12-hour shift in cycling gear?

[RichardB]

Has anyone ever had to do a day's work wearing their cycling clothes? I nearly had to tonight. For the last year or so I have had an arrangement with my boss. She lets me use her office to change in after my commute, and I keep the clothes I am not wearing in a drawer in one of her cupboards. She works days and I work nights, so we rarely meet and the arrangement worked well. Until tonight ...

I got into work, slightly late, to find that in my four days off the company has decided to relocate several large departments, and her office was empty and the cupboard gone. Colleagues going off shift had no idea where it could be, but had several ideas, none of which led to the cupboard and the clothes. No phone signal, so I couldn't call her up and ask. I did the first part of the shift in tights and a Night Vision jacket, much to the amusement of staff and customers, and then another colleague had the bright idea of looking in a room (IT office, usually locked like a fortress) and found them in there. You'd have to know the company, but this just defied all logic. It is literally the last place I would have looked.

I only had on the jacket and a thermal layer underneath, and I was fairly damp from the ride, so I was dreading a cold night shift wearing very little. Warm and dry now, but it could have been worse!

 

[RoubaixCube]

I dont do 12hr shifts but I spend 9hrs in the base layer and padded thermal tights i arrived in underneath my work clothes. People have said Its bad to do it but I wear a pair of fresh padded tights everyday I go to work so any issues regarding hygiene is less of an issue.

 

[Cold]

I forgot my locker keys once and had to do my shift in waterproof trousers(I only had underwear on under them) and no shoes.

 

[Mile195]

I've spent half the day in cycling gear. It wasn't massively comfortable after a while but I could deal with it for the day. It was wondering around the building in Lycra feeling quite self conscious about the fact I was in bike gear but no bike in sight that finally made me go get some cheap jeans from a charity shop come lunchtime...

 

[Racing roadkill]

Has anyone ever had to do a day's work wearing their cycling clothes? I nearly had to tonight. For the last year or so I have had an arrangement with my boss. She lets me use her office to change in after my commute, and I keep the clothes I am not wearing in a drawer in one of her cupboards. She works days and I work nights, so we rarely meet and the arrangement worked well. Until tonight ...

I got into work, slightly late, to find that in my four days off the company has decided to relocate several large departments, and her office was empty and the cupboard gone. Colleagues going off shift had no idea where it could be, but had several ideas, none of which led to the cupboard and the clothes. No phone signal, so I couldn't call her up and ask. I did the first part of the shift in tights and a Night Vision jacket, much to the amusement of staff and customers, and then another colleague had the bright idea of looking in a room (IT office, usually locked like a fortress) and found them in there. You'd have to know the company, but this just defied all logic. It is literally the last place I would have looked.

I only had on the jacket and a thermal layer underneath, and I was fairly damp from the ride, so I was dreading a cold night shift wearing very little. Warm and dry now, but it could have been worse!

I usually do a 12 hour shift I my cycling clobber. I am as I type. I leave my cycling top and boots / shoes in my locker, then put a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt on, and some trainers I keep at work. If I'm required to be in smart atire, I drive in. Most of my cycling gear is designed to be worn for long stints in the saddle, so a 12 hour work shift is fine.

 

[mjr]

I ride in ordinary clothes although I use a suit carrier in panniers on the rare occasions I need to be smarter than a simple jacket or jumper. Not that that helps you

 

[si_c]

I ride in ordinary clothes although I use a suit carrier in panniers on the rare occasions I need to be smarter than a simple jacket or jumper. Not that that helps you

^^ This, I commute in jeans and t-shirt, with a pair of trainers in the office. If I need to be smart then I'll take the train in.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

I once forgot my polo shirt and had to nip to tesco and buy one. I once forgot my underwear and had to go commando as it were. I have a pretty good night time routine now to make sure I don't forget anything

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I was working for a few days in the building next door, no locker, had left my work shoes with the staffing people till the next day, shoes disappeared!
Some helpful soul had returned them to the other building, thinking I forgot them.
Had to walk a good mile between premises to get my shoes back.
Nowadays, if there's no locker, I leave my stuff in my panniers.

 

[RichardB]

For me, as I work nights, it's not the issue of where to put the bike clothing, it's the problem of where to put the normal stuff during the day. We only have tiny lockers and I have had stuff nicked and/or messed with in the past, so need somewhere safe. Being cold/wet weather gear and uniform, it needs a bit of space. The manager's office was ideal, once I had convinced her it wouldn't stink the place out (she's quite a sensitive soul), so now I am on the hunt for new lodgings.

My manager's response, when I asked her why she didn't send a simple text to say where my stuff had been moved to, was: I didn't think anyone would be STUPID enough to cycle in on the COLDEST NIGHT of the YEAR!!! (She's from South Africa, and takes temperatures very seriously.)