Advice on Commuting

[600+]

Hey all,

about to embarg on a bit of a commuting trip. Every Wednesday will be going from M'cr to Nottingham. Got a set of panniers for under the rear seat, a proper jacket (touareg) and a pair of trousers.

Any advice from your experience? I need to be formaly dressed while at work.... meaning shirt and trousers (not jeans). How do you pack them in the panniers? Also how much clothing you were under the bike gear? Not been on big trips on a bike yet:(

This will be the start of many though (going to Salcombe on Friday from Notts on the bike :D )

Cheers

***forgot to ask:) I've got a Nokia 6680 with TomTom on it.....any ideas on how to mount it and use the SatNav?

[Ed]

Keep a supply of shirts and trousers at work, with a pair of shoes. Makes life a lot easier.

[600+]

yeah thats the plan.....but this is the first time i'm going down on the bike so do I wear the trousers under my bike gear or were jeans and change at work?

whats more comfy? and will the trousers be in a state to walk around after the ride?:)

[Ed]

yeah thats the plan.....but this is the first time i'm going down on the bike so do I wear the trousers under my bike gear or were jeans and change at work?

whats more comfy? and will the trousers be in a state to walk around after the ride?:)

Wear your bike gear. Iron shirt to the size of the package it came out of so it fits flat in panniers. Fold trousers. Do not wear under bike gear, you'll look like you're at 10pm when everyone else is at 9am.

[600+]

LOL cheers Ed:) Love the comments about 10pm

any ideas on how to mount my nokia 6680 on the bike so I can use TomTom on it?

[5hort5]

Take a can of deodorant :-), nothing worse than a smelly biker in the office ;-)

[Ed]

LOL cheers Ed:) Love the comments about 10pm

any ideas on how to mount my nokia 6680 on the bike so I can use TomTom on it?

No, but do you really need TomTom to get from M/cr to N'ham?

[xrphil]

my sat nav has voice commands, can you not just put in an earpiece and follow them?

[Abyss]

Ill be attempting the commute to work soon as i get bike... but i already leave all my work clothes at work for the week so should be alright to start.

[northwind]

I wear my work clothes under my bike gear... But I have a couple of pair of smart work trousers that don't seem to mind being under my cordura trousers, they don't crease up like you'd expect. If not, I'd change at work. Shirts, though, should be fine under a jacket.

[Patch]

I don't have the luxury of getting changed on arrival as I use the bike to travel to meetings at clients.

I have found that during the summer a HG Air suit is about the best thing for wearing over a suit trousers and shirt, jaket and shoes in the top box. On arrival I can fit Boots suit and helmet into the top box (52 litre).

[clio172]

I commute for work, I wear black draggin jeans and a shirt, I was going to go for draggin chinos but they felt very thin and flimsy, even though its supposed to be the lining that does the job. It was more Psychological, so I decided I'd have to get away with the jeans.

[600+]

Had a look today at one of my local shops and found a pair of TOUAREG pants fully waterproof and a pair of boots so quiet happy with them.

chap at the shop said the trousers are supposed to be on with nothing underneath them (jeans etc)

felt quiet nice:) like your legs are in coushins LOL

[Red ones]

I commute and often have to wear a suit underneath - I try to avoid wearing the jacket on the grounds of comfort. I try to buy decent quality suits but with a degree of crease resistance and 100% cotton non-iron shirts. I don't think I am any more scruffy than the rest at work!

[Ed]

I commute and often have to wear a suit underneath - I try to avoid wearing the jacket on the grounds of comfort. I try to buy decent quality suits but with a degree of crease resistance and 100% cotton non-iron shirts. I don't think I am any more scruffy than the rest at work!

Very helpful :thumbsup: but 600+ is going to get lost between Manchester and Nottingham, so he'll never get to the office to start with :wink:

[600+]

LOL

Ed mate I think I'll make it to Notts:) Its down south that I'd need my GPS for:)

[Red ones]

That's one thing that pees me off (apart from drivers on mobiles) people who need Sat Nav for trips they make regularly. Once you have found your way once you know the way, why do you need the Sat Nav the second time? I see Sat Nav in cars every day on the motorway and strangely enough it always looks the same - a straight line up the screen - well holy smoke Batman that is a surprise!

Get a decent map, look it up once then get on with getting through the traffic!





(I bet somewhere in the next 12 months I will now get a Sat Nav for some pathetic excuse then be back on here talking about getting it fitted to my bike and how great it is!)

[600+]

Hehe

hey Red I think we'll all just wait then:)

[thor]

Yeah, once you have done the commute a couple of times, you won't need a satnav.

Give yourself plenty of time. Nothing is worse then being late because of traffic. The temptation is to ride like an idiot and that aint good.

All weather gear is important, especially ones that are cool in summer.

Heated grips for the winter time, muffs, taller screen etc.

[Viney]

My advice

Buy decent trousers that have a wool content, they dont crease as much, and good shirts also for the same reason.

I wear my shirt under my jacket, always have done, but i only do a 10 mile commute, and shoes and trousers go in the tank bag.

Roll your clothing up. That way you dont get creases if any.

Nothing else to add to the above. Deodrant etc is a good idea.

MCR to Nottingham, should be fairly easy id thought, but they i have Viney Nav (i cant seem to get lost!!)

[600+]

cheers viney,

yeah m'cr - notts can do blindfolded but i need the sat nav to go down south:)

i'll get the panniers tomorrow and start doing some test fiting for the clothes:)

oh can't wait now

[Ceri JC]

I don't use my bike when I have to be smart on arrival. A colleague who does takes ironed shirts and trousers in his panniers. He travels up in jeans and leathers (well, textiles) with black laced biking boots that bar the gear change pad, could pass for normal shoes/boots. At the hotel, he changes into shirt and tie and rides in with his textile jacket over the shirt (usually only a 10 min ride from hotel to client, so it's not too creased by the time he gets there) and with work trouser on (no textiles on his legs [-X :wink: ) again, typically only 10 minutes, on slow roads, so he thinks it's an acceptable risk. When he get there he shoves his gloves and lid in the top box and carrys his coat in with him.

[600+]

Ceri I think this will turn out to be my plan as well.

Will let you know by the end of the week:)

[Red ones]

i need the sat nav to go down south:)


There, that confirms what all the girls mags say!