Best ways to pack and carry work shirt and trousers on commute

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jt15

New Member
So I have a reasonably hefty 25 mile one way commute, which im planning on doing 2 days a week. Currently taking shirts to work is not an option as I will be showering at a local gym which do not allow me to leave things overnight. So I wanted to open a thread with regards to some of the best ways to carry work shoes, shirt, trousers and towel. Obviously with as little crease in the shirt as possible. Any recommendations on methods or types of panniers? Thank you in advance
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Shirt shuttle? Other than that, look in other forums for the sorts of solutions used by "onebag" travellers and so on. Mainly packing cubes of various types.
 

Supersuperleeds

Legendary Member
Location
Leicester
I leave my shoes and trousers at work. For the shirt I fold it and then roll it up and put it in a dry bag and squeeze the air out of it. It then sits in the top of my rucksack. I hang it up whilst showering to let any creases fall out.
 
Location
Northampton
There are two things you can do, or at least I do.
On the days you don't cycle, take the shirt or other things to work and leave it there. I keep a pair of shoes at work all the time.
You can carry an ironed shirt in back pack or pannier and it is usually ok. You can use non iron or mininam iron kind of shirt.
You can keep a travel iron at work provided you have facilities. (Do not tell the HR or health and safety guys).
 

T4tomo

Guru
Fold.and roll and buy 'non iron' range shirts. They still need ironing but crease far less.

Lay shirt buttons up, fold arms in, fold both side into centre, roll from.bottom.upto collar, preferably around your clean undies, for minimal in transit creasing
 

Dec66

A gentlemanly pootler, these days
Location
West Wickham
A +1 for leaving trousers and shoes in work.

Iron shirt. Turn onto it's front on the board.

Fold arms in. Fold the left hand side seam to the middle of the back of the shirt. Repeat with the other side.

Fold the bottom six inches up. Fold what's left in half.

Your shirt should now resemble a square. Place flat in a carrier bag, lay undies and socks flat on top. Fold any excess carrier bag to fit the square of the shirt.

It's now a perfect shape to go into rucksack, laptop bag or panniers.
 

Bazzer

Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
Shoes I leave at work, along with a towel. (Both in a work drawer), as they are the heaviest items. Trousers, shirt, socks and boxers, I carry in a rucksack. Folded correctly they don't crease.
My commute is shorter than yours at 17 miles, but as with anything on a bike, you want to minimise the weight you are carrying. Particularly if you have a backpack.
If you have to carry stuff, try and spread the load; panniers, or if you don't fancy the look or expense of panniers, a saddle bag or seat post bag. For example, (and this makes me sound like some GCN weight weenie), lunch of a couple of sandwiches and fruit can easily be half a kilo. Easy enough in your arm, but on your back, I find the difference can be felt and I would rather it be on the bike than on me..
 
Location
Birmingham
Gentle rolling of shirt folded down its centre seems to work. Day 1 it's rolled laying on work trousers which are left at work.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
There are only two effective options for someone who cannot take a shirt to work. Learn to properly iron, fold and then roll your shirt as @Drago said, or jumpers. Jumpers are amazing, they crease very little, and cover creases in shirts very very very well

I don't iron my shirts now having discovered the wonders of a good jumper. It helps that I'm cold all the time as jumpers have other positive effects.

I also find that chinos work better than formal trousers. Again largely due to being very rollable.
 
@jt15 I usually go with the roll option my old commute when I was training for LBL was around 25miles but I tended not to carry clothes and shoes together. If its possible perhaps you can carry light shoes/ sandles/ flip flops to the gym and leave your heavier shoes at work. Actually it might be worth doing similar with the clothes; leave the smart ones at work and just carry light shorts and tee shirts for the gym to work.
 

Tin Pot

Guru
So I have a reasonably hefty 25 mile one way commute, which im planning on doing 2 days a week. Currently taking shirts to work is not an option as I will be showering at a local gym which do not allow me to leave things overnight. So I wanted to open a thread with regards to some of the best ways to carry work shoes, shirt, trousers and towel. Obviously with as little crease in the shirt as possible. Any recommendations on methods or types of panniers? Thank you in advance

As others have indicated, the key to long commutes is to leave everything you can at work. Not just clothes; washing kit, towel, locks, spare tubes/tyres, pump, tools...etc.

Can you pick up your stuff from work and take it to the gym?

You really don’t want weight for these rides, do everything you can to avoid carrying stuff at all, but if you have to - panniers.

Wrap all your clothes in a plastic bag before you put them in the pannier. And figure out what you’ll do that inevitable day when you arrive with your clothes soaked, or the pants missing.
 
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