[Closed] commuting - have i missed owt.....

Bike??

bliddy hell tim - well spotted, knew there was a flaw in the plan 😆
would look a right burke just walking down the canal wearing riding gear!

I try to take all my clothes for the week on a monday and leave my shoes at work as it make the bag lighter. Again the same with the lock i tend to leave it here as it is a heavy old thing.

Bell is essential for canal towpaths.

Lights. Even if you are planning in riding in daylight the bike opens up all sorts of after work drinking options.

For 8 miles I wouldn't bother with a drink, save a bit of weight that way 🙂

I'd put some lights in there for a bit, just in case you fancy a longer ride home (in which case my drink comment would not apply!)

I do 10 miles, I don't bother with a drink. Leave shoes at work, take a pile of clothes in the car when I drive, use a rack pack to carry sarnies for lunch and spares / tools then I'm not wearing a rucksack and don't get so sweaty

Spare socks at work for when it is really wet too

And definitely take a tube as it is quicker to replace and repair at your leisure, and a decent pump as flats inevitably happen when it is raining and you are late

Seconding the lights - never know when you might have to "work late"

babywipes and deodourant at work for the days when you get a sweat on.

as above leave as much stuuf at work as you can. shoes, ties, belts, pitchforks etc

Glasses to bees hitting you in the eye at speed.

Drink@work. Take a drink in summer.

Rear flashing light for bad weather?

Spare tube(s) definitely, and ideally some suitably puncture proof tyres.

It will rain.

You will get a puncture.

It will be raining when you do.

As others have said try and leave as much as you can at work. Carrying loads of stuff makes it seem like a chore. If you don't have a shower at work then baby wipes work fine but you could really do with a towel as if it rains you have no way of getting dried.

Money, bank card?

Mobile phone in a plastic bag (I use sandwich bags for my ipod/headphones/phone/wallet) on the off-chance you need to yell for help.

I'm lucky as i have a locker at work so i leave my shoes, deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, suit trousers and a few other bits inside a bag in the locker at work. Suit jacket is left on the back of my chair.

Work showers and towels provided so i dont need to worry about those

Underground car park with CCTV and pass-controlled access and 100% attendance by security guards. I dont even bother locking my bike or taking my lights or bike computer off

All i carry in the mornings is a fresh shirt (loosely folded) and matching tie :wink:, underwear and socks. In the bag is a pump, puncture repair kit, chain tool, powerlinks and a spare tube

Others have good avice about leaving as much as you can in work.

If you don't have anywhere to store stuff, an archive box or two under your desk (assuming you have one) will stop smelly stuff making the rest of the place stink.

Get used to people asking you daily if you have just cycled in and then patronisingly praise you for being so brave. I was barely polite with someone who did that the other day, but the 20 miles of sunshine had got me too chilled for violence.... 🙂

[i]Get used to people asking you daily if you have just cycled in and then patronisingly praise you for being so brave. I was barely polite with someone who did that the other day, but the 20 miles of sunshine had got me too chilled for violence.... [:-)] [/i]

graah, how annoying is that?

oooh, have you cycled in?
no, I drove. Lycra is my preferred fabric for driving clothing, and I opened the sunroof and got people to throw mud at me whilst I parked. And it was raining, obviously.

cheers all, i'm in my own office (self employed photog) so the only person asking if i've ridden in will be me - feeling all smug until ,that is, the rain / puncture interface occurs......

Do have the option to store spare clean stuff and all that, had thought of the baby wipes option but not about having a towel for the rainy days......
lights i have, pump will be packed....and wallet etc was already part of the payload.....

Sadly for me my route passes the Riverhead Brewery in Marsden so 'ride home' beverage is covered :D, that said, i'm a lager drinker -
feel free to take the pickles - many, including the wife, have tried to convert me to real ale - if only they'd run Silver King through a cooler..... 😀

So, bottom line plan- train in and back one day a week (may vary with inclement weather!) to allow for stocking up of fresh clothing, ride the rest....
I'll keep you posted on progress....
Chris

yossarian - just re-read your post and good job too - how could i miss pitchfork off the list...... most remiss of me 🙂

Chris

You'll soon be thinking "you know, a pannier would be easier to lug all this stuff about" and then, before you know it, you've grown a beard and a fully paid up member of the CTC.

You may think you can fight it, but it will get you in the end....

Good on you for choosing to ride to work and enjoy this lovely spring weather..!

The thing I seem to have forgotten most is my pants!

yeah - I hate the whole having to go "comando" thing under suit cos I forgot my ****in underwear again 🙄

I hate that as well so keep a spare pair at work.

Yep, keep spare undies at work (some say you'll only forget once. That's not true). And spare socks - that's a more noticeable lapse and the bare ankle/black brogue combo isn't a good look....

I have to wear trouser and shirt at work and have no locker or anything like that so have to carry shirt etc, is there some neat way to carry shirts without getting them all creased up, i hate that, especially as i iron my own shirts..

[url= http://www.ctshirts.co.uk/p/gbpdefault/r/Web-Department/Men%27s-Shirts----Formal/Web-Category/Non--iron-Shirts/productlisting.aspx?ppp=12&sortBy=Relevance&page=1&back=False&canned=&browse=Y ]These are great non iron shirts[/url]

They dont look like non iron shirts (they are normal thickness) but i never iron mine. Hang when wet and they are as good as new. Fold loosely to take to work in a bag

Tyres, spec' armadilo or bonty hardcase, these are essentials.
Socks, seal skinz for not to wet or when its cold and windy, good wool socks and shoe covers with tights for when its tipping down.
Jacket, good quality wind and water poof with loads of vents and zips.
Music, in ear phones but not buds, volume low so you can hear the traffic.
Hand signs and shouting loudly, someone will try to kill you with a car or a bus you need these weapons its all you have.
What everyone else said is also very good advice.

cycling to your own place of work, fine... but have a spare pair of jeans and t-shirt. Some say forgetting your trousers is something you'll only forget once...

Coathanger or 6 & a spare pair of trousers, if you wear a shirt/suit/trousers at work get hold of coathangers so you can leave them hung up 'properly' (we have a coat cupboard I use). Use a local dry cleaning place to keep them clean (less ironing & £1/shirt, the spare pair of trousers are for when the suit gets cleaned) - you never have to bring the stuff home.

I also take a week's pants & socks in on a Friday so you naturally build up a spare set when you can't be bothered cycling in (also useful to have a another pair of shoes at home to use when this happens so you don't have to cart them backwards and forwards).

Oh and zip ties/gaffer tape.

There are some things you just can't plan for.

Today I cycled into work (33 miles) with the intention of making the return journey this evening. I parked my bike in the bike store (the only one there today - it's not an easy office to cycle to as it's in the centre of Birmingham).

Changed into my cycle gear to go home, but something happened to the lock on the door (someone had been in there and slammed the door, dropping the catch on the yale lock making the store completely inaccessable). Had to catch the train home, leaving my rather pricey road bike to the vagaries of the locksmith who will visit over the weekend...... 🙁

I carry my kit inside a rolltop drybag - it means that if it's been raining I can whip the bag out and leave my rucksack under my desk, so I don't end up spreading my mud through the office.

And I totally agree about the patronising comments, although now my office all know I ride in any weather they seem to have calmed down somewhat.