Tips For New Commuters
It’s that time of year when many people have bought or received a new bike or maybe like some of you, have made a resolution to dust off your bikes and start riding to work again. In either case, dressing for the ride can be confusing and challenging. Here’s a few tips we’ve learned along the way.
Preparation is key: When possible, get yourself sorted the night before. We tend to forget critical items when we’re rushing at the last minute to get out the door. Dress socks, underwear and deodorant are a few essential items that can easily ruin your work day if forgotten at home. It also helps to keep an eye on the weather forecast and pack appropriately. You also want to be sure that your phone, lights and other devices are properly charged before your commute.
Bag it up: For the commuter that is more style conscious, a pannier is a great choice. A shoulder bag is not a great option as it can be awkward, leaving you unbalanced and uncomfortable. Otherwise, we recommend a sturdy, well-built (i.e. don’t cheap out on this, you’ll just end up buying a better one later) back pack with padded shoulder straps and a couple of external pockets for easy to reach items like your security fob key.
Plastic fantastic: So you’ve ridden to work, showered and changed into your smart casual gear for work only to realise that you rally don’t want your used sweaty gear to permeate everything else you have in your bag or even work, have your actual bag start to smell not so fresh. Grab a plastic bag from home to stash your sweaty gear in to protect the rest of your valuables and your actual bag, before you can dump it in to the washing bin at home.
Folding and packing and folding again: If your office is cold, you wear a uniform or just like to wear a suit to work there are a few tricks to keep your work gear looking nice and tidy on your daily cycling commute. Where possible, fold any item that has intentional creases along those creases and then roll the item to save space and minimize wrinkling. If you bring a fresh towel with you, it’s easy to roll your towel with your pants or skirt inside. If you have a blazer, fold it in half and then wrap it around the towel. If you have shoes, place them in a protective bag, preferably a natural clothe material, but a plastic bag will do (now you’re recycling two plastic bags a day, good for you) and place them at the bottom of your back.
Next, skilfully place your towel and clothes on top of the shoes, with any smaller items in external pockets if possible. When possible, get yourself sorted the night before. We tend to forget critical items when we’re rushing at the last minute to get out the door. Dress socks, underwear and deodorant are a few essential items that can easily ruin your work day if forgotten at home. It also helps to keep an eye on the weather forecast and pack appropriately. You also want to be sure that your phone, lights and other devices are properly charged before your commute.
Leave it behind: If your office is equipped with End of Trip (EOT) facilities you may be able to request a locker so that you can leave your grooming essentials along with some of your regular items like dress shirts, spare towels pants, skirts and even shoes. Even better if your office’s EOT trip facilities provide bike parking solutions like Steadyrack to ensure that your bike is stored safely and secured while you’re working hard all day.
