Chicago racers will often have to drive an hour or more to races, but you don’t want to spend all morning sitting in your chamois. You also don’t want to have to waste time before your race hunting for a place to change, and it’s bad form to do the boxers-into-bib hokey-pokey behind a car door. It scares the children.

So bring a beach towel to your races. I don’t know why, but it took me forever to notice that everyone else seemed to have one and that it made changing quick, convenient and discreet.

Plus, having a towel is helpful when you have excess chamois creme on your hands and no teammates nearby to wipe them on.