commuting and suits

teticio

hello

i'm new on here so i'm sorry if this has already been done to death. i found thisthread on the subject but i'm still not sure.

i'm looking for a bag that will keep my suit and shirt nicely pressed and will be comfortable and waterproof on my ride into work. i'm lucky enough to be able to say that my commute is 10 miles of almost entirely forest paths but it is a bit bumpy and dusty so i'm not sure whether the messenger type bags are suitable (don't they swing around a lot? i saw the PAC ones have an anti-sway strap but they are quite expensive...). i currently ride with a small backpack but it is a bit tiring on the back. i guess panniers are the ultimate solution but i don't want to uglify my bike... also i'm worried that they would change the balance and make it harder to navigate some of the rougher patches.

any help would be greatly appreciated!

summary: bag good for suit, waterproof, bumpy ride...

thanks

ps: i live in madrid so online ordering is a plus... will be in london next week though...

prawny

I like the look of this

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Knog_ ... 360039641/

Expensive, but very cool and sensible (almost)

teticio

thanks prawny, that looks like just the ticket! will look into it some more.

anyone with experience with this bag or any other suggestions? thanks again

secretsam

Don't have a bag recommendation, but I carry rolled up trews in my bag, leaving jacket(s) and shoes in work. Question: how often do you really need to wear a jacket? If not often, do as I do and keep a generic 'blue' jacket in the office.

I wear my shirt as my ride isn't far (2miles at each end) but you could roll this up also.

Kieran_Burns

Keep the suit in the office - it's just unnecessary weight when cycling. I bring in a clean shirt each day and take the trousers home at the weekend.

If you have a dry cleaners nearby you could consider them and leave the suit with them at weekends

teticio

on second thoughts, the reviews are quite negative on the neat dog bag... people seem to have trouble attaching it to their bikes. nice idea though

yep, probably better to go for the minimalist approach. there is a dry cleaner at my work but its not the sort of place i can waltz around in my lycras in and the work gym where i shower doesn't have anywhere i can permanently leave my trousers. so the jacket stays at work but the trousers are getting kinda crumpled... bloody suits.

Harry B

Right here's the top tips:

1. Buy suits with a spare pair of trousers
2. Have one pair of trousers dry cleaned whilst your wear the others
3. Leave suit, shoes and ties at work
4. Bring clean shirt, underwear and socks each day
5. Leave spare shirt, underwear and socks in the office for when you forget something in the morning
6. Every couple of weeks come in by train in another suit and leave that one at work whilst you bring the other one home.

Simples

Wallace1492

Harry B wrote:

Right here's the top tips:

1. Buy suits with a spare pair of trousers
2. Have one pair of trousers dry cleaned whilst your wear the others
3. Leave suit, shoes and ties at work
4. Bring clean shirt, underwear and socks each day
5. Leave spare shirt, underwear and socks in the office for when you forget something in the morning
6. Every couple of weeks come in by train in another suit and leave that one at work whilst you bring the other one home.

Simples

I will see your above and raise you thus:

1. Have locker in work.
2. Buy spare trousers, shoes, belt keep them in work
3. Keep supply of shower gel, after shave and cufflinks in locker
3. Bring pressed shirts rolled in cellaphane every week or so (i bring by panniers, but previously did by rucksack), also bring in towel, sock, undies. (No suit or tie required)
4. Take home dirties every night. When required change trousers and towel.
5. Keep jacket at work (for lunchtime journeys outside office)
6. Keep spare cycling top and shorts in work in case really wet on way in.

That way you never need to take train.

fooshnicken

I cycle to work and leave a pair of trousers and shoes at work. We have lockers and showers so I can shower and lock stuff away.

Then, I pack undies and a shirt in a bag, and then put this in a rucksack with my lunch and other bits and bobs.

Get to work, drop food off at desk. Head upstairs and then shower and change.

teticio

i'm getting the inside track here, thanks fellas.

regarding wet kit... mine always gets wet either with sweat or with rain. i guess i lose SCR points for the sweat but the commute in is partly substituting the gym (trying to squeeze more minutes out of the day). so far i haven't had any complaints from coworkers about using my computer as a radiator to dry my kit of for the ride home. and the computer still works as badly as it did before (since it is a PC rather than a mac).

prawny

My sweaty kit gets hung to dry over a spare chair near an attractive girl in the office, she picks up on my pheromones, then I can flirt with her in the evenings before getting changed. It's works well for everyone. 8)

Harry B

Wallace1492 wrote:

Harry B wrote:

Right here's the top tips:

1. Buy suits with a spare pair of trousers
2. Have one pair of trousers dry cleaned whilst your wear the others
3. Leave suit, shoes and ties at work
4. Bring clean shirt, underwear and socks each day
5. Leave spare shirt, underwear and socks in the office for when you forget something in the morning
6. Every couple of weeks come in by train in another suit and leave that one at work whilst you bring the other one home.

Simples

I will see your above and raise you thus:

1. Have locker in work.
2. Buy spare trousers, shoes, belt keep them in work
3. Keep supply of shower gel, after shave and cufflinks in locker
3. Bring pressed shirts rolled in cellaphane every week or so (i bring by panniers, but previously did by rucksack), also bring in towel, sock, undies. (No suit or tie required)
4. Take home dirties every night. When required change trousers and towel.
5. Keep jacket at work (for lunchtime journeys outside office)
6. Keep spare cycling top and shorts in work in case really wet on way in.

That way you never need to take train.

Okay, its a fight your want heh?

Fortunately my offices are equipment with nice gym style lockers and changing rooms. No towel is needed as fresh towels are provided. We also have a drying room for wet gear. Treasury clips make for useful cufflinks in emergencies. Daily shirt in rucksack seems to work fine rather than a weeks worth 8)

Wallace1492

Harry B wrote:

Wallace1492 wrote:

Harry B wrote:

Right here's the top tips:

1. Buy suits with a spare pair of trousers
2. Have one pair of trousers dry cleaned whilst your wear the others
3. Leave suit, shoes and ties at work
4. Bring clean shirt, underwear and socks each day
5. Leave spare shirt, underwear and socks in the office for when you forget something in the morning
6. Every couple of weeks come in by train in another suit and leave that one at work whilst you bring the other one home.

Simples

I will see your above and raise you thus:

1. Have locker in work.
2. Buy spare trousers, shoes, belt keep them in work
3. Keep supply of shower gel, after shave and cufflinks in locker
3. Bring pressed shirts rolled in cellaphane every week or so (i bring by panniers, but previously did by rucksack), also bring in towel, sock, undies. (No suit or tie required)
4. Take home dirties every night. When required change trousers and towel.
5. Keep jacket at work (for lunchtime journeys outside office)
6. Keep spare cycling top and shorts in work in case really wet on way in.

That way you never need to take train.

Okay, its a fight your want heh?

Fortunately my offices are equipment with nice gym style lockers and changing rooms. No towel is needed as fresh towels are provided. We also have a drying room for wet gear. Treasury clips make for useful cufflinks in emergencies. Daily shirt in rucksack seems to work fine rather than a weeks worth 8)

OK, beats me.... no gym, no towels, no drying room.
But, a weeks worth.... not me. I hate ironing and get about 30 done at the one time. I bring about 10 or 12 in my panniers each time, needing only to do once every 2 to 3 weeks. Means can use smaller rucksack each day.

The other thing we have is a car lift to get to the basement which not only get you down but also turns as you decend. Its a weird feeling first thing in the morning, with all flashing lights, its like entering a spaceship.

R_T_A

Wet kit:

- Only buy stuff that's man made and micro fibre, and will dry quickly.
- Get some hangers and find somewhere to hang 'em (e.g. end of desk*).

*As a separate advantage, you may also find fewer people bugging you at your desk.

mrc1

I bring a shirt folded in a plastic bag in my rucksack everyday. This method does causes a few creases but this is solved by hanging the shirt in the shower cubicle while showering (obviously keeping the water off it) as the steam gets rid of creases in a minute or two.

The same technique will also work for trousers as long as you dry clean them regularly!

RufusA

I carry shirt and trousers in my pannier, all other stuff is kept at work.

However I use an Eagle Creek Pack-IT:

http://www.eaglecreek.com/accessories/p ... -15-40153/

The 15 is about small laptop size, and shirt / trousers fold nearly and securely inside it with minimal creases. I found all other techniques ended up with my shirt at the bottom of the pannier in a crumpled heap however carefully I folder or rolled it.

Costs around £10-15 delivered and IMHO is fantastic!

HTH - Rufus.

jedster

get your shirts laundered at a drycleaner near work. Saves packing shirts but better than that saves you from ironing the bloody things!

leegcp

I use a Carradice Nelson bag, attached via Carradice's Bagman quick release sport.

The Nelson is big and wide enough to not have to screw trousers and shirts up too much. The bagman is easy to switch between bikes. I prefer not having the weight of a rucksack on my back on my 14mile each way commute.

I've ridden audaxes up to 1400km with Carradice bags and although they seem to get waterlogged and heavy during days of non-stop rain, the kit in them has stayed pretty dry.

The bagman sport is stupidly expensive for what it is.

teticio

thanks for the tip leegcp. i ended up going for the carradice slim... after putting my backpack on today over my shirt to go from the gym to the desk on the bike at a leisurely pace, it left me with nice sweaty stripes around the shoulders from the faster ride in. not good.

haha, i just had a complaint from someone in my team about the smell of drying sweaty kit. luckily the bike doubles as a clothes horse and noone is likely to steal my kit...

teticio

by the way, i ended up getting a carradice SQR slim bag and it is EXACTLY what i needed. it doesn't move around, it doesn't effect the bike's handling (or aesthetic) and it even doubles as a mudguard. space is a bit tight but i can fit what i need in with no problems (suit, shoes, kit, wash bag, wallet, phone, keys, spare tube etc). as it is of rigid construction it keeps my suit and shirt in good condition. so thanks for putting me on to them! (by the way, customer service was very friendly and helpful and the bag arrived in spain a couple of days after ordering.)

and no, i am in no way affiliated with carradice, just a happy customer that's all!

thanks again for your help folks

pst88

I'm going to be honest with you guys now.... I don't take a clean shirt in everyday. I can normally get 2-3 days wear out of one barring any mishaps. If all I'm doing is sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours with a fan blowing on me there's not much chance for my shirt to get smelly. Come on... I can't be the only one who does it!

highwaymunky

I'm going to be honest with you guys now.... I don't take a clean shirt in everyday. I can normally get 2-3 days wear out of one barring any mishaps. If all I'm doing is sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours with a fan blowing on me there's not much chance for my shirt to get smelly. Come on... I can't be the only one who does it!

To the sound of tumble weeds................. yes you are. :oops:

Gross!

Although I only change my office trousers once a week... is that as bad :?:

On the suit front: Big ass messenger bag with a suit folded neatly in half is they way forward. Leave it on the coat hanger.

Wallace1492

pst88 wrote:

I'm going to be honest with you guys now.... I don't take a clean shirt in everyday. I can normally get 2-3 days wear out of one barring any mishaps. If all I'm doing is sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours with a fan blowing on me there's not much chance for my shirt to get smelly. Come on... I can't be the only one who does it!

pst88's shirt day 3 :

highwaymunky

shouldbeinbed

highwaymunky wrote:

I'm going to be honest with you guys now.... I don't take a clean shirt in everyday. I can normally get 2-3 days wear out of one barring any mishaps. If all I'm doing is sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours with a fan blowing on me there's not much chance for my shirt to get smelly. Come on... I can't be the only one who does it!

To the sound of tumble weeds................. yes you are. :oops:

Gross!

Although I only change my office trousers once a week... is that as bad :?:

On the suit front: Big ass messenger bag with a suit folded neatly in half is they way forward. Leave it on the coat hanger.

Trous once a week too - Iv'e a full wardrobe of clothes at work and nab a lift in or drive in every now and again to swap out the clean and ironed for the dirties.

I've got a Altura full suit bag - dunno if they still do them. It's a hefty piece of kit to stick on your rack more than necessary but I use it as my regular bag for conferences, weekends away etc as well as the times I have to bring in clothing unexpectedly. Once you're up and rolling with it you don't notice its there much.