Dressing smart on a bike

[GMasterP90]

Hi, I am starting my new job today where I will have to wear shirt and tie all day. My income is increasing 3 fold, so getting a bike is becoming almost a definite I was wondering if anyone has commuted to work on their bike whilst having to arrive looking smart, or can it be done at all? I'll basically be wearing smart shoes, pressed pants and shirts, I won't need to wear my suit jackets.

[fq-craigus]

You will be best getting some over gear. How long is your commute? Any great distance I would say you need proper trousers over the top of yours and a bike jacket over the shirt, with bike boots, and take your shoes in a bag, I wear gloves jacket and helmet for work and just my work trousers but I only travel 10 mins through town, and I carry waterproof trousers in the seat

[GMasterP90]

It would take me roughly 30 mins to get to work on a bike. I think I might be able to keep my shoes there instead, I will have to check it out. I seen a nice GSX600 outside yesterday, yet to find out who's it is

[Lucifah]

For a daily commute you probably want to go for textiles not leathers. They are mostly waterproof, and allow you to wear normal stuff underneath if you have to. The only problem are trousers (they'll get wrinkly) and shoes, to be honest. Put them into a backpack, arrive 10 minutes early, go straight to the men's room and come out dressed and groomed as required

I used to work in the City in a rather large company, and the men's rooms on all five floors looked like a dressing room of a football team in the morning. Some people arrived by bicycle, some by motorbike, some even ran to work and took a shower there on arrival. (one of the men's rooms had a shower)

It can be done, and as long as you're ready before work begins, I don't think anybody will complain.

Edit: Meant to add... Good luck with your new job!

[Glorian]

I commute daily (did before i crashed). and i wear over trousers over my trousers (duh) I dont find they wrinkle, but if it worried you just take your clothes in a backpack and change at work. can't go wrong

Good luck

[9bhp]

I normally iron, then roll my trousers up and put them in a backpack.

No creases!

Good luck with the new job bro

[GMasterP90]

Hi thanks guys, just got back from the first day of training. Checked the place out, there is a shower room, and the people are sound as owt, got chatting to all the managers and they wanted to know all about me, spoke to the guy with the bike, he wasn't looking so smart but hey ho lol. To be honest, having sorted out a lot of stuff today, the company and I would benefit from me driving a car, as they can pay for my usage. Maybe I will have to get another cage first and and wait a bit longer before doing the DAS, who knows.

Thanks for good lucks

[Joeman]

I normally iron, then roll my trousers up and put them in a backpack.

No creases!

 

M&S travel suits for those of us with a phobia of ironing..

Screw them up in a ball and they dont crease

[bmwdave]

I have to look decent and commute to various sites, can be up to 80-90 miles each way. Oversuit does fine, carry my shoes to change into once there.

One important thing, you have yet to buy a bike, so bear in mind if its a decent length commute and you are intending to use the bike in all weathers, get one with a screen for weather protection at least, full fairing better. My stepson had a naked Triumph as his only mode of transport, and laughed at my Deauville, but when he couldn't afford to fix his bike for 6 weeks and borrowed the Deauville through February and March I couldn't get it back, he said on the Triumph he had to dress for travel and change completely at work, on Deauville just change shoes, also on Triumph he had to work the bike in traffic, hundreds of gear changes, gets uncomfortable, but on Deauville it will do 10mph to motorway speeds in 3rd gear, makes life easier.

[klingelton]

I commute 30 mins a day to an office job that requires me to look relatively smart. Quite a few of these places have changing/shower facilities for those who seek alternative means for commuting.

I iron my shirt in the morning and put that on. I roll my trousers and put them in my backback (rolling prevents a lot of creases). I then wear textiles trousers, jacket gloves and boots. There's storage at work for my stuff and I leave a pair of shoes over night.

A friend of mine was in a similar position. he used to shower at work in a morning to get rid of that "biker leathers smell" that all leathers pick up over time!

It works for me, and it's the best way to commute. you get into work feeling bright and refreshed and you leave not loathing your commute on the way home. some days you even take a much longer route home!

Enjoy your commute!

[guitarman]

I do a similar length journey as klingelton but wear my office trousers under my textile bike trousers, smart shirt under the textile jacket and like klingelton keep a pair of shoes in the drawer. I also keep a jacket in the office so if it's a bit nippy and I want to go out for a walk I can without freezing.

Congratulations on the new job.

[Throttled]

I carry my clothes in a bag and change at the office.

[nman1]

Simple answer......Don`t. Get to work and then change.

[TomGrainger]

I've been commuting for 18 months now wearing a full suit underneath my textiles. Stick the jacket in a backpack (it will most likely poke out the bottom of your textile jacket otherwise) and put your shoes in a bag, but just make sure you are properly protected. Nobody looks cool wearing less than full protective gear on a bike and you'll have a lot more pressing issues thatn appearence when you come off wearing just a suit. As far as the creased trousers, never been an issue for me. I always turn up to work with my clothes still looking as they were before I left.