Mixed mode commuting - clothing and kit recommendations?

[Alex321]

He's somewhere in the NW I think

Cardiff, where I work, is actually officially the wettest city in the UK.

Apparently we get an average of 12.4 rainy days per month
https://www.showerstoyou.co.uk/latest/2021/03/top-20-rainiest-cities-uk/
https://www.floodsax.co.uk/news/the...sax-alternative-sandbags-for-flood-protection

I'm not really convinced that it rains over a third of the time here, and I suspect that it counts as a rainy day if any measurable amount of rain falls, even if it is just half an hour in the middle of the night.

Having said which, I was brought up from the age of 11-18 in Grantham (one of the drier areas of the UK), then went to university in Swansea, and I will never forget that in my first term (3rd Oct to 19th Dec), there were only 3 days when it didn't rain at all.

 

[Time Waster]

Lucky you

I certainly feel lucky!

 

[Time Waster]

Flexitime is about not having set starts and finishes but core work hours and a set number of hours in your contract with anything over it earning money or time off in lieu. So one hour 40 minutes extra hours per week. Half days Friday won't need many weeks to clear the TOIL hours needed for that day off.

Look, what is the hang up about walking vs cycling? Is there a minimum distance needed to allow a bicycle to be used? It is a more efficient mode of transport than walking. Folding bike under the desk isn't a faff, you're wearing waterproofs whether walking or cycling.

Levels of rain? West Cumbria is right up there in the rain stakes. Not that far from the borrowdale farm with the weather station that historically had the wettest place in England possibly uk too claim back in the day. But even so you plan for the worst Hope for the best. Even in my current job, soon to end, I carry waterproofs all year round. Back to where I'm working in my new job, I've been told by a neighbour who works there that waterproofs are worth always carrying due to the local weather. No idea how true but even in a drier place I've been working at it's been having long periods of rain this year. Some days so strong the factory rained in many times.

What part of 2.5 weeks earns an extra Friday off isn't worth having? Don't understand that pov. In my current job I get my 10k steps in on the job, commuting isn't necessary, I can see it might be the same in the new job. Going home is about getting home quickly. 5 minutes quick to get run the station is better. Irrelevant how much I have to wait for train if running late. It would be the same if I walk. Same for train travel time. This is purely about time saved in station to work and the other way. Time is money in this case (or TOIL).

 

[Big T]

TOIL = Time Off In Lieu. I used to work flexitime for most of my working life. It meant I could build up credit to stretch out my leave. I could be up to 2 days in credit per month, so if I wanted to take a week off, I could take 3 days annual leave and 2 days flexi leave. By doing this, I could stretch my leave from 6 weeks to 9 weeks, which was very useful when we had school age children. In later years, I used my flexi credit to take Wednesday mornings off, so that I could join in our mid-week club ride.

Core hours - the hours you are required to be at work. In my company, this was 9.30am to 11.30am and 2 to 3.30pm. Outside of these hours, you can work whatever hours you like, so long as you do the required number of hours over a month. Some will start at 7am and work until 3.30pm. Others will start at 9.30am and work through until 5 or 6pm. Some will take 30 mins lunch, others will take a longer lunch. I sometimes used to use my flexi to have a 90 minute lunch, so I could get an hour and 15 minute bike ride in at lunchtime, with 15 mins to change and shower.

 

[Mazz]

Keep your work clothes and work shoes at work. Also worth keeping a spare jumper at work to wear over a shirt which might have got creased in transit.

 

[Time Waster]

TOIL = Time Off In Lieu. I used to work flexitime for most of my working life. It meant I could build up credit to stretch out my leave. I could be up to 2 days in credit per month, so if I wanted to take a week off, I could take 3 days annual leave and 2 days flexi leave. By doing this, I could stretch my leave from 6 weeks to 9 weeks, which was very useful when we had school age children. In later years, I used my flexi credit to take Wednesday mornings off, so that I could join in our mid-week club ride.

Core hours - the hours you are required to be at work. In my company, this was 9.30am to 11.30am and 2 to 3.30pm. Outside of these hours, you can work whatever hours you like, so long as you do the required number of hours over a month. Some will start at 7am and work until 3.30pm. Others will start at 9.30am and work through until 5 or 6pm. Some will take 30 mins lunch, others will take a longer lunch. I sometimes used to use my flexi to have a 90 minute lunch, so I could get an hour and 15 minute bike ride in at lunchtime, with 15 mins to change and shower.

I'm on a similar flexi system. I'm new so not sure of TOIL system. Overtime has to be approved beforehand but I think TOIL does. Not enough work to justify it right now.

I use the flexi time to adjust my start time. I try for 7am start but of I'm feeling tired I take another 15, 30 or 45 minutes. I don't like much more as I prefer earlier finish.

Another thing, if I start at 6am I finish at 3pm which is the earliest I can. It means I'm able to catch my kid's primary school teachers if I need to. Friday's a bit annoying. Even if I start at 6am my core hours are such that I cannot finish before 12. Based on 5 hours that means 7am start to finish at 12.

 

[MidnightRider]

One of my jobs had a lot of cyclists working in the office. They all brought in a few days of clothes at a time and changed at work, taking any used clothes that needed cleaning back home with them each day.

If you are well paid, you might find if there are any local dry cleaners and skip the taking home bit?

 

[Big T]

One of my jobs had a lot of cyclists working in the office. They all brought in a few days of clothes at a time and changed at work, taking any used clothes that needed cleaning back home with them each day.

If you are well paid, you might find if there are any local dry cleaners and skip the taking home bit?

I used to leave trousers and shoes at work, take in fresh underwear and a shirt daily. My son keeps A suit at work and also takes in underwear and a shirt.

In terms of distance cycled, I found that any more than about 2-3 miles and I needed to wear my cycling kit and get changed, as opposed to cycling in my work clothes. I’d often extend my commute home anyway, so worth the effort of using your cycling kit.