Biking at work - equipment advice

[Nebulous]

Hi folks

thanks for the sugggestions/ thoughts. It's certainly more complicated than I first thought!Just to reply to some of them.

Do you not have use of a pool car or bus? If you are meeting important clients turning up sweaty or in a damp crumpled suit, or having spent 20 minutes in the bog changing, does NOT create a good impression. Sorry, but it doesn't. Maybe for a few days you just have to sacrifice your principles?

No pool car - I'm expected to provide my own transport. There is a cycle allowance however. I don't have the option of spending 20 minutes in the bog. I need to be chapping on the door ready to go.

or you could get a new job

This is my new job! I've well and truly burned my bridges with my last one, so this is it for the foreseeable future.

It's not the answer you want to hear, but I find it impossible to combine cycling with meetings. I'll commute on the bike as often as I can, but if I have a meeting anywhere I have to drive in to make sure I'm presentable when I arrive.

I do a lot of one-to-one training and so I'm often crammed into a small office crowded around a single pc which makes me hot and sweaty enough as it is, without having had a cycle 5 minutes earlier!

Plus my employer wouldn't take too kindly to the additional time cycling to a meeting and then freshening up would take out of my working day.

One solution (if you drive) is to leave your car at the office through the week and commute on the bike. Then you don't lose your commute but the car is available when you need it.

My situation will be similar to yours, spending time in small groups, often 1:1 going over lots of information. My employer doesn't mind the time. I'm not going to be much slower than driving across town in traffic anyway. The office is within walking distance of my house. Sites to visit may be up to 10 miles away from the office. I do drive, but don't have ready access to a car and don't want to buy another one!

Incidentally today was much better. I had a very early start - it was still foggy, though much drier. I cycled in my shirtsleeves, took a small towel and put on my jacket before going in. Rain and wet roads is going to be the major issue.

 

[Crankarm]

Err......... if using your OWN car on company business do you have cover for business use as most car insurance policies only cover travelling to and from a place of work, not using your car for business activities. Something to consider as if you had a prang driving between your office and a meeting elsewhere you might find you would be uninsured if your insurer got wind of the purpose for the journey. Just a thought.

 

[Nebulous]

I'm aware of the insurance rules - that's why I'm so keen on using my bike! I've had full work insurance for many years, but we converted a minibus to a camper van and I transferred my no claims to it. Camper insurance is relatively cheap but comes with a lot of strings. I'm not even allowed travel to work.

 

[jefmcg]

Cycling to business meetings seems to be pretty acceptable within London. Boris bikes are routinely used, and my employee provides Bromptons for quick access to client sites.

I used to cycle 3 miles from the train in a suit. If it was raining, I'd need a change of shoes and this

You really don't need to work up a sweat to travel 5 miles.