How to wash and dry your cycling bibshorts
Cycling bib shorts are among the most expensive and technically demanding garments you'll own. Wash them wrong and the lycra breaks down, the chamois loses its shape, and a serious investment wears out in months. This guide gives you the exact care habits I've developed over a decade of designing and riding in bib shorts — what works, what destroys them, and the fastest acceptable shortcut when you're exhausted after a long ride.
This guide covers all RedWhite Apparel garments, including Spring/Autumn and Winter bib tights.
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Never leave sweaty bib shorts sitting in a laundry bag before washing.
Sweat-soaked lycra is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Bacteria feed on the minerals in sweat and excrete acid, which degrades the lycra fibres — turning them thin, weak, and translucent over time.
If you can't wash right away, rinse out the sweat under a tap and hang the shorts to dry first.
Part 1: Washing
You have two options. Hand washing gives the longest lifespan. Machine washing on a delicate cycle is the practical alternative most riders use day-to-day.
Hand Washing — Gold Standard
Hand washing is the best thing you can do for your bib shorts. It's also a pain after a hard ride. But for riders who want to maximise kit lifespan, here's the process.
- Turn the bib short inside out — this exposes the chamois for a thorough clean
- Fill a sink with cold water and add a mild detergent or body wash
- No fabric softener, no bleach, nothing harsh
- Squeeze and massage until the water foams, then let soak for 15 minutes
Avoid mixing colours — the red chamois dye can leech into the water during a long soak. Wash black bib shorts separately from light-coloured garments.
Run cold water over the shorts and massage out all soap until the water runs clear and the fabric no longer feels slippery. Easiest method: rinse them while you shower — saves water, saves time.
Machine Washing — Delicate Cycle
Most riders machine wash their bib shorts, and that's perfectly fine — including me. Washing machine technology has improved significantly and a proper delicate cycle won't harm good lycra.
That's roughly 3 months of extra life from hand washing. Whether that's worth the extra effort is your call.
Always use a washbag. Without one, exposed zippers, velcro straps, and the metal drum can snag and shred the lycra. Get one with a smooth, non-abrasive interior. No excuses — they cost a few dollars.
- Water temperature: Cold
- Spin speed: 400–800 rpm — 800 rpm has been tested extensively and is fine
- Avoid dedicated high-speed spin cycles (1,200 rpm+)
- Detergent: any mild, skin-safe detergent — no bleach, no fabric softener
If your machine lacks a delicate setting, hand washing is the safer option.
Part 2: Drying
Drying is straightforward but easy to get wrong.
✓ Do
- Gently squeeze into a ball to remove excess water
- Hang indoors to air-dry
- Choose a well-ventilated spot
✗ Don't
- Tumble dry — nylon-based lycra melts under heat
- Wring aggressively like a dishcloth — overstretches the fibres
- Drape over radiators, fireplaces, or heating vents
- Dry in direct sunlight
Part 3: Quick & Easy Method
For riders who rotate kit and replace it annually, this is the most practical everyday approach. It's not ideal, but it works — and it's what I personally use.
- Rinse immediately after riding. Run under a tap and squeeze out sweat. If you can't wash right away, do this at minimum to slow bacteria build-up.
- Turn inside out and place in a mesh washbag.
- Run a cold wash cycle. Cold water is essential — heat destroys the rubber fibres in lycra. Use a regular mild detergent. No bleach, no fabric softener.
- Spin at under 1,000 rpm. 800 rpm is a good target — leaves the shorts damp but not dripping.
- Hang to air-dry in a ventilated spot. Avoid direct sunlight, radiators, and heat sources.
Your bib shorts will wear out slightly faster compared to the delicate method — but this is dramatically easier and perfectly acceptable for most riders.
Do / Don't Summary
| ✓ Do | ✗ Don't |
|---|---|
| Wash after every ride | Leave sweaty shorts in a bag |
| Use cold water | Use warm or hot water |
| Use a mesh washbag | Machine wash without a washbag |
| Air-dry indoors | Tumble dry or use a clothes dryer |
| Gently squeeze to remove water | Wring like a dishcloth |
| Use mild detergent | Use bleach or fabric softener |
| Spin at 400–800 rpm | Run a dedicated spin cycle at 1,200+ rpm |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fabric softener on bib shorts?
No. Fabric softener coats the fibres and reduces the lycra's ability to stretch and recover properly. Use plain, mild detergent only.
Can I tumble dry on a low heat setting?
Not recommended. Even low heat degrades nylon-based lycra over time. Air drying is always the safer option and costs nothing.
How often should I wash my bib shorts?
After every ride. Leaving sweat in the fabric — even for 24–48 hours — causes bacterial damage that shortens the lifespan of your shorts.
What detergent works best for cycling kit?
Any mild, skin-safe detergent works. Some riders prefer wool wash or a dedicated sports wash for persistent odour — these are fine as long as they contain no bleach or softeners.
Can I wash bib shorts with the rest of my cycling kit?
Yes — I typically wash mine together with the rest of my cycling and running kit on a delicate cycle. Just keep colours separate during long soaks, as chamois dye can leech.
Is spin drying in the washing machine okay?
The spin cycle that's part of a standard delicate wash (400–800 rpm) is fine. Avoid running a dedicated standalone spin cycle — these typically run at 1,200 rpm and can stress the lycra.
15 comments
Just ordered my first-ever Red White cargo bib shorts! I hadn’t heard of this brand despite being a double-centurion on a team for several years and completing five or more per year (we wore team issued kits of a different brand). I’m really looking forward to trying these on long distance local rides as I plan to cross the USA (solo, unsupported) by bicycle as soon as next year! In the meantime, I’ll test them out and see if they will be my go to bibs—I’m very excited to test the comfort of the chamois pad! I just (very leisurely) completed the annual Rapha Festive 500km ride (in a week) while rotating other brands of gear. While I didn’t push the pace very much, my usual residual crotch soreness reminded me that a more sturdy, resilient cushion would be advised. I’m truly hopeful that these will solve or improve this issue. I’ll post results here after thorough testing! (Happy New Year 2026!)
So that’s why I go thru bibs like cheap socks.
lol what’s a laundry bag?
Oh have I been doing it wrong
@JOHN HAWKINS : Spin Drying is fine actually. I use 800rpm on my machine and that works. It’s not as gentle as running it at 400 rpm. No issues at all.
Hey Yuva, I’m curious about why you say not to spin dry? Could you please explain?
Spin dry (that is, spinning the machine drum to throw the water out using centrifugal force only, no heat or airflow involved) is part of the delicate cycle on our reasonably modern Bosch front-loader, and is unavoidable.
It does not remove as much water as the regular cycle, but without it my bibs would drip on the floor and take days to dry, and then be at risk of picking up mildew over winter here in Sydney.
Thanks for your advice.
Cheers,
John
Thanks for the washing our bibs information! Very helpful!
@JOHN Z : Great idea. I’ve honestly never had issues drying bibshorts in South East Asia. It’s always hot (even when it rains) and lycra dries quickly in this climate.
@SAMUEL BLACK METAL RIDER : This is true. Good pads take time to dry because of the amount of foam in them. You absolutely have to use a washbag because it is an “insurance” against mistakes you might make when you load your machine. I’ve had my kit’s lycra saved from snagging by jean buttons and zippers simply by being protected by a washbag.
I hand wash every time, and hang to dry, however after squeezing the excess water out, I tightly roll them in a towel before hanging, the towel will absorb almost all of the water, considerably shortening drying time. This is especially helpful when touring and using the same bibshort daily.
Very interesting, gotta use a washbag, otherwise cold cycle, “sports” mode.
And the better the bibshorts the longer the pad takes to dry… my ASSOS take 2 days at least to fully…!
@MIKE ROE : Washing bibshorts well when you’re out on a multi-day ride isn’t possible. Short of carrying your own washing powder / liquid. I would recommend at least rinsing out the sweat as much as possible and drying it when you sleep.
@JOHN POLCHLOPEK : The lycra fabric is made of nylon (polyamide) and polyurethae (the stretchy rubber yarns). As long as the enzymes in your wash don’t degrade them, it should be fine.
Good post, Yuva.
How do you feel about using enzymatic cleaners, such as Nathan’s sport wash? I’m a Sweaty Betty, and even after washing, my gear tends to still have that sweaty funk to it, unless I use Nathan’s.
I have an LG washing machine that I set to Gentle Cycle, Pre-Soak, and Extra Rinse, to ensure that all soap gets out of the fabric — takes about 70 minutes. I must confess to, when short on time, putting my gear in the dryer (still in the laundry bag) on low heat. Yes, I know I’m lowering the life of the material, but my RedWhite stealth bib is the only thing I wear, anymore, and my taint will never touch anything less (you can use that for a testimonial, Yuva! ;) I may get second one, if I just happen to get a coupon in my inbox (bats eyelids in Yuva’s direction).
Other than committing the mortal sin of machine drying my bib shorts, occasionally, let me know how you feel about pre-soaking and enzymatic cleaners!
Good post Yuva. For me I definitely use the machine washing function (unless on a multiday ride). Definitely it’s all the cycling kit bundled into a delicate bag(s). I use wool wash as the laundry detergent (to avoid the grit of normal detergent). Cold water wash delicate cycle (front load machine). Line dry away from direct sunshine and heat. I must admit that I haven’t always washed them straight after a ride day but its a good point you make there.
@JOHN HAWKINS : You make an excellent point about commuting. It is a tricky one and unfortunately I don’t have a solution for this. Using anti-bacterial chamois cream certainly would help protect your skin from rashes or any nasty stuff. I personally don’t use it since I do wash my bibshorts after every use. Your tip about using a towel is very very useful by the way. I am lucky enough to live in the tropics where it’s hot enough to make kit dry quickly from simply hanging up. You would need to use a towel is you live elsewhere with a milder climate.
@PETER MORSE & ALVIN P. JACKSON : Thanks! I’m really glad this blog helped :)
Thx so much for the bib washing tips.
Very informative, keep up the good work you have the best bib shorts available thankyou Yuva regards Peter morse