Dress Rehearsal

On Tuesday I actually go back to a place of work. No more working from home.

After the recent debacle at work, some time off now has allowed me to reflect on the machine I had become and how burnt out and drained I was. It took me a week off to kind of come down and wean myself off it. Regrettably it affected my home life and my cycling too to be honest. No job should ever make you feel like that and the lack of support available at such a stressful time has only reaffirmed my opinion about the need for wellbeing support. It shouldn’t be a numbers game, it should be about people first. Sadly some employers are Dinosaurs. Anyway its done now, time to move on.

Working from home has been bitter sweet. Its had its benefits but to be honest, I miss my commutes on the bike which always book-ended my day. It was a routine I enjoyed most of the time and I hope my new role will allow me to continue in this vein.

On Tuesday I start my new role as Sales Manager for The Electric Bike Shop. A business I’ve gravitated towards because of what it is, how the industry is growing in the electric sector and how it puts the customer first. Its going to be great getting back into customer-facing part of the business I loved so much when I had my shop but it does come with a compromise.

I’ll be driving between stores which will reduce the number of commutes by bike I can probably do and there are a lack of facilities or showers for when I ride in too. So I’ve done some research on getting cleaned up after a ride.

There are currently stores in Bristol, Stroud and Knowle, Solihull with Sutton Coldfield opening imminently and a flagship store opening in Hammersmith, London too + more planned

Initially I’ll be based in the Knowle store, so I looked into the potential of getting a shower fitted. Not enough room. I looked into local gyms to see if I could use a shower there. There isn’t one, so I’ve had to accept its going to be the bird bath approach in a sink. I used to do this some years ago when I commuted to Minworth but this time I’ve invested in a bottle of Shower in a Can which gets good reviews, some large travel wipes made from Bamboo so they’re biodegradeable and some space-saving micro-fibre towels x 2.

So, yesterday I did a full dress rehearsal. After a very sweaty Zwift session I decided to not have a shower and instead have a bird bath in the sink and use the towels, wipes and shower in a can. I was intrigued.

First up, the key to getting cleaned up after a ride without a shower is to stop sweating. So clothes off, I towel myself down to cool down as quickly as possible. When I’d stopped producing beads of sweat, I popped a towel on the floor and washed myself down in the sink. I toweled myself dry and then used a couple of wipes to freshen myself up. The Shower in a Can (£9.95) is interesting. You shake it up and press the plunger a few times to dispense a ball of foam into your palm which you then apply and rub into your body. Its anti-bacterial so should kill off any potential odour if applied properly. Done, I applied the smellies and got dressed. Despite being hot still, when I cooled down I assessed my ‘pong’ status and how fresh I felt. OK, on the understanding you can’t replicate an actual shower, what I had achieved I think was fine. I think if I took a bit more time and care I’ll have a method down which will be quick and simple. The wipes (bit expensive tbh @ £8.50 for 32) and the can will do what I need them to and keep me fresh as best they can for a days work. Game on.

This is what their website says….‘Shower in a Can is an antibacterial and antiviral soap that doesn’t need water. The innovative bottle provides a fragrance free foam which means you stay clean while you’re on the move. While making the most of an actual shower or hand wash is best, Shower in a Can’s easy-to-use formula is there to help in those moments where you just aren’t able to….’

The ride to Knowle is about 18 miles door to door about 6 miles further than my old commute to Redditch. If I can do this 2-3 times a week, I’ll be happy. I need to work off some lockdown timber I’ve gained anyway lol.

I can’t wait to get started. I hope with a bit of planning I can take my bike and ride elsewhere around the stores for a change too but get ready for the inevitable #closepass footage to resume aswell. The bit I hate.