Riding to work - when you have to dress formal

[vivek67]

Hi guys,

As you can tell from the subjectline. I am a newbie rider. Just bought a ninja 250 and spent all weekend cruising around. I intend to ride the bike to work everyday.

My work requires me to dress formally. shirt, trouser and suit jacket. No tie but suit jacket is always a must. I have an all weather RST jacket and pants.

Does anyone here ride to work where you're required to dress very formal. Does wearing riding jacket and pants work with your formal clothes? How do you manage this?

Please share your experiences. What works, what doesn't etc..

Much appreciated.

Vivek

[ty]

Welcome Vivek.
Leave the stuff you need at work and change when you get there.
Anything you might find that's wearable over your business stuff might work - but it's more likely to just get your clothes crumpled, and be too hot.
ty

[Ratmick]

I had the same issue when starting at the NAB. It was reasonably easy to manage, most large businesses will have change facilities for pushbike riders and possibly showers/lockers. In the NAB these are in the basement, although the floor I was on a few years ago also had their own showers as the FX Dealers didn't like mingle with the riff-raff in the basement..alas when they had their floor redone the showers disappeared . If facilities are available for pushie riders co-opt these and leave your work clothes at work (get them dry-cleaned close to the office) and ride to/from home in your bike clothes. You should be able to wear your shirt in from home if you're in Melbourne as it isn't normally stinking hot first-up in the morning. Wear your shirt back home, in summer when it gets sweaty spray it with SARD under the arms and around the neck before you throw it in the wash. Leave your tie at work, when you find the person responsible for inventing them join me in stringing them up by their own invention. If you have a lack of dedicated change facilities change in the toilets/stationary room/spare empty meeting room at the start and the end of the day. I have found that there is always an empty nook or cranny you can get in and out of your bike gear and with a bit of practice the moments of being possibly sprung in a state of undress can be minimised to a few seconds in-between pairs of pants. I currently get changed in an unused disabled toilet. It's huge and as we don't have any people in our wheelchairs on our floor, virtually unused (although I have noticed someone likes taking mega-dumps in the toilet). Have a chat to the people that do the admin for your floor/building/company, there may be facilities tucked away you don't know about (I found the ones in our basement by accident).

If you don't have lockers and you have a dedicated desk hang your bike jacket on the back of your chair, leave your helmet in your in-tray and post your boots under your desk and your pants in one of your drawers. Yes it looks slightly untidy but if your boss says anything point out the lack of approriate facilities...plus you'll find other bike riders in the same company popping out of the woodwork and they may show you where to stash your stuff.

Worst-case scenario leave your gear at your gym.

Mick

[lifeofcrimeguy]

I have my change of clothes packed in my bag. helmet goes on the desk and clothers (especially in wet weather) go in the lab or restricted access areas outside so as not stink up my shared office. I just change in the toilets. Just have a chat with your boss and see what they would be happiest with or if they know of facilities you dont.

[photomike666]

I have shoes and suit in a locker, ride in with t-shirt under the leathers and shirt carefully folded in my bag. I use the local dry cleaners on casual Fridays

[quackk]

- leave shoes pants tie at work
- wearing collar shirt under jacket vs folded shirt in the bag will still equal a crinkled shirt at work to some extent

change at work...problems are rainy days or 40deg days..

[MrWasabi]

My work has a dry cleaning facility in-house which is right next to the locker room. so shirts get dry cleaned and moved to my locker. I come in to work in full leathers and get changed in the locker room.

When i dont use the dry cleaners i bring my clothes in my bag and change in the locker room, helmet stays with me at my desk as ive seen other people in the locker room have little to no respect for others property and dropped a helmet from a 2m high locker.

If your work doesnt have facilities like these then i would recommend leaving your work jacket at your desk, packing shirt, shoes and pants and getting changed in a toilet.

[hoffy]

Just squid it up brother !

[vivek67]

Thanks guys. That is very helpful. I found out where the change facilities are at my work. THere is also a disabled toilet with showers and space to change clothes. Im going to change at work and wear full gear.

Just on a side note, I currently wear all weather RST pants. THey seem to be super bulky. Any recommendations on a lighter pair of pants with reasonable protection?

[damotm]

Just on a side note, I currently wear all weather RST pants. THey seem to be super bulky. Any recommendations on a lighter pair of pants with reasonable protection?

I like my lycra bicycle shorts. They have excellent ass padding

[vivek67]

I like my lycra bicycle shorts. They have excellent ass padding

lol damn man, dont do that. You might hurt yourself pretty bad someday.

I absolutely hate the weight and the bulk of my RST pants, and its very challenging to store it in any reasonable locker or tuck it away at work. But I'd rather be safe than sorry

[Ratmick]

I used to wear Draggins in summer. They're pretty hot on hot days, cold on cold days and if it rains you get wet. They do fold up like jeans though.

I have a pair of Tiger Angel Goretex Element pants, they're 100% waterproof, and padded at the impact points. They're aren't thermally lined so you have to wear something warm like a pair of thermal long johns underneath. They don't fold up very small, basically they only fold in half, but as I have short legs they sit under my desk on my boots.

Mick

[mikeman]

My 'problem' exactly.

I plan to leave the suit and shoes at work one day and then carefully fold the shirt in the backpack each day. Can't avoid the wrinkles, but they'll be good enough.

[vivek67]

My 'problem' exactly.

I plan to leave the suit and shoes at work one day and then carefully fold the shirt in the backpack each day. Can't avoid the wrinkles, but they'll be good enough.

Hi mike, I find shirt by itself can usually hold up fine in a backpack. as long as you keep your work shoes in like a separate bag and away from the shirt possibly in a separate case.

My wife found an awesome backpack if you dont want to consider a ventura. have a look at http://www.rebelsport.com.au/ecom/rebel ... 01&cat=696

[Duane]

I take a shirt in a backpack every day,

I have two suits I rotate that remain at work, and get them dry cleaned when needed.

keep shoes at work.

Just a tip though, legally all disabled toilets must be able to be unlocked from the outside... I use the one at my work to change because I really couldn't care less if someone saw my junk, likely to do more long term damage to them than me... as I'm confortable with what little and hideous vessell I was given by genetics...