less smelly too.
Good info. On tumbling drying when in a hurry: I like to tumble dry on low to get the garment partway, then hang for overnight.
I usually handwash my cycling wear to make them last longer. Separate clothing that have road grime/grease to avoid the oils from getting transferred to other clothing. If washing velcro cycling gloves with the other clothes, check that the velcro are secured - velcro can catch lycra/polyester material and cause the fabric to get fuzzy, run or tear, especially in the washing machine.
Some great tips here! Do always find time to hand wash your kit after a ride?
@@gcnI'm another hand washing person as I live in an apartment building that only has large, top-loading industrial washing machines. They are not subtle with their wash, even with a mesh bag - there isn't a "delicates" or "sportswear" cycle available. So I hand wash: set aside 20 minutes or so, simple as that. The only step to add: wringing out the kit in a towel before hanging it to dry. Otherwise it takes forever to actually dry, it drips everywhere, etc.
Cup of white vinegar added to normal wash (do an extra rinse) once a week helps keep washer and clothes from building up sweat and grime.
Very true 🤌
White vinegar is kind of a natural fabric softener (at least that's how I use it). @gcn It would be interesting to know if it's also damaging water-repellent layers 🤔
Oooo nice hack! How's the smell?
@@gcnno smell You wouldn’t even know you used it
I am curious about that also and have avoided using it on clothes that have a no softener label on them @@JerryAdam
Conor showing there's more to a super domestique than the public may take for granted. Enjoyed the insightful and practical tips - infinitely more welcome than any whinge/'debate' about weight or aero!
Great to see recommending drying on the line. This is actually even better for decreasing bacterial load than tumble dry. The solar radiation kills off MRSA(methicillin resistant staph aureus) whereas the drier does a poor job. Best to flip bib shorts inside out to expose chamois to sun, downside is the solar radiation also breaks down the clothing faster, but I'd take that over an abscess in the groin any day.
I used to work in a lab where we used to process the MRSA screening swabs from the various sites. I can't say I'd heard of the method you've mentioned, or even given it a thought. I'm not sure it would concern me unless I thought I was carrying it in the first place or mixing with people that had it.
Interesting! Great tip about spinning the shorts 🙌 Thanks for sharing!
Great tips! Thanks!
thoroughly enjoyed this video
Thanks Matt!
I learned that English Ivy leaves contain saponin (natural soap) and can be used as laundry soap. They can be wild gathered with ease along most cycle paths. It takes about 65 leaves rinsed off and sliced with scissors and placed in a mesh laundry bag per load. 2 TBS of baking soda will remove any smells from your kit. Concentrates can be made by soaking the leaves overnight in warm water then stored cold for later use and will keep for two weeks. The leaves can then be composted. It could come in handy for bike packing too. Happy trails.
Great tips! Not sure what you can buy nowadays in the UK but here in Finland we have dedicated sports wash laundry detergents to help preserve the technical fabric properties as well as laundry vinegars. The scented vinegars are an alternative to fabric softener and do an amazing job of neutralising the sweat odours in my cycling kit. We also have the luxury here of drying cupboards which are perfect for drying cycling kit which can't be tumble-dried. And Ollie will probably vouch that dehumidifiers are a great way to dry kit indoors.
Fantastic video, I learned something too!
As other's have mentioned, hand washing your kit right after your ride removes most of the salt and contaminants. On a trip, you can use antibacterial handsoap (not alcohol cleaner) and this will also kill the odour. Knotting the straps is another way to prevent them from tangling. Merino jerseys can often be washed with water alone and will be odour free the next day, which is why they are great for bike packing and travel. Turning the kit inside out will allow the UV from the sun to disinfect the padding (this is actually how it was done in the day of leather chammois").
Super content and tips Conor & gcn!! As the un-official "Laundry Expert" for our house, I'm the go to guy for how too do x,y or z. Couldn't agree more for all points but I don't do the water repellant kit! LOVE the content and please keep this stuff coming!
Nice one geoffrey, glad you found this useful!
Good tips Connor. Esp. zipping up your jerseys and turning them inside out. I had to replace the zip in a nearly-new jersey when it got damaged in the wash.
for temperature, washers here have a setting called "cold" and that's what i use. for my gloves with velcro, i not only set the band to cover the velcro but also fold the band over the whole way around so there are no edges of velcro showing at all
excellent video Conor
Oooh, I see Conor has the same wall mounted clothes dryer as I have. Kudos!
Love this video. I do all that you are showing but I wash in cold water. I'm presuming this is ok? And a small amount of white vinegar is good as a deodorant every second or third wash. Cheers
Great video Connor... I have some clothes which are now old and smell a bit . Iwas hoping your video would also have tips and tricks to make sports gear smell fresh again!
Try washing them in this style and see how you get on. Unfortunately sometimes is unavoidable with old kit 🤢
After the video, I randomly bought some vanish oxy powder, soaked some of my clothes 30 mins in a sink, then did a wash and the smell had gone! I could not believe it!!
I put my stuff in the dryer for 20 minutes on extra low, then an hour at no heat. I've found that this is gentle enough to protect fabrics while also making sure that everything dries.
Thanks for sharingw! How long do you normally keep your kit for? Do you find using the dryer makes the deteriorate any quicker?
@@gcn after a few years once the chamois start to lose their cushion, they become indoor kit.
Quick plug for ecoswash detergent sheets - work a treat and smell great. No affiliation, other than being a satisfied customer.
That's the best affiliation 🙌
Some good tips for sure 👍 Fabric conditioner/softeners definitely make your clothes almost feel slimy and like you mention any breathability is lost .
Have you made that mistake in the past? 👀
@@gcn I haven’t but I’m always telling my partner not to wash my kit using conditioner 😂 I tend to take it the shower with me / hand wash or use the machine with no softeners.
If your kit is sweaty better to let it dry so bacteria doesn’t set in. Also from years of heavy mud from UK cyclocross I would recommend using a water plus setting on the washing machine. The extra water makes a huge difference. And we use halo sports wash. It’s awesome.
Cool conner. I do most of these things , never thought if the bag though. Just a side question. How many jerseys and bibs do you have?
Some new tips. But mostly I follow the same mantra. Using a mesh bag is definitely a new one for me, though.
I use sportswear specific detergent.
Thanks, many good tips. I've always bought gloves and shorts into the shower with me after a ride, and we all get washed with Ivory bar soap. Ready to roll for next time.
Do you ever cut out the middle man and wear them in the shower? 🤣
Finally adult relatable content! Who but not Conor can help with grownup stuff like washing and choosing proper balance bike
Laundry sanitizer in place of fabric softener for the rinse cycle.
Hey, Just a quick question about handwashing your cycling kit. Isn't it better to just handwash the cycling kit with cold water just after or before taking your shower?
We always use Halo sports wash ,expensive, but never let us down !
Thanks for the video 👍🏼 I sometimes use white vinegar as a fabric conditioner. Do you know if I can I use this on my cycling clothes? It also helps as I live in a very hard water area. My wife says non bio won’t get my sweaty smell out of my clothes 😳
Hi, thanks for the comment. We wouldn't like to advise! We have heard of cyclists using this to aid shift stains and smells, but advise you to contact the clothing manufacturer to be safe! thanks, 👍
Would love to hear tips for getting spots from road grime etc. out of jerseys...
Pre treat with Vanish liquid, that usually does the trick.
We use a dehumidifier instead of the tumble dryer for delicate stuff, or to save energy if we aren't in a hurry.
Good tip Andrew, been considering this too!!
@@conordunne219 we got one from Screwfix - £120 IIRC. There's a paid for Which? Buyers Guide if you gotta have The Best 😂
I add a couple tablespoons of baking soda to the wash before starting. It seems to help remove stubborn odors.
Nice
Garment bag, woolite, permanent press gental cold wash, hang dry... 👍🏽👍🏽
I use NikWax Base Wash and Wool Wash for bike kit or Tech Wash for Paramo outdoor kit. I wouldn't use detergent. Base Wash keeps it breathable...
Laundry bags (set of 5 for £4 helps keep items separate), no conditioner, sportswear wash, 30° C. max, do up the zips, turn inside out, dry flat. All that through tentative first steps so thanks for the video. Only thing I disagree with is doing a full cycle to clean the drum.
Nice one John, yep the full cycle to clean the drum was only a potential precaution to think of if you'd used fabric conditioner in the wash prior. thanks for tuning in! Conor
I only tumble dry my older kit I use on the indoor trainer
How about getting mud stains out? Also - white vinegar to replace conditioner eliminates all those 'bounce back' smells that build over time.
I add a cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle to eliminate the stench that builds up in synthetic clothing. Works wonders! Just don't add it at the same time as the detergent because it can mess up the PH.
Use mudguards helps to keep the outside of your kit clean.
I take a shower in my kit. Done. Can dry on the bike too if needed. I sleep in my kit sometimes too. The ladies luv me (long time) ❤️
Might be a controversal take but you don't need to use detergent everytime. I often wash my kit on a quick program and without any detergent and it comes out clean and smells fresh. I think it depends on the amount of dirt.
Great point, what sort if riding are you doing? Maybe location makes a difference too. Even the smoothest road rides can be a mud bath here in the UK ☔
@@gcnYeah I have to admit I'm never covered in mud. I only ride when the road is dry. (Don't judge haha) I just wash it to get sweat and dust out of it again and plane water does already most of the trick. From time to time I add a bit of detergent for good measure though. haha
@@nerdexproject " Plain" unless you're on an aircraft
I usually handwash my cycle and running kit with a sport detergent like Assos.
I usually wash my cycling kit on a short 15 minute cycle at 20°C with no detergent. Then, hang it up outside to air dry, and if it's raining, inside using a dehumidifier.
Any recommendations for washing clothes when out on multi day rides and washing machines aren't available?
Hang them up somewhere to dry and air and use a clothes brush to remove the mud once it's dry. I'll do this sometimes at home if my clothes have only got a bit of road spray on them and/or I'm going to be out again the next day.
Thanks a great question! It'll all depend on how you can dry them and if you have spares. We know some riders will attach their old bib shorts or jersey to their bags and dry them as they ride
Hand wash in the bathroom sink. I bring a small bottle of castile soap (e.g. Dr. Bronner's) and it works well to remove dirt and odors. After rinsing it's best to wring out the kit in a clean towel, then hang dry. It should dry within a few hours. I did this during a month-long self-guided bike tour of Europe last summer and it worked a charm.
@@songfta Thanks. That's very
any other olde schoolers remember basing their turbo session around the washing machine cycle time?
I used to always leave my kit after showering and ended up forgetting about. I then decided to wash my shorts and jersey while i showered with a bar soap. It is not that hard and gives you peace of mind( of course i sut the water while scrubbing).
Long time ago Matt Stephens on a gcn video spoke about washing your kit as you shower, heard from an old cyclist that's how it was done in 70s when he was doing stage racing around Europe.
@@milosstoiljkovic9505 well, the advice really worked for me. Sometimes old school ways are the better ways tbh
Finish ride, take off kit, wash kit immediately even in the sink with hand soap. Immediately is the important part. Once that smell gets into synthetic fabrics it's never coming out.
It can be hard to do that though 🥵 Sometimes all you want to do it put your feet up and relax 🤣
how about some tips on washing and impregnating rain jackets etc.
I only hand-wash cycling gear. Didn't know about the non-bio detergent though so I'll be looking out for one of those now!
Be careful with re-proofing agents: some only work if you tumble-dry the garment, using the heat to cure the waterproofing stuff.
Great tips but I won’t ever get around using half of them. Also what about shoes?
Good advise on caring for your kit except one piece of advice I would take cation with. That is if your muddy rinse off in the shower and that's fine if your on city sewer not if you have a septic system I'd advise against it not good for your system over time could cause issues you don't want to pay for.
Most detergents contain enzymes, which are effective for removing the stains at lower temperatures, but you advice to wash at 30 degrees celsius with a non-bio detergent (which works better at higher temperatures). Never heard bio would be bad for your clothes but washing at high temprature certainly is, so I'm a bit confused about this advice.
Very useful, why spend ages choosing your kit and then not knowing the best method to protect it. Im just going to turn mine inside out
#AskGCNTech how do you clean your helmets
Important tip is to maintain your washing machine. Once a month: drain and clean the filter; remove the soap dispenser and clean it and the space behind; wipe the inside of the door seal with sponge and limescale remover and leave for a maximum of 5 minutes; run a rinse cycle; wipe the door inside and outside. Every 6 months use HG washing machine engineer solution on 'tub clean', or similar, at 60 deg C.
So if you ride 5 days a week, so leaving kit about is bad for Bacteria, but running a load with bibs and a jersey isn't good for the environment... any thought's on this.
FYI: Color catchers don't do anything to prevent colours bleeding into other garments.
Muddy kit? Use the sink or a pail first to hand wash off the dirt, mud and grit in cool water. Then you're ready for a machine wash without getting your machine dirty and smelly.
Great tip! Get rid of that loose mud first - You could also do this outside to avoid mud in the house altogether
Wow. Thougt this might be teaching grandma to suck eggs. But NO! I learned plenty. Thanks for the tips. Really surprised about the fabric softner - could this be why my synthetic clothes, over time, pick up a seeminly indelible pong, no matter how much soaking/washing?
This is awesome! It can seem like a very boring subject but it's so important when you're spending lots of money on nice new kit. 🙌
Have never needed a mesh bag for my cycling kit. I do however use one if I wash my cycling gloves. 30 degrees is bs. 40 is fine.
I never, ever, ever intentionally machine dry my cycling or running cloths or really anything synthetic. Now and then I accidentally wash a sock and such and they come out ok, but why chance it. Lasts so much longer. Of course I always put my bike in the dryer after washing it down. 🤣
I’ve always washed my kits my fabric softener. I guess I’ll stop now. I just love the fresh smell. But no more. 😢
Load detection functions??? That's got to be an expensive washing machine $$$$. My large capacity top loading washing machine has a water level dial. I dry my kit, slightly, at reduced heat levels, until it's just slightly damp, in my natural gas fired dryer. Wow, you've got seven different washing "speeds" on your washer. I only have three on my old one. That outside clothes dryer brings back memories. I had one, just like that, in my back yard, back in the 80's, but by 1990, they fell out of fashion in the US.
I don't think that's expensive. I recently bought a Haier for 400 euros and it has that feature.
@@SonnyDarvishzadeh Front load Smart washers by me for from $700 to $1100.
Most modern washers and dryers have multiple functions and settings. The latest top spec connect to smart speakers and to your phone... like everything these days.
I'm a poor, I hand wash all my kit, and let it air dry. I didn't spend Thousands on kit to wear it out in a machine.
I dont think you are supposed to dry merino in the direct sun.
I've always washed my kit by hand and then hung it up to dry.
That's probably the best option if you have the time, do you find that makes the kit last longer?
@@gcnYes - it definitely makes it last longer, especially with the movement toward raw-cut sleeves and leg grippers. They tend to not develop "the curl" if you hand wash in cold water with a gentle detergent. And chamois lasts a lot longer if it's not thrashed around or subjected to warm water.
cold delicate wash right after wash and air dry. my kits last forever.
Cannot stress how Velcro damages Lycra hate it. Saddle bags with Lycra garbage. Second tip zippers very damaging. Not avoidable like Velcro
I put my sweaty shorts on the radiator next to my wife's chair just for the lols
We bet that makes you popular! 🤣
Next up ironing tips from Si 🤣
we can only dream!
I'll send this video to the wife! 😂😂
Can't see Mrs S being keen on me getting in the shower in full kit !
Other than reading the instructions, how can you ever care for Wool kit without it getting All pilled up and Junk?
Funnily enough, my kit is almost exclusively Specialized and Castelli (i.e. your previous sponsor) and I only follow the 30 deg guidance + add antibacterial treatment instead of fabric softener and my gear is as good as new after years of usage. That includes water repelling properties, without reapplying water repellant agents or doing any of the ironing/tumble drying after air drying nonsense. Is your new sponsor's kit this fragile?
Why is your tumble drier in the shed? Electric goods specify the temperature range they should work in, I'm going to guess that in those winter days, and even worse those winter nights, your shed will be too cold for electrical goods like your tumble drier.
I totally "ruin my kit" with washing it at 60°C. If I don't do that my kit, and other sport clothes, smell not very nicely after some time of everyday use. I haven't seen any signs of damage or lowered "performance". The advice to wash it at 30°C sounds silly to me.
I think it all depends on how caustic your sweat is - we're all different in that regard. I find that baking things in with hot water not only keeps the funk in the fabric but also accelerates the breakdown of higher-end lycra and such - it shortens the life of modern kit. Just my $0.02 but I've found cold water washing (especially hand washing) works wonders.
@@songfta As I wrote I haven't seen any signs of damage. I've been doing it for a year or so. I used to wash my clothes by hand in warm water but after some time I couldn't get rid of the smell. Not to mention I was fed up with washing my clothes by hand every day (I'm a triathlete and I train 6 days a week).
@@inz_uziI also train 6 days a week (not tri, tho) and I have really caustic sweat. I've found that a brief OxiClean (or similar) soak will get rid of any real funk without damaging kit. I've had some kit stay funk-free for 4+ years using the hand wash in cold water routine. One note: I live in an apartment building that has industrial top-load washing machines with very basic controls. Even with a delicates bag my kit would get thrashed and the nice raw-cut edges would curl over time. Hand washing has fixed that problem. But hey: what you do works for you and that is GREAT! Cheers!
@@songfta Sure, thanks for your replies. ☺️ One last thing I need to mention is that my kits are not high-end space-tech. Midrange, I guess. Cheers.
Here in Singapore, the best way to wash your kit is give it to the housekeeper. Comes back all clean and lovely the next day!! 😂
Tell us you have too much money without telling us
We wouldn't wish our dirty kit on anyone else 😷
1❤
After spending more than $400 on your GCN “pro” kit you wouldn’t want to damage it by washing it wrong.
Placing the camera inside washing machine made me feel as thought I was sitting there. Made me feel wierdly uncomfortable ;)
Great video, valuable info on how to wash cycling kit. But I could do without all the environment religion comments.
Trouble is cycling kit should be washed at 30C with no conditioner so likely to need to go in on own, not with regular clothing which is washed with fabric conditioner. So, how many people are going to wash just one set of cycling kit after every ride? Waste of electricity and water. Personally I do 3 or 4 rides(all in clean kit) and bung it all in together. A full load then which makes economic and enviromental sense.
Using less water is good for the environment. Running machines less is good for the environment. Not driving cars is good for the environment. Not walking on the ground is good for the environment. Not getting into the environment is good for the environment. Not eating food is good for the environment. Not breathing air is good for the environment. Locking yourself in a dark sealed prison without water and food is good for the environment.
I prefer hand wash.. i dont use machines to wash my clothes 😊
Never ever wash good bib shorts in the washing machine. By hand always.
GcN’s next video will be how to drink water
About time for another 'how to wash your bike' video...Or how to put your bike in the car...
Big fall from grace, in GCN+ they were cycling across Patagonia. Now they are washing their clothes in their apartment and posting it as content.
@@2011hwalker We've always balanced big challenges with entry level how to content. We understand videos like this might not be for everyone but we're all about creating content for every level of cyclist. We were also sad to see GCN+ go but that hasn't stoped us from creating epic content like this 👉kzhead.info/sun/gbmwk9Rpn4CDbHA/bejne.html
@@gcn For those of us who still have to pull over to wrestle the bottle out of the bottle cage, How to Drink Water would be a great addition to your nutrition vids
If you dont like the video, you dont have to watch it.😅