Let’s face it. Some peoples stuff just stinks. The worst is when you can smell the people you’re riding with. It’s one thing if you can smell your own stuff, but when the people riding behind you can smell you as well, you’ve crossed the line.
If your stuff smells, there is hope. Follow some guidelines and you don’t have to smell!
The same advice applies to shorts and shirts. Never ball your clothes up somewhere where they won't dry out properly after a ride.
To solve the dryout problem I use two tricks. First, I don't immediately pack anything away after a ride. If I drove to the trailhead, I leave it all out in my car until I get home. Second, If and when I do pack my stuff up, I don't ball anything up, and I use an open meshed bag that allows everything to continue to dry quickly.
Finally, there is nothing wrong with washing your stuff regularly. Really, you should wash your shorts and shirt after every ride, and if its necessary, you can do the same with your gloves and helmet padding. I keep multiples of everything around so I can rotate them through my normal clothes washes.