Checklist before commute home

[Deleted member 1258]

I think the choice of clothes people make (lycra and change / normal work clothes) is also very much dependant on what kind of job you have.
I have a very physical job so I will be sweating within ten minutes of starting work anyway, I ride to work in my work clothes. If I had to sit in an office all day I may well cycle in in lycra.

When I was working I always commuted in my work clothes, like you I did a manual job.

 

[Banjo]

Press button on front light
press button on back light

Plonk workboot onto flat pedal
pedal for a bit

Stow bike in portacabin .
return 12 hours later.

I am lucky to have a secure place for the bike at work.

 

[Slick]

My commute is reasonably short at 12 miles each way but I do choose to wear padded shorts due to having very little natural padding in that region. I have to wear company clothing when I get to work as my appearance is important to my employer and clients alike. Therefore I choose to wear separate cycling clothing and this can change dramatically with the season, meaning I can sometimes get myself into a bit of a flap trying to get out of work before the usual mad rush whereby some people give the impression that they would rather run over the top of you as wait 5 seconds to allow you to manoeuvre round a mini roundabout. The fap and general feeling of anxiety soon abates when I'm out and passed the first 3 roundabouts and is replaced by a feeling that is well worth the effort.

 

[Slick]

I'm also lucky by the fact I have a safe place to store my bike without a lock, showers and a canteen that serves more than just rolls and bacon for breakfast.

 

[srw]

Yes, I agree, it affects some but not others. My post was in response to a post in which the assumption was made that nobody should need to wear lycra, an assumption which in my opinion is wrong.

Nobody needs to wear lycra. Cycling existed for a good hundred years before lycra kit was widely available.

On the other hand, for longer journeys lycra-based clothes are good because it's hard-wearing, flexible and elastic. But my observation would be that many people assume they must wear lycra for journeys they could perfectly happily do without.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Nobody needs to wear lycra. Cycling existed for a good hundred years before lycra kit was widely available.

On the other hand, for longer journeys lycra-based clothes are good because it's hard-wearing, flexible and elastic. But my observation would be that many people assume they must wear lycra for journeys they could perfectly happily do without.

Fair enough, I respect your opinion, but don't agree with it.

 

[Julia9054]

Cycling to work in a dress and tights is not an option even though work is only 5 miles away. Might look stylish on fashion photos wafting about in parks on a Pashley but it is simply not comfortable or practical.
I have Lycra for long rides at weekends - I don't intend to buy a whole lot of non Lycra commuting outfits just so I can say I don't commute in Lycra.

 

[phantasmagoriana]

Mine's pretty simple:
Put coat on
Walk home


I only live a mile from work, though - by the time I faffed about with locking bike, taking it up and down stairs (live in a flat), I don't think cycling in would save me much time. When I lived ~3 miles from work, cycling was definitely the better option.

 

[Slick]

Mine's pretty simple:
Put coat on
Walk home


I only live a mile from work, though - by the time I faffed about with locking bike, taking it up and down stairs (live in a flat), I don't think cycling in would save me much time. When I lived ~3 miles from work, cycling was definitely the better option.

Fantastic name by the way.

 

[Brandane]

Cycling to work in a dress and tights is not an option even though work is only 5 miles away.

@Drago may respect your opinion, but probably doesn't agree with it .

 

[srw]

@Drago may respect your opinion, but probably doesn't agree with it .

And, more to the point, nor would previous generations of British women, nor many millions of German, Danish, Dutch and Belgian women now.

 

[Julia9054]

And, more to the point, nor would previous generations of British women, nor many millions of German, Danish, Dutch and Belgian women now.

Previous generations of British women would have preferred warm and comfortable sportswear had it been an option.
I've cycled in Amsterdam in a dress - it's a lot flatter than round here.
Try it yourself, then do a day's work, and then get back to me.

 

[srw]

Previous generations of British women would have preferred warm and comfortable sportswear had it been an option.
I've cycled in Amsterdam in a dress - it's a lot flatter than round here.
Try it yourself, then do a day's work, and then get back to me.

I'm not saying you're wrong to make the choices you make. I'm saying that there are other possible choices, and people in general (though quite possibly not you) often irrationally reject the choices they don't make.

In this thread people in general are asserting that lycra is the only possible thing to wear for just about every bike ride. That's simply not true. As I've already acknoweldged, lycra is a good choice for many bike rides. As it happens I'm about to get a bike out, and this time will put on lycra. But when I ride into or from work I wear the same suit and shirt and shoes that I wear during the day. During that commute I see many people doing exactly the same.

 

[Julia9054]

I'm not saying you're wrong to make the choices you make. I'm saying that there are other possible choices, and people in general (though quite possibly not you) often irrationally reject the choices they don't make.

In this thread people in general are asserting that lycra is the only possible thing to wear for just about every bike ride. That's simply not true. As I've already acknoweldged, lycra is a good choice for many bike rides. As it happens I'm about to get a bike out, and this time will put on lycra. But when I ride into or from work I wear the same suit and shirt and shoes that I wear during the day. During that commute I see many people doing exactly the same.

I'm off to the supermarket on mine - in jeans and a sweater.

 

[Starchivore]

I commute my 9.5 miles to the station in my office clothes. It would be nice to wear cycling stuff for extra comfort and whatnot but to me it isn't worth the hassle for 35mins each way.

No one has said yet that I stink. We'll see.