[MMcG]

Okay once I find a place to take a shower, I'd like to try commuting in to work a little bit this summer.

I'm looking for tips on how people do it. Do you bring a bunch of work clothes in at the beginning of the week or do you carry a messenger bag or something with your work stuff in it?

I have to wear a shirt and tie and dress pants at a minimum for my job so I'm trying to figure out how to get a system in place to make sure I have nice stuff to put on after I ride in.

 

[Heidi]

Drive in on Monday and bring enough work clothes for the rest of the week - then you can ride without too big a bag. My commute was pretty far in San Diego so I would sometimes alternate days - drive in ride home, ride in drive home...

 

[riderx]

I have to wear a shirt and tie and dress pants at a minimum for my job so I'm trying to figure out how to get a system in place to make sure I have nice stuff to put on after I ride in.

Don't fold your clothes, roll them. It helps them from getting all wrinkled. Also, if you can leave a pair of shoes at work, do that. They are heavy and take up lots of room.

 

[douglas]

I use to on some Fridays when my office was just 6 miles away, I'd bring clothes,etc in on Thursdays.......and Fridays is casual clothes day, it was cool because I'd bike downtown for lunch (vendors in the park, along with plenty of cute girls to check out)

Now I have 23 miles, of course "to work" is the uphill way, we dont have showers but I will try it - I'll have to get up damn early being my work day starts at 7a

 

[BikeGeek]

Good for you Mark! I'm trying to find a route from my new place. So far the only way I can find that avoids the major roads ends up being around 25 miles each way. For now I just ride to the train station 2 miles away.

Good advice on the shoes, they suck to lug around. See if you can find a place near your office to have your shirts done. No matter how you pack them, they will get wrinkled, although rolling seems to cause the least.

 

[MMcG]

Doug - did you used to work in downtown Albany?

 

[DNA]

I just ride in my work clothes. I wear gore-tex pants and jacket over them for rainy days. I only have a 7 minute commute so my situation is a little different than for most people.

 

[splat]

Well Now since I don't have to have dress clothes , I put them in a Plastic bag ( very important , sweat has ways of working through a Backpack) and put them in my back pack and ride. and I keep a Gym bag at the office with a towel , soap, Shampoo, Sneaks , and a Few other things . I also Keep at the Office spare pair of Socks and skives ( You always forget those )

but Back when I had to wear slacks , Shirt and tie , I kept a Few ties, and a pair of slacks and Shoes at the office , anmd I would bring in shirts and Pants before starting to ride, and Since I had to drive to work at least once a week I would swap shirts/Pants at that time. v the Key is to always have at leats one spare Complete set of clothes in the office .

 

[douglas]

Doug - did you used to work in downtown Albany?

just up the street on central, near Quail (i.e. near paully's)

 

[I Are Baboon]

I do not ride to work but I am hoping to start in the very near future. Our bike-to-work chairperson has a call into the YMCA across the street to get me shower access. Hopefully something will come of it. If so, my plan is to bring work clothes and food into work the day before, as well as a change of bike clothes for the ride home. I want my ride into work to be just like any other ride, meaning the only thing I carry with me is two water bottles and Gu.

I've got about 40 miles each way. Doing that a couple times a week sure would kick major butt.

 

[Konabumm]

AXE body spray....... Sometimes I don't have time to shower when I get to work. So have a can of Axe Body spray at work. It's great at covering the funky smell.

 

[douglas]

I do not ride to work but I am hoping to start in the very near future. Our bike-to-work chairperson has a call into the YMCA across the street to get me shower access. Hopefully something will come of it. If so, my plan is to bring work clothes and food into work the day before, as well as a change of bike clothes for the ride home. I want my ride into work to be just like any other ride, meaning the only thing I carry with me is two water bottles and Gu.

I've got about 40 miles each way. Doing that a couple times a week sure would kick major butt.

40!?

so what time would you need to get on your bike?

 

[splat]

I do not ride to work but I am hoping to start in the very near future. Our bike-to-work chairperson has a call into the YMCA across the street to get me shower access. Hopefully something will come of it. If so, my plan is to bring work clothes and food into work the day before, as well as a change of bike clothes for the ride home. I want my ride into work to be just like any other ride, meaning the only thing I carry with me is two water bottles and Gu.

I've got about 40 miles each way. Doing that a couple times a week sure would kick major butt.

I wear the Same Bike clothes Both way, But I do hang them to Dry. ( at My last job , we had a Suana in the locker room , and ther ewere 3 of us who rode into work , we would rinse our clothes , then Crank up the sauna and hang tyhem in there to dry , work great till we burned it out.

what I reccomend Both You ( especilly you Phil ) and MMcG both do , is the first time , Drive to work on a friday , ride home that night , then ride back Saturday Morning to get the car.

then Next try the same thing on a regular week night , so you have to ride back the next day.

 

[douglas]

what I reccomend Both You ( especilly you Phil ) and MMcG both do , is the first time , Drive to work on a friday , ride home that night , then ride back Saturday Morning to get the car.

then Next try the same thing on a regular week night , so you have to ride back the next day.

cool idea !

 

[splat]

MMcG

do you have a rack on your road bike ? If so I have a Garment Bag designed for use with a Bike rack ?

 

[I Are Baboon]

what I reccomend Both You ( especilly you Phil ) and MMcG both do , is the first time , Drive to work on a friday , ride home that night , then ride back Saturday Morning to get the car.

then Next try the same thing on a regular week night , so you have to ride back the next day.

Why do you recommend that? Just to see if I can handle the ride? I really don't want to leave my car in Springfield overnight. Maybe my wonderful wife can drop me off.

 

[MMcG]

MMcG

do you have a rack on your road bike ? If so I have a Garment Bag designed for use with a Bike rack ?

no rack but I could mount one.

 

[splat]

Why do you recommend that? Just to see if I can handle the ride? I really don't want to leave my car in Springfield overnight. Maybe my wonderful wife can drop me off.

Because you are talking an 80 Mile day ! with a Full day of work thrown in .

Thats a lot ! I can Understand your reluctance to leaving your car in Springfield though.

I used this method a few times when I rollerbladed home 15 Miles and then rode my bike back the next day.

another option you can do is Drive part way there , Park in a Park and ride ( Named Apptly ) and commute the rest of the way by bike.

I'm just giving a suggestion od easing your way into it. so you don't try it once and hate it.

 

[splat]

no rack but I could mount one.

I might have to loan you my Garment bag then , I haven't used it in a couple years.

 

[I Are Baboon]

another option you can do is Drive part way there , Park in a Park and ride ( Named Apptly ) and commute the rest of the way by bike.

MBC suggested this too.

 

[stinkyboy]

I bus to work in work clothes (they have bike racks on the buses here) and ride the 16 miles home (on my 44.5 lb Stinky) with my ride clothes outta my backpack and about 3 times a week I meet up with buds and do a little urban action. Summer in Phoenix is brutal, but I'm gonna see if I can do this year round.

 

[tmx]

Hi Mark,
I usually trek in a load of freshies on monday in a backpack and milk that for about two weeks then bring 'em home for a'washin'. Dry clean crap is easiest because cleaners are close to the job, five minutes out of a lunch break. Work shoes stay at the office.

No showers here so if the funk level is high, I go for the shower-in-a-box. Y'know, those cleaning wipe thingys. Though sometimes I choose to leave the funk level high to keep the creeps out of my office.

I get to keep my bike right in my office. Not five feet from my desk. Looking at it now. Hi bikey. :love:

Wishing you a smooth transition to bike commuting and peaceful traffic patterns.

t

(Finally!!! A MMcG question I can actually contribute an answer to.)

 

[SilentJ]

I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't leave a bunch of clothes at the office. I'm at a shirt+tie place and I just bring it all in a backpack whichever day I ride. I always leave my shoes at the office so when I ride the train, Im one of those people that wears running shoes and a tie.

It's only 5 or so miles, but I climb the stairs up to my office then back down to the showers (22 floors) so it's still a good workout. Going home is all uphill into the wind ALL the time so it's much more of a workout than the ride down. The thing that p!sses me off is that I dont stop sweating for a while after I've showered...I guess colder showers would help.

 

[berkshire_rider]

I used this method a few times when I rollerbladed home 15 Miles

 

[MMcG]

Hi Mark,


No showers here so if the funk level is high, I go for the shower-in-a-box. Y'know, those cleaning wipe thingys. Though sometimes I choose to leave the funk level high to keep the creeps out of my office.

I don't think the shower in a box idea would work to well for me........you haven't ridden with me, but others who have can attest to the fact that I sweat like a ink:

You'd think that by working at a Health Center, there would be a nice fitness/wellness facility with locker rooms and showers, but not at this health center.

I have an email in to the woman who coordinates the bike to work days here to see where I can shower up.

 

[danW]

...As soon as my bullit is out of the shop, I'll be commuting daily! I have a Bullit (very much a freeride setup...weight, triple crown etc...) the commute is a 15 mile round trip - spice it up w/urban freeride stuff along the way, it'a all good

As far as clothes/bathing etc...on weekends I'll be bringing a weeks worth of "work clothes" to the workplace...I'll wash up using the bathroom sink if I have to...being from the south and all, I thought bathing in the creek once a month was good enough

 

[Jayridesacove]

With gas prices constantly hiking up, I'm highly considering riding my bike to work.

 

[stinkyboy]

With gas prices constantly hiking up, I'm highly considering riding my bike to work.

As well as American kids dying for oil...

 

[qualude]

I usually commute 3 days a week, 11 miles each way, which isn't too bad, barring the Manhattan traffic...although some mornings I am not "with it" enough to deal with cabs, busses, and connecticutians. And this is on my 94 KHS Comp steel MTB with a SID 100....what fun! Luckily, I work in the main office of a chain of bike stores, so the funk factor is acceptable....funny that I am the only one that commutes.....

 

[Mackie]

ou'd think that by working at a Health Center, there would be a nice fitness/wellness facility with locker rooms and showers, but not at this health center.

No shower?
WELL...... they are not just for babies anymore.......

Really, baby wipes go a long way in taking the stink off of a sweaty guy, especially if you cool down first. Just don't get the lavender scent - in fact, make sure to get the unscented. No need to go around smelling like a baby's ass all day.

 

[MMcG]

No shower?
WELL...... they are not just for babies anymore.......

Really, baby wipes go a long way in taking the stink off of a sweaty guy, especially if you cool down first. Just don't get the lavender scent - in fact, make sure to get the unscented. No need to go around smelling like a baby's ass all day.

I may have to try those - since I'd probably just get sweaty again traveling from where I'd have to shower (if I can get access to one) and where I work.

Anthony, what do you use for your commuter bike? The CX bike?

 

[Mackie]

I may have to try those - since I'd probably just get sweaty again traveling from where I'd have to shower (if I can get access to one) and where I work.

Anthony, what do you use for your commuter bike? The CX bike?

I'm not bike commuting anymore - we moved and the city does not allow bikes over the Throgs Neck or Whitestone bridges - the 2 bridges that would get me to work.
When i was commuting Brooklyn to upper Manhattan I rode my old rigid Cannondale MTB with some skinny Panaracer slicks.

Also - my strategy was to bring all of my clothes in on one day so that I could commute unencumbered. This also made it easier if i needed to stop on the way home for some liquid refreshment & lock up the bike - didn't have to worry about getting panniers swiped or anythig like that.

 

[MMcG]

This also made it easier if i needed to stop on the way home for some liquid refreshment & lock up the bike - didn't have to worry about getting panniers swiped or anythig like that.

Liquid refreshment huh? Like Gatorade or Powerade or water right?

 

[I Are Baboon]

I can't imagine baby wipes working when you are sweating head to toe from 2.5 hour bike ride into work. Not to mention, how do you wash your hair?

 

[I Are Baboon]

I just got an e-mail back from the executive director of the YMCA across the street and she said I am welcome to use their showers for a small fee, like maybe $3 per visit. WOOO HOOOO!!!! I offered to pay for use of the showers instead of asking for free access.

This is great. The shower issue was only thing holding me up from riding to work.

:dancing: :dancing: :dancing:

 

[sanjuro]

Try looking for a nearby gym to shower at. Leave your clothes there...

 

[Toshi]

i used to ride to work. at palm (where i was an intern) there was no dress code so i'd just lounge around all day in baggies and a t-shirt after switching out of the sweaty jersey. at my more recent hotel group job i had to come dressed in a suit every day, so i'd leave the jacket at work, roll up the pant leg and ride very gingerly.

 

[Mackie]

Liquid refreshment huh? Like Gatorade or Powerade or water right?

You know we used to go here all the time, and even though I always WANTED Gatorade, I always seemed to end up with something more.....bubbly

 

[MMcG]

I just got an e-mail back from the executive director of the YMCA across the street and she said I am welcome to use their showers for a small fee, like maybe $3 per visit. WOOO HOOOO!!!! I offered to pay for use of the showers instead of asking for free access.

This is great. The shower issue was only thing holding me up from riding to work.

:dancing: :dancing: :dancing:

Awesome.........Babs you know me well.....I DEFINITELY need someplace to shower the way I sweat. ink:

 

[I Are Baboon]

Awesome.........Babs you know me well.....I DEFINITELY need someplace to shower the way I sweat. ink:

No doubt! Besides, you spend half your time in meetings schmoozing people for donations. I am sure you'd want to give yourself a full shower and do your hair and stuff.