Cycling to work

Sean Rooney said:

Hiya, just bought my new bike after much deliberation - a CB Urban 400. I'm
planning a 12 mile round trip to work a few times a week.

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I arrive?
There are showers in work so won't stink and decent bike racks at the front
of the building.

What else do I need to consider? I'm going to do a few dry runs some
weekends.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Seán

I leave my trousers (jeans & suit) and shoes at work. I don't have to
wear shirt & tie everyday. I carry a t-shrt, underwear and socks in my
backpack/ large saddle pack/pannier on a daily basis. A neatly folded
shirt shouldn't get creased too badly if folded carefully.

Give it a try, you will work out whats best for you.

MSeries said:

I leave my trousers (jeans & suit) and shoes at work. I don't have to
wear shirt & tie everyday. I carry a t-shrt, underwear and socks in my
backpack/ large saddle pack/pannier on a daily basis. A neatly folded
shirt shouldn't get creased too badly if folded carefully.

Give it a try, you will work out whats best for you.

Similar to above. My work shoes live at work and rarely come home. Jacket can
also be left at work. Trousers taken in Monday and come home on Friday. Clean
shirt, socks and underwear ROLLED neatly and placed in bottom of pannier every
day. I have now accumulated a small selection of ties at work which saves
worrying about what to do when you forget to take one with you.

--
Terry Duckmanton.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/terry.duckmanton
A website mostly dedicated to cycling

Sean Rooney said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I arrive?

Fold the shirt properly[1] and then carefully roll around panst and
socks. Place in a plastic bag (unless you have properly waterproof
panniers). On a commute with showers at the end I never worry too much
with rain gear. Leave trousers/suit and shoes at work

best wishes
james

[1]button shirt and place face down on bed. Place copy of new format
Cycle mag in centre of shirtback level with collar. Fold sides of
shirt in line with edges of mag. Fold sleeves back outwards and
downwards in line with vertical folds. Fold shirt in thirds vertically
starting from bottom and finishing in line with bottom edge of mag.
Pull mag out from top. Carefully roll around underwear

Quoted message said:

Sean Rooney said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I arrive?

Fold the shirt properly[1] and then carefully roll around panst and
socks. Place in a plastic bag (unless you have properly waterproof
panniers). On a commute with showers at the end I never worry too much
with rain gear. Leave trousers/suit and shoes at work

best wishes
james

[1]button shirt and place face down on bed. Place copy of new format
Cycle mag in centre of shirtback level with collar. Fold sides of
shirt in line with edges of mag. Fold sleeves back outwards and
downwards in line with vertical folds. Fold shirt in thirds vertically
starting from bottom and finishing in line with bottom edge of mag.
Pull mag out from top. Carefully roll around underwear

Applies to T-shirts but you may find this interesting (or even
entertaining):

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/fold.php

"nog" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sean Rooney said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I carry
my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I
arrive?

Fold the shirt properly[1] and then carefully roll around panst and
socks. Place in a plastic bag (unless you have properly waterproof
panniers). On a commute with showers at the end I never worry too much
with rain gear. Leave trousers/suit and shoes at work

best wishes
james

[1]button shirt and place face down on bed. Place copy of new format
Cycle mag in centre of shirtback level with collar. Fold sides of
shirt in line with edges of mag. Fold sleeves back outwards and
downwards in line with vertical folds. Fold shirt in thirds vertically
starting from bottom and finishing in line with bottom edge of mag.
Pull mag out from top. Carefully roll around underwear

Applies to T-shirts but you may find this interesting (or even
entertaining):

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/fold.php

Get a Brompton shirt.

Quoted message said:

Sean Rooney said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I arrive?

Fold the shirt properly[1] and then carefully roll around panst and
socks. Place in a plastic bag (unless you have properly waterproof
panniers). On a commute with showers at the end I never worry too much
with rain gear. Leave trousers/suit and shoes at work

Another tip, if the shirt gets wrinkled hang it up next to the shower
and turn the shower on hot. The steam will drop the wrinkles out.

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

in message <[email hidden]>, Sean Rooney

(') said:

Hiya, just bought my new bike after much deliberation - a CB Urban
400. I'm planning a 12 mile round trip to work a few times a week.

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I
carry my trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles
when I arrive? There are showers in work so won't stink and decent
bike racks at the front of the building.

One solution is to drive or bus in once a week with four clean shirts
and one pair of trousers, and take the dirties home. That assumes you
have a locker or at least a drawer at work where you can keep them.
Alternatively, there are things you can buy which will carry a neatly
folded shirt and pair of trousers in a pannier.

Quoted message said:

What else do I need to consider? I'm going to do a few dry runs some
weekends.

Adequate lights - even in summer you can stay late for one reason or
another; spare inner tube. I would advise leaving your lock at work, as
carrying a heavy lock around on the bike is no fun.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

' ' <------- this blank intentionally spaced left

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 09:59:33 +0100, Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

One solution is to drive or bus in once a week with four clean shirts
and one pair of trousers, and take the dirties home. That assumes you
have a locker or at least a drawer at work where you can keep them.

I guess you could also permanently leave the suits & shirts at work,
and use a local dry-cleaning service. You'd just have to pick up a
freshly laundered & pressed pile of clothes one lunchtime each week.

I've never done this, but it does have a certain (slightly decadent)
appeal and you could cycle every day!

--
jc

Pack a can of Holts Tyre Weld (there is a cyclist version that costs
more and is 1/2 the size). That should see off at least two minor
punctures. Also take a spare inner tube, pump and levers, a pair of
latex gloves (plastic ones from diesel garages will also work), a
spanner if you don't have quick release wheels. Six miles isn't far
enough to be seriously hindered by mechanical failure.

Clothing: If work dress is casual, I'd probably ride slower in my work
clothes, although this is on the threshold of comfort. If formal, pack
as already discussed. I'd change to ride home and add mileage.

My boys ride 5 miles to school twice a week, and they certainly don't
pack their uniforms, although they do wear shorts and a white shirt :-)

good luck

Daren
--
remove outer garment for reply

Sean Rooney said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I arrive?

You could wear them on the bike. Showers and changing are only really
much point if you've got Really Sweaty on the way in, and if you are
content with a moderate pace than you shouldn't particularly be doing that.

Make sure your trousers don't get oiled and greased by either using
trouser clips, Masonic cycling or getting a chain guard fitted.
Mudguards with a front mudflap should keep general cack and surface
spray off. You'll need a decent set of waterproofs so you're still
presentable if it rains, but they're not too hard to come by.

Only thing I ever regularly changed out of in several years of cycle
commuting was shoes, with a work pair living at work as I used cycle
shoes on the bike.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

I've just started cycle commuting - don't bother about the dry runs,
just do it. I leave shoes at work and carry rolled up stuff in my sack.
No showers here though - I'm doing 11 miles each way (and it's hilly)
and I might work up a bit of a sweat but it's no big deal.

It's so GREAT not being stuck in a traffic jam on a warm day. Whenever
I do drive I get reminded about just how aggressive drivers are.
Stressful journey into work? Not anymore..

Tony Raven <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Sean Rooney said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I
arrive?

Fold the shirt properly[1] and then carefully roll around panst and
socks. Place in a plastic bag (unless you have properly waterproof
panniers). On a commute with showers at the end I never worry too much
with rain gear. Leave trousers/suit and shoes at work

Quoted message said:

Another tip, if the shirt gets wrinkled hang it up next to the shower
and turn the shower on hot. The steam will drop the wrinkles out.

Another tip. Do not fold a shirt shortly after ironing it; it will
crease _far_ more than if the shirt has been hanging in a wardrobe a
while.

And another tip. Even if your panniers are waterproof, they might not be
completely clean inside[1]. Always wrap nice clothes in plastic bags.

Always put shoes in plastic bags; you want neither soil nor shoe polish
on your white shirt...

[1] Actually, they are probably really filthy, from a varity of sources!

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

Peter Clinch <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Make sure your trousers don't get oiled and greased by either using
trouser clips, Masonic cycling or getting a chain guard fitted.
Mudguards with a front mudflap should keep general cack and surface
spray off. You'll need a decent set of waterproofs so you're still
presentable if it rains, but they're not too hard to come by.

Masonic cycling is far more difficult now socks are rather short :-(

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

In article said:

MSeries said:

I leave my trousers (jeans & suit) and shoes at work. I don't have to
wear shirt & tie everyday. I carry a t-shrt, underwear and socks in my
backpack/ large saddle pack/pannier on a daily basis. A neatly folded
shirt shouldn't get creased too badly if folded carefully.

Give it a try, you will work out whats best for you.

Similar to above. My work shoes live at work and rarely come home.

I recently bought an extra pair of shoes so mine do too now.
I have occasionally remembered to take an extra shirt and underwear
in on a day I'm not cycling and leave them in my desk drawer.

Quoted message said:

Jacket can
also be left at work. Trousers taken in Monday and come home on Friday. Clean
shirt, socks and underwear ROLLED neatly and placed in bottom of pannier every
day. I have now accumulated a small selection of ties at work which saves
worrying about what to do when you forget to take one with you.

What are this jacket and tie of which you speak, earthman?

Alan Braggins wrote:
<snip irrelevant bits>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Jacket can
also be left at work. Trousers taken in Monday and come home on Friday. Clean
shirt, socks and underwear ROLLED neatly and placed in bottom of pannier every
day. I have now accumulated a small selection of ties at work which saves
worrying about what to do when you forget to take one with you.

What are this jacket and tie of which you speak, earthman?

Ah! Sorry about that. These are items of aparel worn mainly on ceremonial
occasions, for example when seeking to increase the thickness of ones pay
packet. They are in my opinion, b*gg*r all use for anything else.

--
Terry Duckmanton.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/terry.duckmanton
A website mostly dedicated to cycling

Sean Rooney said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack?

Pants, socks, trousers, shirt, shoes, towel, shower gel.

Quoted message said:

How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I arrive?

Dark chinos - dark so the creases don't show so badly, chinos because
they're /meant/ to be wrinkled. Fold flat, with shirt & other bits,
put in a poly bag in the pannier. Shoes in another bag alongside,
towel to take up the slack. If the pannier is full and tightly done
up, the clothes won't all fall into a heap in the bottom.

Quoted message said:

There are showers in work so won't stink and decent bike racks at the front
of the building.

Sorted then.

Quoted message said:

What else do I need to consider?

Somewhere to dry your towel - the back of your chair is an effective
if inelegant solution.

Al C-F <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 22:16:49 +0100, "Sean Rooney"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack?

Quoted message said:

Pants, socks, trousers, shirt, shoes, towel, shower gel.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

How do I carry my
trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles when I
arrive?

Quoted message said:

Dark chinos - dark so the creases don't show so badly, chinos because
they're /meant/ to be wrinkled. Fold flat, with shirt & other bits,
put in a poly bag in the pannier. Shoes in another bag alongside,
towel to take up the slack. If the pannier is full and tightly done
up, the clothes won't all fall into a heap in the bottom.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

There are showers in work so won't stink and decent bike racks at the
front
of the building.

Quoted message said:

Sorted then.

Quoted message said:

What else do I need to consider?

Quoted message said:

Somewhere to dry your towel - the back of your chair is an effective
if inelegant solution.

As is the top tube of your bicycle, if parked in a dry place.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

Al C-F said:

Fold flat,

Don't fold. As others here have said and as any regular traveller will
tell you you roll not fold.

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

"Sean Rooney" <[email hidden]> writed in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Hiya, just bought my new bike after much deliberation - a CB Urban
400. I'm planning a 12 mile round trip to work a few times a week.

What are the practicalities? What kit do I need to pack? How do I
carry my trousers, shirt and tie without looking a bundle of wrinkles
when I arrive? There are showers in work so won't stink and decent
bike racks at the front of the building.

What else do I need to consider? I'm going to do a few dry runs some
weekends.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Seán

Hi Sean
I take sufficient 'tools' to deal with a puncture, and any other
debilitating problem. Remember that you have a choice if you have a
mechanical - walk home, walk the bike back to work (collect it later, or
repair tomorrow), sling it in a taxi, or learn to be self sufficient.
I generally cary a multi-tool, a spare inner tube, and a pump. I also
keep a second inner tube, a tube of lube, and a couple of other spanners
in my desk. Learn to use them!
I would second the note about carrying lights all year round (I prefer
the dynamo solution - but it's your choice - in winter you might want to
carry a spare set of batteries).
Good Luck

Mike - Leicester