Starting a new contract soon, somewhere I’ve worked before and have commuted on bike before. It’s 16 miles each way, so I used my road bike and road kit, left suit/shoes etc. at work.

This time I will probably be hot desking and the changing rooms/showers are a good 7-8 min walk from the building where I’ll be working. It’s unlikely I can leave clothes at work and having to faff about between buildings when I get there/leave would be a pain.

So, the question is, any recommendations for smart trousers, shirts etc. that will survive a commute and look reasonably smart? Planning on using a backpack to start with as I haven’t got a rack or panniers and may only be there 6 months. Is rolling in a towel the best way to minimise creases?

I did ask my mum but she told me to grow up and ask other bike obsessed IT geeks 🙂

I did search as I’m sure it’s been asked before, but couldn’t find much about carrying work clothes.

Following in interest.

Based on my experience, I wouldn’t cycle in Calvin Klein shirts. Their colour fastness to perspiration isn’t great. Can you wear a polo shirt?

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Just noticed that you’d cycle in road kit. Without showers, sweating might still be an issue for the first 15 mins.

M&S do nice clothing for travel at a decent price. The benefit being that the creases fall out when hung. TI would presume that the same happens when being worn after unpacking from your rucksack. The prices are generally good, compared to what it cost to manufacture (lower profit margin).

Changing room? Does the building you’re in not have a toilet?

Is there anywhere you can leave a plastic crate or similar, so you can ride in with your weeks clothes on a monday morning, rather than having to take new in each day?

I think if you’re riding 16 miles each way, doesn’t matter how good your work clothes at some points you’re going to get very wet and/or very sweaty.

So better to ride in bike clothes and have a wash in toilets or showers? I’m lucky that my employer provides a large locker to those cycling in.

My husband leaves his suit trousers at work (he reckons he can get away with the same pair for quite a long while…) but rides in with a shirt each day. Non-iron ones from Next seem to survive OK. A V neck jumper over the top covers the less well travelled shirts and with a tie still looks smart enough. No one has ever complained that he doesn’t look smart enough, and he’s been doing the same thing for 8 years now. Just don’t forget your pants 🙂

BTW, unless they’re a really small company I reckon your employer should be almost duty bound to provide somewhere for you to keep some clothes at work – surely they have some kind of green travel policy?

I wouldn’t like to be doing 16 miles each way in winter in a suit.

Goretex.

I’m maybe moving to a similar commute. 16 miles each way though quite flat and 90? good bike paths.

Goretex jacket with pit zips, sealskinz beanie and socks and waterproof bib tights and that cheap florescent alpkit dry bag backpack.

Leave trousers, shoes and a jumper at work. Take pants, socks and a polo shirt in each day.

In this job I had to carry trousers and shirt in for the first few weeks til I got a locker. Found it didn’t really matter where the shirts were from, most of mine were TK Maxx, but folding the shirt around a rolled up pair of trousers kept it pretty much crease free.

I wouldn’t like to be doing 16 miles each way in winter in a suit.
Pretty sure “carrying work clothes” means the OP will be carrying them in a back pack, not wearing them!

You will still need a wash in the toilet so changing should not be a issue. I am sure once you are there you will be able to find somewhere to leave stuff it you do not want to carry all your gear every day

As sad as it probably sounds have a look at some M&S trekking trousers

I got a pair for travelling – they have a good amount of stretch in them so ideal for cycling and look quite smart if you can do the slightly skinny leg look.

Thanks for the advice. It’s a big site, fully intend to ride in bike kit and get a shower once I’m there. Last time I was there for 3 years and didn’t get high enough up the queue for a locker to actually get one – but I did have a desk. This time there’s no guarantee I’ll be in the same building from one day to the next with the hot desk policy. The bike stands are next to the showers/changing rooms, so not really much point changing in the toilet and I can leave bike kit hanging there to dry (there is a towel rail for that purpose).

Last time, my routine was:

Take clothes in on Monday, ride Tuesday-Thursday, take clothes home on Friday.

Ride in
lock bike outside building hoping security don’t take exception
go into office in disco shoes and lycra
grab clothes/shoes (usually forget something)
walk over to changing rooms 7-8 min
try not to drop clothes while pushing bike
lock bike
shower/change
walk back to desk 7-8 min

At the end of the day repeat (without the shower) and dump stuff at my desk before leaving.
It’s the to and froing between desk wasting 30 minutes a day I’m trying to avoid. Some days I’ll need to be home in time to pick my daughter up from school (want to allow time for punctures/mechanicals).

I may not be able to park on site this time, so biking 5 days a week once I get used to it may be the way to go.

The MnS travel range could be what I’m after.

I just pop my ironed shirt / trousers on top of my lunch in the Carradice saddlebag they don’t seem to get creased on the way onto work.
The commute distance varies between 6 and 20 miles depending if I take the scenic route homed

Rohan stuff might fit the bill.

It’s not the clothes you should worry about, but the daggers and whispers from your colleagues around the whiff. Unless you’re really ambling and changing clothes every day it’s going to be an issue.

Just roll everything up and stick ’em in yer bag.

Rack and panniers for the win though.

Ok, I don’t do anything like 16 miles…. 4.8m to be precise but I wear endura metro trousers for riding in an don’t bother to change unless it’s grim, then I stick the trousers rolled up in the bag along with company polo shirt or any old shirty thing and wear more crappy weather appropriate clothes.
The metro trousers are flippin brill though as they are perfect to ride in and look as good as anyone’s normal trousers. Had mine 2 years now of 3 or 4 commutes a week and they are going strong.
Generally don’t sweat all that much so don’t bother with the whole full change and wash down….. That would mean getting the 30mins earlier train!!
Have also had the altura urban trousers and they looked smart but didn’t last as long as the enduras.

Looking for a good, smart, technical cycling shirt or top that is not too bikey.

Chuck some baordies, pants, socks, and a tshirt in your commute bag and walk into the office in them before putting your proper gear on?

I understand why you may not want to bother for 6 months, but if you can’t leave clothes anywhere, a pannier would allow you to carry a full set of clothes every day and go straight to the changing rooms. Loosely folded shirt and trousers week be fine in a pannier, shoes at the bottom.

From experience – Charles Tyrwhitt non iron shirts. Very good at looking decent as soon as you put them on from an Eagle Creek pack-it.

I can also recommend a pannier, as you’ll get much less sweaty even in winter. Excuse for a new bike if your road bike can’t fit them 🙂

I’m surprised how many commuters travel in with a backpack. Far more commuters with backpacks than with racks

Personally I’m a rack user, and use a rack pack most of the time. I’d definitely recommend a rack, it’ll give you more space and will be a lot less faff. You can save 30 minutes a day on the walk alone

The other option is a Carradice SQR pack, the slim will fit a laptop or A4 documents, but will also fit shoes and clothes

merino wool does a good job of looking decent after a tip in the backpack.

Charles Tyrwhitt non iron shirts. Very good at looking decent as soon as you put them on from an Eagle Creek pack-it.

This is what I do, but i generally bring them in & hang them up. Suit stays hanging up in wardrobe.

OP – have you considered a Henty Wingman bag? If too spendy, the eagle creek pack it with the board in it keeps stuff pretty crease free.

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/us/eagle-creek-pack-it-specter-garment-folder-small-e3134351

For shirts have you looked at something like this?

https://www.patrona.com/product/shirt-shuttle/

Heard a few good reviews and always fancied one myself, but never got around to buying one and trying out. I don’t have a desk, or usually work in the same place every day, so carry all my stuff in each day. I don’t ever have access to a shower so baby wipes/loo sink “shower wash” is required. You soon get very good at packing and if you take it easy the last 5 or 10 mins you cool down loads. Never had any comments about smelling

If you fold them properly, and only put them in the bag in the morning, most clothes will survive this just fine.

Fold shirts properly. Fold the arms across the chest, fold each side in (so leaving the collar in shape) and then fold up the bottom of the shirt, making sure you don’t allow any creases to form as you fold it. (perhaps fold the bottom up twice, depending on the size/shape of your bag).

If you bring a week’s clothing, you’ll really need to put shirts and trousers on a hanger to avoid creases forming whilst they’re folded.

Make sure no water is going to get on the clothes whilst in your bag of choice. This should be fine regardless of whether you use panniers or a backpack.

My personal system that works well for me, is that i ride in (28 miles) on monday morning with my clothes for the week, (shirts and trousers rolled around towel seems to work) in a decent size Osprey rucsac, riding home friday night with dirty clothing.

For the rides in between, i just need to carry my lunch, tools, pump and spares and have found one of the Revelate Tangle frame bags brilliant for this, lot less bulky than panniers, no weight on back or jersey pockets and much nicer to ride a decent distance with, plus i use MTB light on low on bars in winter and battery goes in front of the frame bag.

Thanks for some excellent advice. Just what I was after and plenty of food for thought. Will let you know what I go for and how it works out, as these threads to crop up from time to time. May pay a visit to the Rohan shop in Knutsford as it’s on the way to the new job.

I’ll probably start with a rucksack and look into panniers or a saddlebag. I’ve got an Evoc FR Tour that I use for commuting in my current job – I have a locker there, it’s 5-miles and jeans/t-shirt/vans are ok so I can ride in work clothes.

The shirt-shuttle, pack-it etc. look good, as does the StaySharp at £20 on amazon I found while searching for the Henty Wingman bags.

As it’s a 6 month contract I can’t really justify a new bike. I’ve ruled out using the 20″/24″ BMXs and the Nomad. Might put slicks on my hardtail so it’s ready as a bad weather option.

I will be lit up like a Christmas tree whatever the weather, a lot of the lanes between Stockport and new work get used as rat runs by impatient drivers.

Have a look at the carradice sqr bags, they clip onto a little block that sits on the seatpost. They’re flat to the ground, so your carefully folded shirt doesn’t crumple into a heap at the bottom of a pannier or rucksack. 16 litre, A4/laptop size, waterproof, keeps the spray off your back too.

Top pick for a commuting bag if you ask me.

I’ve got a cycle followed by a long train ride. Here’s my approach:

I transport my work clothes as follows:
– lay out work trousers
– fold shirt on top ( Fold the arms across the chest, fold each side in, so leaving the collar in shape)
– roll up with boxers and socks
– place in a bag for life
– put in messenger bag with other gear

once I get to the station I swap my padded lycra shorts for another pair of boxers and footy shorts to avoid junk rot.

get to work, shower then put on clean clothes. to lighten my load I leave my work shoes and suit jacket at work.

using m&s non iron shirts seems to work using the above method.

Thanks for all the advice. I had a chance conversation with someone who is on-site and the dress code has gone casual and they are now allowing working from home a lot more.

I’m sure I can cope with a mix of riding and wfh using my Evoc Tour rucksack and will investigate the saddle bag or pannier options once I get settled in. At least a pair of jeans, vans and t-shirt will travel a lot better than shirt/suit.

I’m sure I’ll end up needing to ride with smart clothes at some point, so the advice will come in very handy. The Henty bags look really good.