Fear of Sweat
It’s been hot and humid in Boston. So there have been a few uncomfortable bike rides into work recently.
Okay, so riding a bike in summer is a bit sweaty. But it seems a lot of people really worry way too much about sweating.
I admit I have a job where a few beads of sweat or wrinkles in my clothes don’t matter so perhaps I have it easy. But still seems some people have no sense of scale. As if a single bead of sweat warrants immediate separation from decent society for a vigorous scrub and wardrobe change.
So I’ll stick to my routine of one shower in the morning and a casual bike ride to work. But I do keep emergency moist towelettes in my bag. Because July.
My bike commute is trivial to work, so sweating is never a concern, even on a hot day.
However, if I ride my bike down to services or a social event in Chicago, it’s 5+ miles, which can start my sweat glands. I’ve started wearing an undershirt so that I wouldn’t have to change when I get there. The back is always the place which gets the most sweaty.
So, the issue for me is my helmet hair. My head gets all sweaty and I am usually a nice blow dry and style kind of gal. I guess I need to change the hair do for he summer.
Somewhere (here???) I read that if you brush your hair to the other side before you put on your helmet then when take your helmet off, bush it back it will be fine
I ride 19 miles to work. In DC heat/humidity. I shower before I leave. I arrive sweaty. I dry out and change clothes. No problem. People (Americans!) are obsessed with ridiculous things. And yes, I’m a professional, wear suits, etc…
Sweat’s a big deal here in Houston. I only ride three miles each way these days, but it’s significant, I’ve actually gotten comments from my coworkers in the worst parts of summer, some wet wipes help but changing clothes isn’t much of an option with the nature of my job (I’m an I.T. guy – I have a swarm of people waiting for me at the door when I get here and it lasts all day). I’ve taken the everyone else can deal with it attitude. Fortunately most of the year it isn’t that big of an issue, my town has greenbelts so I’m in the shade most of the way.
If you’ve got a swarm of people waiting for you, then you’re not *that* sweaty.
I do wonder if some of the people who are in this comment section (as well as the author) have, I don’ t know, less stinky sweat? Or maybe they work with people with less sensitive noses? I used to walk 3 miles at a gentle pace to work in a very mild climate (coastal northern CA). My boss told me my body odor was bad and if I kept walking to work she would fire me, despite the fact that my performance in every other way was exemplary. She said she couldn’t stand my stench. Wet wipes were no help. I like to bike but wouldn’t dare do it to work if I couldn’t shower at that end. Being threatened with termination due to your B.O. will put the fear of God into you.
I have biked for decades. I find it amusing that the same people (usually other women) can be shocked that I show to places with a bit of sweat and (crisis!) hair disturbed by a helmet…but they PAY to participate in “Mud Runs,” “Color Runs,” etc. I suspect that the difference is that when you are biking for transportation or for routine fun you don’t post on Facebook. Keep on biking (and sweating!)