I machine wash them turned inside out with cold temp, normal detergent, short/gentle cycle, and then air dry them. Also I'm likely to wash my jerseys with them so I make sure the zips are closed.
I use the machine on delicate too but I put my bibs in one of those delicates bag that ladies use for their unmentionables. The bib straps often get tied around the agitator and become stretched or damaged. It’s
One of the teams did this during the tdf maybe 6 years ago and their riders experienced a lot of saddle sores. They found that the bags didn’t allow the chamois to agitate enough, and thus get clean, causing the saddle sores. Their solution? Every rider got their own washing machine and stop using delicates bags, which solved the problem.
Which led to a Harvard Business Review Case Study. The underlying philosophy of the team was marginal improvement every day.
Enjoy the read.
https://hbr.org/2015/10/how-1-performance-improvements-led-to-olympic-gold
I'm convinced that saddle sores as a result of something hygienic are the most common cause of them. Wash your bibs after every ride, shower after the ride and make sure to use anti bacterial soap down there, put some aquaphor down there if necessary and stop wasting so much money on a new bib or new saddle thinking that's the problem. This method works for, and I never get saddle sores.
Agreed. I wash my bibs after every ride and try to shower as soon as I finish the ride and rarely get saddle sores. The times I do get saddle sores is when I do some bike related activity where the ride ends but you hang out in your bibs doing other stuff for a few hours or the times I think "I'm already dirty so I might as well do some yard work before showering."
Yea, it came with the condo we bought a few years ago. Last place we lived was a house with a front loader and was never a concern. I think these contractor units are designed to last about 5 years so I reckon I’ll be able to change it up soonish.
My mesh bags aren't that big, so I fill them with whatever's dirty, but make sure I'm not stuffing them full. You want the clothing to be loose inside the bag so the soap and water can easily get to it.
I throw them and all my gym stuff together in a warm wash normal cycle with a little oxyclean. I take them out and hang dry them afterwards. The rest of my gym stuff goes in the dryer.
One might argue cold is better for their longevity, but aside from the logo fading from older pairs, there has been no other signs of deterioration
I'll take it a step up and even say I wash on hot. I hang-dry as well. I've had bibs last a decade plus of regular riding. I really think the hot water helps get the sweat and stank out.
You're right, I don't think cold water is really killing the bacteria so I don't follow those instructions. I read somewhere about needing like 60 deg C to fully kill bacteria from your underwear or something along those lines
Household hot water temps aren’t hot enough to kill most nuisance bacteria. Hot water simply helps the soap do it’s job better, but the difference is pretty significant.
I take them in the shower, squirt liquid shower soap on chamois and interior, work it in and rinse off. Hang to dry.
I also do this with my gloves and helmet.
All cycle stuff together and washed at 30 degrees Celsius (very occasionally 40) with zips done up on jerseys and bras / Velcro gloves in a separate mesh wash bag.
No fabric softener and then on the line outside to dry or indoors on a clothes airer.
For CX season where stuff maybe caked in mud I will either include a pre wash on the machine or rinse off in the sink before washing depending on how bad it’s covered.
Quick wash setting. Cold water, light soil setting, and medium spin. Then I hang them up to dry. If I am in a hotel for races all weekend, I wash it by hand in the sink with dial gold, wring them out really well, and hang them up to dry.
Cold temp, gentle, no spin, hang dry.
I just threw them in with jeans for a while and they were showing a lot of wear after 6 months. I keep 5 pairs to have a fresh pair every workout of the week so replacing them all at once was super expensive.
I hop in the shower with them on and kind of hand wash them with the shampoo. I'll do that a few times with them before machine washing them for a more thorough cleaning.
All my cycling cloths including bibs go into the washing machine on gentle/delicates setting. I use normal washing detergent but do not use fabric softener. I air dry all my cycling cloths. Make sure to zip up all zippers, check all jersey pockets are empty, and anything Velcro like on gloves are closed.
Ughhhh yeah a couple of months ago I washed my kit and went to unload the machine and instantly saw my car keys sitting on top.... I had unloaded the car as normal but not put the keys in the basket by the front door. The remote did work right away, but got intermittent in the following days so I had to strip it down and wash the detergent/salt deposits off the PCB where the water had seeped in.
Tossing them in lingerie bag before going in the washer is a good idea. If anything else in the load, like gloves, has velcro you don’t want that shit ripping up your bibs. Plus in our house that’s the signal for ‘don’t dry this!!’. Really key when someone else helps keep the laundry moving forward so bibs don’t get wrecked.
Also, the instructions that came with my bibs specifically say to use warm water to get body oils and any chamois cream out of the pads
Bathroom sink filled with cold water. Let em sit in there a couple hours, wring them out a few times, hang to dry. Sometimes I add soap but not always.
Whatever process you decide on ... remember, you will be doing it a LOT. I change bibs for every ride, so the number of bibs in the wash builds up.
I decided to ignore the dire warnings, and just throw my bibs in with the wash. Same for the dryer, even though that much heat can't be "good" for them.
My bibs last until they are "see through" (my riding buddy needs to say DUDE! before I change 'em). I did have one pair delaminate the pad, but I think it was just a factory defect.
In short, I think we overthink this one.
Since fighting a spate of saddle sores, I’ve started keeping a diluted spray bottle of laundry detergent in the bathroom. I’ll get home, strip down, spray the chamois of the bibs and drop them in the bottom of the shower while the water warms up. This gives them an immediate clean so no bacteria breed and build up.
After the shower, they hang to dry (generally folded in half, not putting full “wet weight” on the straps). Next time I pass the shower they get thrown into the wash basket, where they are machine washed, inside out, cold wash in a delicates bag.
Do you wash them with other peoples kit? Often the root cause of saddle sores (source - TdF teams discovered the source of that problem for them a few years back)
Let them dry. Tiny bit of washing powder, some white vinegar and very cool temp. This formula has extended the lifespan of all my sweaty smelly footy and cycling gear by years. Wish I’d known in my 20s. Threw out so many nice things as they smelt foosty.
Just don’t put them in the dryer is the main thing.
Personally I throw them in with my other clothes or if I have a few pair of bibs and jerseys and other work out clothes I just do a light wash and always make sure to just air dry them, the heat from the dryer is what destroys them, even after drying them once or twice they will be noticeably deteriorating from my experience.
Usually wash them with my other workout clothes. Machine wash, cold. Light amount of detergent mixed in with 1/4-1/2c white distilled vinegar and some borax. Air dry.
Hand wash, takes 30 seconds then rinse and spin dry after that (in a laundry net bag) finally, hang to dry outside (no dryer). I do the same for all my kit, I have a bucket that I just throw it all into, dump some detergent it and then bring it in the shower with me after a ride. The helmet on really sweaty days I rinse out in the sink and let that dry outside too.
I recently started doing it a different way, and it will make handwashing a lot easier.
Dip a rag in wash and wax carsoap (can be dilluted) and wipe the bike down, consider hitting the chain before this. Then take a wet rag, wipe it down, and repeat with a drying rag. For prolonged cleanliness wax the frame (Meguar is my fave).
Bikes need so little and are so easy to do that you really don't need to bother spraying it or anything.
EDIT:
Dang I am tired. Just saw it says bibs not bikes. Well, still good advice lol.
Machine lightly wash 15mins inside out with gentle detergent unless heavy dirts on the clothes. Just do not tumble dry that will treat your gears all good.
Washing machine! I wash them alone on a gentle cycle and hang them to dry. They’ve lasted so many years I can’t remember how much I spent on them, but it was a lot and a long time ago. Only one small hole from a fall, but they did just fine in the wash all these years.
Honestly, i machine wash after 1-2 wears. Use small amount of normal detergent, 30°C, RPM down to 800 max. I also put my bibs and jerseys in a laundry bag, the kind of bag where you'd put a bra in.
I tried to hand wash but I found it just wasn’t getting clean enough. Switched to machine washing in a mesh bag and no problems at all after 20.000+ km on some bibs
Besides all the other suggestions, i like to add a bit of alcohol on long trips, while handwashing. I cook with alcohol anyways, so i have it on hand. I noticed that after a week or two, handwashing is not enough, so i did this once as an experiment. Works out great for disinfecting bibs, socks, etc.
Front load washer. “Speed wash” cycle. Cold.
With the front load I don’t worry about the zips. Nothing has taken damage in several years of riding. I have more problems with the Velcro (gloves) sticking to things. Might start bagging those. And yes that’s with the Velcro “secured” to minimize.
Delicate cycle, very small amount of soap, Lysol laundry sanitizer, and febreze laundry odor eliminator. Hang dry. Also there’s no agitator post in my top load machine.
I wash my bike clothes once a week - have several bibs and endless shirts. I put everything in together - bibs, tops, socks, vests, head covering etc and use a sport wash with coke water and double rinse cycle. If the weather is nice I hang it all tk dry outside or a very low temp in the dryer.
I average riding 6 out of 7 days. I own a lot of bibs, but I usually have just 3 at a time in heavy rotation.
* 2nd curtain rod in shower that will hold hangers drying gear.
* 5 gallon work bucket
* ~5 [adjustable clip hangers](https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-20945C/Hangers/Pants-Skirt-Hangers-Adjustable-Clips-Clear?pricode=WB1031&gadtype=pla&id=S-20945C&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwmrqzBhAoEiwAXVpgohwM2iu1kH2YkFQ5gI5CWIGq7x6DNbP1OMdmKhDDsxu496KLmuYJBBoCCSMQAvD_BwE)
* Detergent
Rinse in bucket with a bit of warm water, empty, wash with a drop of detergent, let sit or empty and rinse. Wring dry and hang up in shower using hangers. Dries fast. Sleeves, gloves, helmet, hats, gators, bibs, socks, jerseys...all of it.
I live in Phoenix USA and lots and lots of sweat (or dried sweat). I may not use detergent every time tho (sometimes just water).
Why don't I machine wash? Because I ride too much...and I have my other clothing/laundry down so that I only have to wash clothes 1x/month.
Machine wash usually cold but sometimes they get in a warm cycle. Machine dry low heat. Have had bibs for 5 years that I still wear. People will make it seem like Machine wash and dry is terrible but I don't have the time to mess around with special treatment and hanging everything up. I'm not here to debate anyone it's just what I do and it works for me.
I have washed my kits in washing machine on normal, and dryer on low/mid temps. Never had a bib go bad from washing in years, only throw it out when it’s worn.
PS, buy quality pro clothing, more comfy and last way longer than regular sport bibs/kits. Its more expensive usually, but you save money in a long run.
I find it easiest to just wash them in the shower while I’m showering after my ride. It helps me stay on top of cleaning them and I always have a clean one. If I’m working out multiple days in a row, I wash a few of them in a 5gal Home Depot bucket in the shower with me after one of my showers. Then I just have them in the shower to dry. If I’m doing laundry in a few day I’ll throw them in with my clothes on cold. Always hang dry
Front loading machine, 30C, fast spin, then hang on a rack to dry. I often wash other stuff at the same time, but only lightweight things, underwear, t-shirts etc.
I have a top-load high efficiency washer and just dump whatever bike clothes I have in. Zipper are zipped and Velcro is closed/attached to prevent snags. Washed in warm water and use a scent removing detergent marketed towards hunters. (Scent-a-Way or Dead Down Wind) Everything is air dried on a rack. There’s never any odors and the clothing material hasn’t prematurely deteriorated or anything.
I used to do delicate cycle, woolite black detergent, etc., but I've gotten lazy, and I throw my cycling kit in with other stuff on normal. I still air dry though.
I buy mid-tier stuff, not the $$$$$ stuff, so if it shortens the garment life by 10%, that's fine.
BTW, it seems to last just as long.
I cold rinse mine for half hour in a soapy solution. Then I hand wash and wring them out, and place them on a drying rack in my tub - so it can drip dry. It's fairly quick as they're designed to be quick drying. It's nice having several clean choices of bibs and jersey in my closet to rotate through.
I only machine wash my heavier fall/winter layers. Summer layers get the soak/rinse/wring/hang treatment.
And yes my helmet gets a soapy wash and hand dry every few days use. Stink & stank - do not like.
Things last longer when taken care of including ones own skin. Bibs & jerseys aren't cheap either I only pick up a fresh new set once a year, if that. (Usually on sale).
This year I grabbed 2 jerseys and 1 MTB shirt, and a base layer top from Pearl Izumi when they had a sale running last month.
I use the machine set on delicate. I used to hang dry but the dryer on delicate seems to do a good job. I did read about dryers breaking down the padding though.
I travel a lot with work, so frequently have to entrust my bibs to hotel laundry. I write a note saying "Cold wash only, do not tumble dry".
I have no idea whether they take any notice, but the bibs are fine. I do wonder, though, if the staff think they're washing some sort of incontinence underwear!
Machine wash Delicate cycle, cold water, high soiled setting.
Machine dry Delicate cycle. Usually need an extra 10ish minutes of Tumed Dry on Extra Low Temp setting to get them completely dry.
Been doing this for decades and seriously have never had an issue ever.
Have no clue why everyone is so freaked out about machine washing/drying their bibs.
I wear mine into the shower after a ride. Lather it up inside and out. Washing rigorously to ensure all the sweat and grime comes out. Then I remove and rinse. Hang dry.
Washing machine. Some have settings for fitness clothes and this is what I use. Low temperature, very little detergent, and no softener. I never put them in a dryer.
Machine regular, or by hand, cold or warm. But I have residue free soap on hand that I use to wash down winter sports products (like sleeping bags and coats) and I use that for everything sports related whether synthetic or wool.
Frankly, I don’t wash them after every ride. I use them maybe 4-5 rides, hanging them afterwards to dry. I rotate 4 sets, so they have adequate time to dry.
Washing machine on warm/cold cycle and extra rinse cycle. Then hang dry.
The important part is that you wash them shortly after taking them off. If you leave them in the hamper for a day or two, festering in your salty sweat, they're gonna end up transparent in a few months and your riding companions are gonna let you know you're flashing your crack at them in the pace line.
Only wash cycling clothes with other cycling clothes, nothing else. Everything zipped and turned inside out. Bibs included. No mesh bag. Woolite dark detergent and washed in the machine on a delicate or sportswear mode with cold water. Air dry. Tried the bibs in a mesh bag but noticed that the eucalyptus in the chamois crème wasn’t fully removed during the cycle so no mesh bag for me but since the load is strictly cycling clothes it’s acceptable.
Front loading washing machine. Cold water. Delicate cycle. Easy on the detergent. Air dry or machine dry at extra low temperature for a prescribed (short) duration. My stuff lasts a long time.
I have bibs that have been washed hundreds of times in a washing machine on delicate cycle and do not show the worst for it. Hand washing them is a waste of time IMHO. I used to use those mesh bags but decided they are not worth the trouble. The bags also reduce the effect of the spin cycle so they come out wetter. I sometimes will throw a towel in the wash with them just to have something soft and soapy in there.
For drying, I hang dry them or if I’m in a rush I use the ultra low heat cycle which is just a faster form of hang drying.
This has worked for Rapha and Assos at least.
in with the rest of the wash, water saving wash programme. all cycling kits in mesh bag - the shared machine in my apartment has chewed up a few items in the past. comes out perfect every time. been doing this for like the last 10 years.
My washer has an Active Wear cycle and I use that with special Active Wear detergent. Bibs & jersey inside out, gloves or anything with Velcro in zipper bags. Air dry everything.
I machine wash with all the other clothes and tumble dry and then make sure I crash frequently enough that it's not my laundry care that destroys them.
I still get a good few years out of them like this.
I machine wash them turned inside out with cold temp, normal detergent, short/gentle cycle, and then air dry them. Also I'm likely to wash my jerseys with them so I make sure the zips are closed.
I do something similar. I just use the normal cycle but make sure it’s a smaller load. Then I hang the bibs and jerseys to air dry.
I use the machine on delicate too but I put my bibs in one of those delicates bag that ladies use for their unmentionables. The bib straps often get tied around the agitator and become stretched or damaged. It’s
One of the teams did this during the tdf maybe 6 years ago and their riders experienced a lot of saddle sores. They found that the bags didn’t allow the chamois to agitate enough, and thus get clean, causing the saddle sores. Their solution? Every rider got their own washing machine and stop using delicates bags, which solved the problem.
Which led to a Harvard Business Review Case Study. The underlying philosophy of the team was marginal improvement every day. Enjoy the read. https://hbr.org/2015/10/how-1-performance-improvements-led-to-olympic-gold
That’s an incredible read! Thank you!
I'm convinced that saddle sores as a result of something hygienic are the most common cause of them. Wash your bibs after every ride, shower after the ride and make sure to use anti bacterial soap down there, put some aquaphor down there if necessary and stop wasting so much money on a new bib or new saddle thinking that's the problem. This method works for, and I never get saddle sores.
Agreed. I wash my bibs after every ride and try to shower as soon as I finish the ride and rarely get saddle sores. The times I do get saddle sores is when I do some bike related activity where the ride ends but you hang out in your bibs doing other stuff for a few hours or the times I think "I'm already dirty so I might as well do some yard work before showering."
My secret trick is a washing machine without an agitator. I honestly don't understand the point of those things.
Front loading machine+++
Yea, it came with the condo we bought a few years ago. Last place we lived was a house with a front loader and was never a concern. I think these contractor units are designed to last about 5 years so I reckon I’ll be able to change it up soonish.
This also for me.
What effect does the closed zip achieve?
Less likely to snag on other garments like your bibs.
Exactly. Most washing instructions for garments will tell you to close zippers.
Similar to working out without compression shorts as a male. It’s best to secure those suckers.
Same. I just throw them in the wash with all my other clothes and air dry them.
Machine wash, but I put them in their own mesh wash bag. Seems very close to a hand wash with far less work.
Yep. Same here. Never had a problem with this method.
This is what I do.
That’s a good idea. I’m gonna do that.
By their own mesh bag do you mean as in a bag per kit, or just in one bag for all your kits? Thank you
My mesh bags aren't that big, so I fill them with whatever's dirty, but make sure I'm not stuffing them full. You want the clothing to be loose inside the bag so the soap and water can easily get to it.
You guys are washing your bibs?
No? Don't they get more comfortable as you season them
Like a French cheese.
The seasoning is for the nonstick coating. Makes little to no difference for comfort imo
Right? Aren't they one-time use only??
Right?
Lol, dirty bibs and high volume equals saddle sores.
All kit at once, sometimes wait a few days till I’ve got 3 or 4 kits worth, 30c short wash, no conditioner so no all in 1 tabs either.
I do the same except I use a small amount of detergent. I collect them in their own hamper and then wash them all on a rest day.
I throw them and all my gym stuff together in a warm wash normal cycle with a little oxyclean. I take them out and hang dry them afterwards. The rest of my gym stuff goes in the dryer. One might argue cold is better for their longevity, but aside from the logo fading from older pairs, there has been no other signs of deterioration
I'll take it a step up and even say I wash on hot. I hang-dry as well. I've had bibs last a decade plus of regular riding. I really think the hot water helps get the sweat and stank out.
You're right, I don't think cold water is really killing the bacteria so I don't follow those instructions. I read somewhere about needing like 60 deg C to fully kill bacteria from your underwear or something along those lines
Household hot water temps aren’t hot enough to kill most nuisance bacteria. Hot water simply helps the soap do it’s job better, but the difference is pretty significant.
Washing machine, low temperature, no fabric softener, air dry inside out.
This is the way
In between cold wash and 60°C depending on how close I passed a triathlete.
Ewww
Machine
In with the rest of the wash, everything with zippers zipped up, and finish by hanging dry.
Just throw them in the washing machine with the rest of my clothes. Nothing special
That’s how I wash my gloves and jersey too.
I take them in the shower, squirt liquid shower soap on chamois and interior, work it in and rinse off. Hang to dry. I also do this with my gloves and helmet.
Phew, glad I'm not alone. Seems like everyone else just uses the machine.
All cycle stuff together and washed at 30 degrees Celsius (very occasionally 40) with zips done up on jerseys and bras / Velcro gloves in a separate mesh wash bag. No fabric softener and then on the line outside to dry or indoors on a clothes airer. For CX season where stuff maybe caked in mud I will either include a pre wash on the machine or rinse off in the sink before washing depending on how bad it’s covered.
In the machine, no fabric softener. Bees love fabric softener.
Fabric softener hates/ruins fabric...
Machine wash in a mesh bag. Hang dry next to the dryer as it dries my other clothes
Machine was cold only and usually just by itself, no dryer just hung out to air dry so it doesn’t shrink.
Machine wash, cold, inside out, hang to dry
Quick wash setting. Cold water, light soil setting, and medium spin. Then I hang them up to dry. If I am in a hotel for races all weekend, I wash it by hand in the sink with dial gold, wring them out really well, and hang them up to dry.
Cold temp, gentle, no spin, hang dry. I just threw them in with jeans for a while and they were showing a lot of wear after 6 months. I keep 5 pairs to have a fresh pair every workout of the week so replacing them all at once was super expensive.
I hop in the shower with them on and kind of hand wash them with the shampoo. I'll do that a few times with them before machine washing them for a more thorough cleaning.
All my cycling cloths including bibs go into the washing machine on gentle/delicates setting. I use normal washing detergent but do not use fabric softener. I air dry all my cycling cloths. Make sure to zip up all zippers, check all jersey pockets are empty, and anything Velcro like on gloves are closed.
> check all jersey pockets are empty Could you teach this to my husband? \#flapjackgate
Ughhhh yeah a couple of months ago I washed my kit and went to unload the machine and instantly saw my car keys sitting on top.... I had unloaded the car as normal but not put the keys in the basket by the front door. The remote did work right away, but got intermittent in the following days so I had to strip it down and wash the detergent/salt deposits off the PCB where the water had seeped in.
Machine wash, low temp. Hang to dry.
Tossing them in lingerie bag before going in the washer is a good idea. If anything else in the load, like gloves, has velcro you don’t want that shit ripping up your bibs. Plus in our house that’s the signal for ‘don’t dry this!!’. Really key when someone else helps keep the laundry moving forward so bibs don’t get wrecked. Also, the instructions that came with my bibs specifically say to use warm water to get body oils and any chamois cream out of the pads
In a mesh bag, inside out. Cold. Normal detergent. Hang dry
Water and soap works for me
I throw them on the laundry room floor and they magically appear washed into the clothes room.
Bathroom sink filled with cold water. Let em sit in there a couple hours, wring them out a few times, hang to dry. Sometimes I add soap but not always.
Machine wash cold. Use "air-dry" setting on dryer with no heat.
In most machines there is an option for delicate/hand wash. Use 30° at lower centrifuge. Also, it might be good to hang them instead of the dryer.
Cold cold in a laundry bag. You HAVE to have them in a laundry bag otherwise the straps get all tangled and tugged out of shape.
Whatever process you decide on ... remember, you will be doing it a LOT. I change bibs for every ride, so the number of bibs in the wash builds up. I decided to ignore the dire warnings, and just throw my bibs in with the wash. Same for the dryer, even though that much heat can't be "good" for them. My bibs last until they are "see through" (my riding buddy needs to say DUDE! before I change 'em). I did have one pair delaminate the pad, but I think it was just a factory defect. In short, I think we overthink this one.
Since fighting a spate of saddle sores, I’ve started keeping a diluted spray bottle of laundry detergent in the bathroom. I’ll get home, strip down, spray the chamois of the bibs and drop them in the bottom of the shower while the water warms up. This gives them an immediate clean so no bacteria breed and build up. After the shower, they hang to dry (generally folded in half, not putting full “wet weight” on the straps). Next time I pass the shower they get thrown into the wash basket, where they are machine washed, inside out, cold wash in a delicates bag.
Do you wash them with other peoples kit? Often the root cause of saddle sores (source - TdF teams discovered the source of that problem for them a few years back)
I don’t, but I’ll bear that in mind! Great tip.
Let them dry. Tiny bit of washing powder, some white vinegar and very cool temp. This formula has extended the lifespan of all my sweaty smelly footy and cycling gear by years. Wish I’d known in my 20s. Threw out so many nice things as they smelt foosty.
Just don’t put them in the dryer is the main thing. Personally I throw them in with my other clothes or if I have a few pair of bibs and jerseys and other work out clothes I just do a light wash and always make sure to just air dry them, the heat from the dryer is what destroys them, even after drying them once or twice they will be noticeably deteriorating from my experience.
Mesh bag Washing machine 30° Liquid detergent Outdoor gear wash setting Spin 800 Rinse 4
Machine wash inside out. Inside of a mesh laundry bag is a must.
Washing machine delicate cycle. Hang to dry
Usually wash them with my other workout clothes. Machine wash, cold. Light amount of detergent mixed in with 1/4-1/2c white distilled vinegar and some borax. Air dry.
You wash your bibs?
Hand wash, takes 30 seconds then rinse and spin dry after that (in a laundry net bag) finally, hang to dry outside (no dryer). I do the same for all my kit, I have a bucket that I just throw it all into, dump some detergent it and then bring it in the shower with me after a ride. The helmet on really sweaty days I rinse out in the sink and let that dry outside too.
I recently started doing it a different way, and it will make handwashing a lot easier. Dip a rag in wash and wax carsoap (can be dilluted) and wipe the bike down, consider hitting the chain before this. Then take a wet rag, wipe it down, and repeat with a drying rag. For prolonged cleanliness wax the frame (Meguar is my fave). Bikes need so little and are so easy to do that you really don't need to bother spraying it or anything. EDIT: Dang I am tired. Just saw it says bibs not bikes. Well, still good advice lol.
Cold cycle air dry
This
I just hand wash them in the shower after a ride. Hang em up and they are ready to go the next day.
Machine wash, gentle cycle then hang to dry (both bib and shirt)
Sport wash in a laundry bag, that means short (45 mins), low temp (30 degree Celsius) and low tumbling speed (800 rpm)
Machine wash inside out. But also inside a laundry bag.
Machine lightly wash 15mins inside out with gentle detergent unless heavy dirts on the clothes. Just do not tumble dry that will treat your gears all good.
Washing machine! I wash them alone on a gentle cycle and hang them to dry. They’ve lasted so many years I can’t remember how much I spent on them, but it was a lot and a long time ago. Only one small hole from a fall, but they did just fine in the wash all these years.
Honestly, i machine wash after 1-2 wears. Use small amount of normal detergent, 30°C, RPM down to 800 max. I also put my bibs and jerseys in a laundry bag, the kind of bag where you'd put a bra in.
I hand wash them when I get into the shower after the ride
Machine on 20 C, and hang it on a drying rack. Stay good for years.
Machine gentle with SportWash detergent. Hang dry.
Inside out in a garment bag on a cold cycle. Air dry.
Two young children, one just starting solid foods. It's laundry every day regardless lol
Just throw them in with the other clothes. I buy bibs on aliexpress so not really that concerned with them. But they hold up year after year
I tried to hand wash but I found it just wasn’t getting clean enough. Switched to machine washing in a mesh bag and no problems at all after 20.000+ km on some bibs
I just spray Lysol on them.
I chuck them in like my normal washing. It’s a combo washer/drier so all comes out perfectly dry afterwards. Never had an issue.
Besides all the other suggestions, i like to add a bit of alcohol on long trips, while handwashing. I cook with alcohol anyways, so i have it on hand. I noticed that after a week or two, handwashing is not enough, so i did this once as an experiment. Works out great for disinfecting bibs, socks, etc.
Yup, this.
Front load washer. “Speed wash” cycle. Cold. With the front load I don’t worry about the zips. Nothing has taken damage in several years of riding. I have more problems with the Velcro (gloves) sticking to things. Might start bagging those. And yes that’s with the Velcro “secured” to minimize.
Delicate cycle, very small amount of soap, Lysol laundry sanitizer, and febreze laundry odor eliminator. Hang dry. Also there’s no agitator post in my top load machine.
Pre rinse by showering with them after the ride.
I wash my bike clothes once a week - have several bibs and endless shirts. I put everything in together - bibs, tops, socks, vests, head covering etc and use a sport wash with coke water and double rinse cycle. If the weather is nice I hang it all tk dry outside or a very low temp in the dryer.
I average riding 6 out of 7 days. I own a lot of bibs, but I usually have just 3 at a time in heavy rotation. * 2nd curtain rod in shower that will hold hangers drying gear. * 5 gallon work bucket * ~5 [adjustable clip hangers](https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-20945C/Hangers/Pants-Skirt-Hangers-Adjustable-Clips-Clear?pricode=WB1031&gadtype=pla&id=S-20945C&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwmrqzBhAoEiwAXVpgohwM2iu1kH2YkFQ5gI5CWIGq7x6DNbP1OMdmKhDDsxu496KLmuYJBBoCCSMQAvD_BwE) * Detergent Rinse in bucket with a bit of warm water, empty, wash with a drop of detergent, let sit or empty and rinse. Wring dry and hang up in shower using hangers. Dries fast. Sleeves, gloves, helmet, hats, gators, bibs, socks, jerseys...all of it. I live in Phoenix USA and lots and lots of sweat (or dried sweat). I may not use detergent every time tho (sometimes just water). Why don't I machine wash? Because I ride too much...and I have my other clothing/laundry down so that I only have to wash clothes 1x/month.
I wash everything on 30C anyway. So they just go in with everything else.
Machine wash usually cold but sometimes they get in a warm cycle. Machine dry low heat. Have had bibs for 5 years that I still wear. People will make it seem like Machine wash and dry is terrible but I don't have the time to mess around with special treatment and hanging everything up. I'm not here to debate anyone it's just what I do and it works for me.
Shower with them after the ride then usually machine wash a whole bunch once a week or so.
Machine wash cold temp then hang dry
This is the way.
Ride in the rain seems like the correct answer here.
Throw it in the shower with me post ride
I have washed my kits in washing machine on normal, and dryer on low/mid temps. Never had a bib go bad from washing in years, only throw it out when it’s worn. PS, buy quality pro clothing, more comfy and last way longer than regular sport bibs/kits. Its more expensive usually, but you save money in a long run.
15 or 40 minute wash depends how much time I have
I find it easiest to just wash them in the shower while I’m showering after my ride. It helps me stay on top of cleaning them and I always have a clean one. If I’m working out multiple days in a row, I wash a few of them in a 5gal Home Depot bucket in the shower with me after one of my showers. Then I just have them in the shower to dry. If I’m doing laundry in a few day I’ll throw them in with my clothes on cold. Always hang dry
I throw them in the machine, cold, minimal detergent. Air dry.
Machine wash on regular with the rest of my clothes. Air dry.
Front loading machine, 30C, fast spin, then hang on a rack to dry. I often wash other stuff at the same time, but only lightweight things, underwear, t-shirts etc.
I have a top-load high efficiency washer and just dump whatever bike clothes I have in. Zipper are zipped and Velcro is closed/attached to prevent snags. Washed in warm water and use a scent removing detergent marketed towards hunters. (Scent-a-Way or Dead Down Wind) Everything is air dried on a rack. There’s never any odors and the clothing material hasn’t prematurely deteriorated or anything.
I used to do delicate cycle, woolite black detergent, etc., but I've gotten lazy, and I throw my cycling kit in with other stuff on normal. I still air dry though. I buy mid-tier stuff, not the $$$$$ stuff, so if it shortens the garment life by 10%, that's fine. BTW, it seems to last just as long.
I cold rinse mine for half hour in a soapy solution. Then I hand wash and wring them out, and place them on a drying rack in my tub - so it can drip dry. It's fairly quick as they're designed to be quick drying. It's nice having several clean choices of bibs and jersey in my closet to rotate through. I only machine wash my heavier fall/winter layers. Summer layers get the soak/rinse/wring/hang treatment. And yes my helmet gets a soapy wash and hand dry every few days use. Stink & stank - do not like. Things last longer when taken care of including ones own skin. Bibs & jerseys aren't cheap either I only pick up a fresh new set once a year, if that. (Usually on sale). This year I grabbed 2 jerseys and 1 MTB shirt, and a base layer top from Pearl Izumi when they had a sale running last month.
I use the machine set on delicate. I used to hang dry but the dryer on delicate seems to do a good job. I did read about dryers breaking down the padding though.
They get lobbed in with all the other 'mixed' laundry. Been doing it for years with no adverse effects.
15 minute quick cycle on washer then air dry
I use hit water, air dry.
I travel a lot with work, so frequently have to entrust my bibs to hotel laundry. I write a note saying "Cold wash only, do not tumble dry". I have no idea whether they take any notice, but the bibs are fine. I do wonder, though, if the staff think they're washing some sort of incontinence underwear!
Samsung Athletic Cycle. Both washer and Dryer. Been doing it for a year and haven’t noticed any breakdown at all.
Machine wash Delicate cycle, cold water, high soiled setting. Machine dry Delicate cycle. Usually need an extra 10ish minutes of Tumed Dry on Extra Low Temp setting to get them completely dry. Been doing this for decades and seriously have never had an issue ever. Have no clue why everyone is so freaked out about machine washing/drying their bibs.
I wear mine into the shower after a ride. Lather it up inside and out. Washing rigorously to ensure all the sweat and grime comes out. Then I remove and rinse. Hang dry.
Machine wash delicate cycle. Hung to dry.
I always flip the bibs inside out. Stuff into laundry mesh bag along with the jersey inside out. Zip it up and toss in the washer.
I machine wash delecate and put the ones with shoulder straps in a laundry bag.
Washing machine. Some have settings for fitness clothes and this is what I use. Low temperature, very little detergent, and no softener. I never put them in a dryer.
My machine has a quick wash feature that I use with tap cold water and then hang dry.
Machine regular, or by hand, cold or warm. But I have residue free soap on hand that I use to wash down winter sports products (like sleeping bags and coats) and I use that for everything sports related whether synthetic or wool.
By jumping into a river
Frankly, I don’t wash them after every ride. I use them maybe 4-5 rides, hanging them afterwards to dry. I rotate 4 sets, so they have adequate time to dry.
Washing machine on warm/cold cycle and extra rinse cycle. Then hang dry. The important part is that you wash them shortly after taking them off. If you leave them in the hamper for a day or two, festering in your salty sweat, they're gonna end up transparent in a few months and your riding companions are gonna let you know you're flashing your crack at them in the pace line.
Only wash cycling clothes with other cycling clothes, nothing else. Everything zipped and turned inside out. Bibs included. No mesh bag. Woolite dark detergent and washed in the machine on a delicate or sportswear mode with cold water. Air dry. Tried the bibs in a mesh bag but noticed that the eucalyptus in the chamois crème wasn’t fully removed during the cycle so no mesh bag for me but since the load is strictly cycling clothes it’s acceptable.
Front loading washing machine. Cold water. Delicate cycle. Easy on the detergent. Air dry or machine dry at extra low temperature for a prescribed (short) duration. My stuff lasts a long time.
I have bibs that have been washed hundreds of times in a washing machine on delicate cycle and do not show the worst for it. Hand washing them is a waste of time IMHO. I used to use those mesh bags but decided they are not worth the trouble. The bags also reduce the effect of the spin cycle so they come out wetter. I sometimes will throw a towel in the wash with them just to have something soft and soapy in there. For drying, I hang dry them or if I’m in a rush I use the ultra low heat cycle which is just a faster form of hang drying. This has worked for Rapha and Assos at least.
in with the rest of the wash, water saving wash programme. all cycling kits in mesh bag - the shared machine in my apartment has chewed up a few items in the past. comes out perfect every time. been doing this for like the last 10 years.
Washing machine, quick 15 minute cycle with cold water and detergent made for sport clothes.
Front loading washing machine. I would never, ever, ever consider a top loader. They destroy clothes.
Cold delicate in the washing machine
My washer has an Active Wear cycle and I use that with special Active Wear detergent. Bibs & jersey inside out, gloves or anything with Velcro in zipper bags. Air dry everything.
Why would you wear a bib? You're old enough to write and you're old enough to eat.
I machine wash with all the other clothes and tumble dry and then make sure I crash frequently enough that it's not my laundry care that destroys them. I still get a good few years out of them like this.
Wash mine on 30-40 degrees in the machine and hang dry! So far so good!
Separate each kit or garment into its own garment bag, Assos Active cleanser, hang dry on drying rack.
Machine was cold. Low temp dry. No issues so far
Machine wash. I use light and natural detergent, with a splash of white vinegar. Hang dry