CycleAloha

...Just wondering if you guys wash and dry your shorts in machines? I wash mine but usually let them air dry. Also, I bought a pair of shorts that are a bit too big, will drying them in the machine shrink them any? Thanks

twahl

I wash in cold water, gentle cycle, with regular detergent, and dry on low heat in the dryer. I have shorts that are 2 years old and the only signs of wear are the labels.

Drying them in the dryer shouldn't shrink them because the material is synthetic. If they were cotton you might be able to get them to shrink some, but synthetics shouldn't.

woodcycl

Wash in cold gentle cycle -- hang dry. Works great! I do this for ALL my cycling attire ... even gloves, socks, etc.

FIVE ONE SIX

i wash my tops and bottoms in the washing machine, with Woolite, and dry them in the dryer for 15 minutes on low heat...

if i dry them in the dryer for 20 minutes, my shorts actually do feel like they shrink a bit, when i put them on. this actually happened last week, with my new Giordana Tenax shorts. when i tried them on, before i washed them, the legs felt a bit big, but after they came out of the dryer the legs felt a bit tight. it may have had something to do with the fact that they brand new though, and it was my first time washing and drying them, but i couldn't say for sure...

and nothing shows any signs on wear, but i do get new tops and bottoms every year...

the beef

Yeah, I hang dry. Works great.

Basscycle

Same here. I'll usually collect a bunch and do a small load every 5 days or so. I have a drying rack perminantly set up in our spare room, on the front is the nasty stuff, on the back is the clean stuff. When the clean side gets sparse, it's time to do a load.

2wheeled

I'll take the time to air dry since never need'em right away.

wneumann

I follow the directions on the label.
'Cause, you know ... that's why they're there.

John Wilke

Hang dry, chamois out, preferably in the sun, for the UV to kill bacteria.

jw

phantomcow2

I stuck them in the regular wash and let them air dry.

Vitamin_J

Don't put on wet shorts even if you think they are dry. The chamois is the least bit damp, my God the next couple of days are the worst of your life.

And that is all of the information I am at liberty to divulge on the subjet matter.

CycleAloha

Thanks all....good info.

cyclezealot

Hang dry. I put them in the washing machine , but within a laundry bag to reduce abrasion.

haimtoeg

+1

botto 

most of the time i handwash with the assos detregent (no machine).

when i have access to a washing machine, or want to give them that extra little bit of cleaning, then i wash them in cold on gentle.

never, ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever put my cycling stuff in the dryer.

roadwarrior

You read and follow instructions?

C'mon....

roadwarrior

Assos detergent? What's that, like $400 for 12 ounces?

botto 

nope. 11 bucks.

nobrainer440

All my stuff goes through the washer and dryer all the time. I have had zero problems.

TrekDen

+1 ^ ^ for shorts in a laundry bag. Also each jersey gets it's own seperate bag. Wouldn't want a zipper snagging up another jersey in the same bag.

RonH

I wash my stuff turned inside out in cold water and baby detergent on the delicate/hand wash cycle.
I hang them outside to dry in the sun in the warmer months. This time of year I air dry them on a rack.

slvoid

Synthetics actually do shrink, except they catastrophically shrink. i.e. they melt as they shrink.

garysol1 

My daily riding gear gets thrown in the washer with tide or whatever is on the shelf then hung out to dry. No real special attention given to them. My good stuff though gets special attention. After a ride they go in the shower with me. I hand wash them with a bar of soap then rinse then outside to dry.

cyclezealot

For me, one of the stinkiest items are gloves. Of late, I 've started routinely washing them. Think about it. Why do they smell. The padding? Look at their functioning. How often do you wipe the sweat off of your brow or catch a runny nose? Seems they just don't get over their smelliness.But, the problem with gloves. I have found washing them in the washing machine destructive. Even within their own laundry bag. For gloves, I just rinse them out with soap in a sink and let them dry.

VanceMac

I'm not averse to throwing them in the dryer, but they dry so fast, I don't see the need. Same with all base layers and jerseys... those are practically dry right out of the spin cycle.