What to ride to work in? What do you commute in?

[jon]

Just been thinking now the weather is getting better (i'm a wimp) i'd like to start to ride to work.. i'm just trying to work out the logistics of it all.

I can leave a pair of shoes and a suit there and there's room to get changed but i'm going to feel like a bit of a plonker turning up my 2 piece suit, i was just wondering what other people do? I'll be the only biker there in a company of about 30 and i've never worked with a biker before so i'm not sure what others do, as silly as that sounds!

Can you get away with wearing a jacket over a shirt without looking too wrinkled? I'm tempted to wear jeans... but why? It makes no sense when i've trousers... i'll just remove the knee sliders i've never used :oops:

Ugh, not really sure of my point, just confused by it all. I have to take food with me (special diet) so i guess i'll need a tank bag / tail pack too (i'd say backpack but i know i'd get shouted at!)

[Mogs]

I go with the cordura jacket, leather trousers, boots and back protector. I leave trousers and shoes in work. I change in the cubicle. Not a problem, but you will have to put up with all the "Here's Darth Vader" jokes.

[lynw]

I keep a suit and a pair of shoes at work. I ride in with my goretex jacket and goretex jeans in winter, usually over a pair of leggings. I wear my top and thats fine when I get into the office. I just go change in the loo..

My colleague who commutes in comes in, removes waterproofs and jacket. He usually wears a fleece over his shirt and its fine. He changes into his suit if he needs to go out or hes worn jeans/trousers under his goretex. And he keeps a pair of shoes in the office too.

[K]

To a certain extent it depends on how strict your office's dress code is.
If you have to be done up like a dogs dinner then you'd probably need to leave five shirts at work too!

I normally ride in my regular 2 piece (zip together Alpinestar job) with my smart trousers and boots left at work for me to change into. That arrangement has worked for me in a number of different working environments.

I hate rucksacks, but for what little I carry to work (wallet, thermos and a choccy bar!) I find a tail-pack too much hassle. I did find the perfect alternative though when looking for camping equipment - a J-Lo sized bum-bag! :twisted:
It's actually big enough to take my thermos and most importantly, doesn't look like some sad 80's shell suit accessory either. :lol:

I'd suggest trying things out for the first few days/weeks to see what works best for you.

[Well Oiled]

I put a shirt on but wear biking jacket, leathers and boots. Have work jacket, trousers, couple of spare shirts, shoes and a ties in the locker. Also have stuff to shower as I ride in on the pushbike from time to time.

A good blast on the SV in the morning leaves you feeling bright by the time you hit the desk. :lol:

[Twit]

I wear leather trousers, cordura jacket and boots and carry work trousers, shoes, shirt, lunch etc either in a rucksack (try one of the Knox ones - very nice for bikes) or my top box!!! 54 litres, yum yum - though not on an SV!

No one takes the **** cos I filter past just about everyone on the way in and they know I leave home 20 mins later than them!!! ;)

[Red ones]

I leave a suit and shoes at work, wear the shirt under all the Goretex.

Luckiily there is a dry cleaners opening at work, so cleaning the suit won't be an issue. Otherwise, every so often I have to smuggle a different suit in - I try to time my meetings so that I go by train or car one day to do that.

Where do I get changed? In the Gent's!

Mickey taking by others? The usual reply is, "Only 35 minutes again this morning!"

[Sudoxe]

I leave a pair of shoes and work, and ride in in my suit, with cordua over trousers/jacket + back protector.

Unlike the scooters who just ride in wearing their business suit! :shock:

Dan

[Jabba]

I just go change in the loo..

Don't your feet get wet?

I have a cordura jacket over my work clothes and either wear cordura tousers over my work keks or wear leather keks and carry normal trousers in rucksack.

I only have a 4 mile commute, though.

[Ping]

I wear my 2 piece leathers, blackrain evo boots, and a top with hoodie, etc...

I carry my one-piece waterproof, a pair of jeans (and assorted bits'n'pieces) and recently my trainers in my backpack.

I don't really need to worry about anything wrinkling (except my face) as I don't iron anyway. :lol:

[richwill68]

I leave uniform at work and ride in leather trousers, boots and Cordura jacket. Magnetic tank bag takes just about all I need, clean stuff in on Monday, put in locker, use throughout the week and take home each evening (it's dirty by then so just scrumple it up and shove it under a cargo net!).

Regards

Rich :D

[Professor]

I commute :riding: in a 2 piece suit + back protector. Keep a pair of shoes
and trousers in my office. No problem changing as I am lucky to have
my office to myself. Initially had a slight problem in that my office
could not be locked from the inside (used a chair to block the door :shock:)
but in the end got hold of the appropriate key. :thumbsup:

[diamond]

I wear my 2 piece leathers, blackrain evo boots, and a top with hoodie, etc...

I carry my one-piece waterproof, a pair of jeans (and assorted bits'n'pieces) and recently my trainers in my backpack.

I don't really need to worry about anything wrinkling (except my face) as I don't iron anyway. :lol:

Ditto, especially the not ironing bit. :lol:

[Halonic]

I generally wear a Renault Clio :lol:

leave a bike in Romford? you are kidding yes?

[Nouf]

I don't wear leathers, but 2 piece Gortex gear. Usually leave trousers in office (dont need to wera a suit) and wear my shirt under my jacket. Depending of teh material its not that creased usually. Shoes always stays in office. Trousers come back home in back every other day. Can't really wear the same clothes everyday can you. At first ppl thought it was funny but now they find it accpetable and some are even considering getting scopters/bikes this summer.

[sharriso74]

I wear my leathers but I leave my suit and shirts in the office and just get them laundered up here. Only drawback is trying to get out of a set of leathers in the disabled toilet!

[northwind]

I used to ride in my cordura gear over my work clothes, but I was wearing the Belstaff cordura trousers when I broke my hip while walking :) You could say I've lost confidence in anything that lacks hip armour. So now I wear my leathers. Better cordura gear would probably be fine though, I'm looking for a reasonably priced pair of trousers with hip armour pockets.

[Ceri JC]

Although our dress code is smart casual and I usually wear a shirt and tie, I've not had any problems/formal comments (I shrug off, 'where's your shirt, you scruffy *******?' as office banter) with wearing my jeans and t-shirt/bike boots in the office (which I wear under my textiles, before someone remarks :wink: ). I don't ride in if I'm meeting customers or senior managers. I even went to my appraisal (which I'd forgotten about in the mornig), in ripped jeans and a tshirt and nothing was said.

There's a bit of a precedent for this though as other bikers at work behave in a similar way. One guy who has worked there for years regularly turns up on client sites, dripping wet, in his tatty old leathers and customers have com plained, yet he hasn't been cautioned (his peers all wear suits).

[Mogs]

I'm first in to the office every morning, by at least a half hour,
so I would make use the side office to change,
instead of walking 50 yds down the corridor.



The cleaner walked in on me :oops:

[Jelster]

I have a locker at work so I keep 2 suits and about 10 shirts at work, plus a pair of shoes and a number of ties. We also have showers so if it's been a rather sweaty ride in I can get to my desk nice and refreshed.

I ride in wearing my Spidi "Team" jacket and either leather or textile trousers. In the winter (or heavy rain) I swap the Spidi for a full waterproof winter codura jacket.

.

[Peter Henry]

Come hail,rain or snow, I always adopt slippers or slip on sandals along with shorts and T shirt.Unless I have a meeting with a client later in the day.

Problem is u see,my commute is across my lounge to my office where I am usually to be found! :lol:


(Sorry for de railing the thread!) :oops: 8)

[Mervin]

I guess I'm a bit spoilt as I have a locker at work with all my work kit in. ATM I'm riding in two piece leathers to work.

I reckon you should ride in your kit and just change when you get there. It's not worth your legs if you come off.

[Viney]

What to ride to work in? What do you commute in?

A bus, then a train :D

[diamond]

What to ride to work in? What do you commute in?

A bus, then a train :D

Is it the special bus? :wink:

Did it use to take you to your special school? :lol: :lol:

[TrojanHorse11]

I asked a similar question back in February when I got a week's work experience at a solicitor's office. There was ABSOLUTELY no parking available anywhere in the town (Stafford if any of you know it) and the only way to go was on a bike - the catch being I had to be in a suit!

I got loads of replies to that thread (as you'd expect from the great peeps on here!) and the gist of it was basically:

The best way to do it is to have a set of clothes to change into at work and a set of commuting/biking clothing.

:)

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

they give us lockers at our place - might be worth asking if they'll get one for you? Then you can ride in whatever you like and get changed into whatever you like... suit or more casual depending what's on... bonus then is that you can wear what you like, stuff a suit on for meetings and then change back into casual stuff after... at least for some jobs :D

And I've never had any backpack problems... I'd only use a tankbag for longer distances... so long as you're not carrying tons of stuff in there - just remember to stick your stuff in a plastic bag inside whatever you use so it doesn't get wet if you get caugfht out by the weather!

[Warren]

uniform in backpack and change at work.

keep my shoes at work.

sometimes in the winter i wear my uniform under my leathers.

[northwind]

We used to have a guy who worked in my branch called Crumpled Ben... he rode a massive old Kawasaki of some sort, I never knew which, and always wore his suit under his leathers... Hense the name

[Grifter]

Aerostitch one-piece suit - can't beat it. Off quicker than a tarts knickers, on faster than, ...well you get the idea. Mine is 12 yrs old, been down the road on my **** wearing it twice and you can easily wear a suit under it.

[Captain Nemo]

i expect ill get some flak for this. but hey its my choice. my risk.

at the moment 1 live about 3 miles from work, 30-40 limit all the way, all minor roads and estate roads.

i wear a textile jacket (with armour), jeans and my boots, gloves obviously. over my work shirt, its relaxed dress here so i dont need to change,

if i have to go anywhere during the day ill wear my leather trousers over my jeans to work that day.

im just about to change jobs to about 45 mile each way so what ill probably do is go in the car on mon take some shirts trousers etc and leave them at work, go on the bike tues wed thurs and pick up the stuff in the car on fri .

i always keep a pair of work shoes under my desk, in case i come on the bike any way.

[Jabba]

Aerostitch one-piece suit - can't beat it.

Only available mail-order from the USA.... loads of import duty/VAT etc and therefore hideously expensive :cry:

Heard that they're good, though.

[Red ones]

im just about to change jobs to about 45 mile each way so what ill probably do is go in the car on mon take some shirts trousers etc and leave them at work, go on the bike tues wed thurs and pick up the stuff in the car on fri .

i always keep a pair of work shoes under my desk, in case i come on the bike any way.

Easy iron or non-iron shirts are great - they don't get crumpled in the time to get to work

[Grinch]

I've got Frank Thomas Aqua gear, which after over 15,000 miles is starting to leak a bit so looks like I'll be cleaning it up this week end and working on renewing the water proofing. Though the gear is good, its not great and I think I'd have bought something else if I'd have known.
My Daytona boots, Voyager GTX's are great.. lovely dry toes... :D

[creamerybutter]

I am fortunate enough to work in an office with a casual dress code so all I do is take a pair of trainers to change into. I ride in Leather jacket, gloves and proper boots and Jeans, I know I shouldn't and I know the risks it's just too much hassle to change out of them at work.