How to fold and store your cycling clothing

Correctly folding and storing your cycling jerseys, bib shorts, jackets and accessories allows you to keep all your equipment organized and save space and time, while also helping each item last longer in a better shape, as opposed to carelessly throwing it in a drawer. If you don’t know how to properly organize your cycling apparel, here’s a step-by-step guide with visual help so that you can go all Marie Kondo, cycling style.

Clothes: always clean and dry

Before storing your cycling equipment, make sure each item is spotlessly clean. In order to give them a proper wash and drying, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, usually detailed on each garment’s label. If it does not have a label for some reason, or you can’t seem to fully understand the instructions, take a look at this previous blog post.

In addition to this, your clothes must be completely dry before storing them as well. Never do it when they’re wet or damp. Pay special attention to the chamois in your bib shorts, as it takes longer than the rest of the fabric to fully dry.

Hanging or folding

Ideally, cycling clothes should be kept on hangers, but this is not always possible. In some cases, such as bib shorts and bib tights, it is better to fold them rather than hang them by the suspenders, because if they stay like that for a long time, the suspenders will stretch out and their fabric will gradually get damaged.

When it comes to other garments, such as jackets, cycling jerseys or vests with certain types of membrane, it’d be better to either hang them or fold them as little as possible. If you fold them too much or toss them carelessly in a drawer, the membrane might get damaged and lose its properties.

This being said, here are some videos to show you different ways of folding your clothes. We start with this one from BiciEscapa, explaining how to fold jackets, bib shorts, jerseys and, as a bonus, how to fold a vest to keep it in the pocket of your jersey or jacket:

Here are three different ways of folding a cycling jersey:

Here is how to quickly fold a pair of bib shorts:

In this one, a pair of bib shorts and a cycling jersey folded together in a bundle:

Next, six different ways of folding your socks (also works with arm sleeves and leg warmers):

If you know any other way of folding these types of garments or any other kind of apparel, accessories included, you can share it with the Siroko community in the comments.

Storage options

The possibilities are endless. You just have to find one that best suits your needs and space you have at your disposal.

A closet with hangers, a clothes rack with wheels, shelves, drawers, drawer spacers, storage boxes… You can keep all your clothes perfectly organized without breaking the bank. Take a look at this simple solution from Mae Lutz’s blog page:

Sorting and organizing

Now that your clothes are properly folded and your storage system is ready, the next step would be to sort all of these clothes and keep them organized. There’s no use in them being perfectly folded if they end up being all randomly mixed.

You could group your cycling apparel in different sections: cycling jerseys (short and long sleeve), bib shorts and bib tights, jackets, vests, etc. Another option would be to sort them by temperatures or weather conditions: one section for summer clothing, one for transition seasons clothing, and another one for winter clothing. Socks could be stored in a single drawer, and accessories in a different one.

By sorting and keeping your clothes and accessories in order, you’ll be able to easily find what you need whenever you need them. This way, you’ll save time, avoid misplacing your clothes and make the most of your storage space. You will also keep track of what you have in your cycling wardrobe, in what condition it is, and whether you need to replace any of the items. Plus, it brings a sense of accomplishment for keeping your stuff in order.

Protection

Keep all your cycling equipment in a cool and dry spot, in order to prevent any damages caused by humidity. You must be aware that in humid areas clothes might start to smell musty and even develop mildew, resulting in damaged fabrics.

You shouldn’t keep your clothes in direct sunlight or in places that collect a lot of dust or dirt. If you leave them outside, hanging from a clothes rack and you won’t be wearing any of the items in a while, make sure to protect them from dust with a fabric or plastic cover. That way you’ll reduce sunlight exposure while keeping your clothes clean and dry.

In conclusion, properly folding and storing your cycling clothes and accessories not only maintains their properties and extends their lifespan, but also helps you save space, while making the task of looking for the clothes easier and protecting them from damage. Follow these tips and you’ll be able to keep your cycling equipment organized and in perfect condition until your next ride.