Commuting - How do you keep dress shirts looking pressed?

I need to transport my uniform from home to work. My commute is roughly 45 minutes. I have panniers. However, if I place my freshly pressed uniform shirt and pants in the panniers, they settle on the ride in and don't look their best when I dress out. I've considered "Space Bags" and think that may be a viable option. Until now, I have been driving to work on the first day of the week and taking my uniform. However, now I want to ride full-time. Is anyone aware of any solutions? Dress shirt holders, etc?

Thank you!

Shortly after posting this, I found garment bag panniers for $100+ (ouch). I also found these:
http://www.eaglecreek.com/accessories/packing_folders/Pack-It-Folder-15-40153/

I like the price. And the dimensions would allow me to keep them in my panniers.

Any other suggestions?

Have you tried rolling your clothes instead of folding them?

I have two thin boards, about 12"x15"x.25". I fold my clothes, put them between the boards (like a clothes sandwich), put the "sandwich" in a plastic bag to keep the clothes clean and dry (the bag also helps keep the boards together so the clothes don't fall out), then put the bag in my panniers. Works great. Clothes always arrive clean and pressed when I get to work. Cost of materials about $1.

Have you tried rolling your clothes instead of folding them?

I tried that once after finding that suggestion here. It worked okay for the pants, but the shirt didn't look great. The shoulder patches and the material of the shirt wouldn't allow me to roll it up tightly. Though I may try that again.


I have two thin boards, about 12"x15"x.25". I fold my clothes, put them between the boards (like a clothes sandwich), put the "sandwich" in a plastic bag to keep the clothes clean and dry (the bag also helps keep the boards together so the clothes don't fall out), then put the bag in my panniers. Works great. Clothes always arrive clean and pressed when I get to work. Cost of materials about $1.

That's a great idea! I have 1/4" MDF. I could cut it down to size and even make some cutouts for the collar so that it doesn't get messed up. And slipping it into a plastic bag would ensure no water got to it. THANK YOU!!

I use an Eagle Creek pack-it folder that I bought for travel a while back. It works great for several shirts and pants. It folds up to a pack about as large as a laptop PC and fits in my backpack. Keeps my dress shirt way neater than rolling did.
http://www.eaglecreek.com/accessories/packing_folders/Pack-It-Folder-15-40153/
The idea posted about using cardboard panels is a similar homemade solution.

That's why I keep my clothes horizontal, folded in a plastic bag in a small buffle bag with a board in the bottom, tied on the top of a rear rack.

I see lots of commuters using backbacks rather than paniers or bags on rear racks. Their clothes must really get trashed en route.

Shortly after posting this, I found garment bag panniers for $100+ (ouch). I also found these:
http://www.eaglecreek.com/accessories/packing_folders/Pack-It-Folder-15-40153/

I like the price. And the dimensions would allow me to keep them in my panniers.

Any other suggestions?+1 ^^

I use these when traveling or commuting

If the shirt gets dry cleaned, have them fold it instead of hanging it. It's wrapped in a nice little package and you can keep a few in your locker or desk.

I need to transport my uniform from home to work. My commute is roughly 45 minutes. I have panniers. However, if I place my freshly pressed uniform shirt and pants in the panniers, they settle on the ride in and don't look their best when I dress out. I've considered "Space Bags" and think that may be a viable option. Until now, I have been driving to work on the first day of the week and taking my uniform. However, now I want to ride full-time. Is anyone aware of any solutions? Dress shirt holders, etc?

Thank you!

Nashbar and Performance both have a 'commuter garmentbag' that are from the same manufacturer/material at differing prices. They go on sale as cheaply as 50.00US. They both have slots for shoes, too. W/a couple coats of Thompson's watersealer inside and out and a zip-up internal garment carrier you should be good to go. Nashbar's is on sale now for 70.00US: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_166278_-1_201476_10000_201483

Performance's is on sale, too for the same price. http://www.performancebike.com site search: garment bag

Depends on who's got the cheapest shipping. :thumb:

BTW, notice in the Nashbar pics how high the rack is set to accomodate the size of the bag to avoid heel strike. That's a huge consideration that's not made very clear on either site. Buyer beware! :p

I'm sorry... what's "pressed"? :)

I've been using that exact eagle creek folding bag thingie for over 2 years. It works great. and is cheap.

pressed is professionally laundered/ironed/dry cleaned. I have my work shirts/slacks pressed, instead of laundrying/ironing myself - i suck at it

man

what is that UGLY shirt in the nashbar photos?

I would guess that a regular garment bag ought to strap down over a set of panniers fairly easily.

I hate having to buy bike specific stuff when non specific does the job as well.

If the shirt gets dry cleaned, have them fold it instead of hanging it. It's wrapped in a nice little package and you can keep a few in your locker or desk.

+1

Boxed shirts from the dry cleaner. I get all my dry cleaning boxed, and I load it in my Wald GB157 and haul it to work.

For everyone that suggests rolling your shirts: Pressed, starched shirts look like the tail end of a weeklong Vegas bender if you roll them up and stuff them in a pannier.:lol:

man

what is that UGLY shirt in the nashbar photos?

Looks like a Garth Brooks castoff. Yee-haw! :eek:

Practice ironing. I never ironed until I got out of college. If I can get good at it, anyone can. ;)

I don't even fold any of my clothes anymore. If it really needs to look crisp, a couple minutes with a board & iron will fix it.

We have at least five irons in our locker area at work. It's military, though, so it's not always a valid comparison to the real world.

I wear a tie and dress shirt to work everyday and all I do is take my dress shirt and fold it nicely and pack it behind my laptop so it has some weight pressed against it. When I get to work the shirt loosks freshly ironed.

The Eagle Creek Pack-it folder work very well. I use them for airline travel as well.

No matter what method you use, have a little spray bottle of that fabric softener, wrinkle remover stuff. Even the best packing methods sometimes produce wrinkles. Spritz it right away give it a little shake and it will dry pretty fast. Gotta love modern technology. ;)

btw, I use Downy brand. You don't have to worry how you pack as much with this stuff handy too. I just roll em and go.

The Eagle Creek Folders are great, I have several that I use for cycling and travel. The biggest trick to eliminate wrinkles is to use bundle wrapping. A good guide to it is found here (http://www.onebag.com/pack.html)

folks, I always say roll because that has always worked for me.. but I do not have to be really sharply dressed at work, so I may tend to not notice smaller wrinkles when they occur...

I spray bottle with plain tap water is better than any chemical crap... get to work early, hang the shirt up, if there are wrinkles, spay with water, not too much, just a mist... now that yo have already purchased a small iron just for this purpose, plug it in, heat it up and when that is done, iron the wrinkled shirt...

if you have a well ironed shirt that gets a small wrinkle or two in it on way to work, it will only take a minute or two to iron it..

you do not need an ironing board,,, just a small travel iron, a towel and a desk or floor or table and you are set...

robi

Rolling only works if you have several things to roll.

Rolling up just a shirt will look pretty bad but if you roll up a shirt with a pair of pants (maybe with a half fold), boxer shorts, maybe an undershirt, it will come out ok.

Next option is to find a dry cleaner next to your work and just keep a stock of shirts at work that you get cleaned and pressed next door

spray bottle with plain tap water is better than any chemical crap

But you have to screw with an iron, no thanks. For me anyway. Now if plain water works so that no iron is necessary, there ya go. Maybe it does.

An iron with a vertical steam burst works for everything except setting creases.

I fold the sides/sleeves of the shirt into the middle front of the shirt and then lightly roll. place in Trunk bag. works for me...

non wrinkle shirts FTW.

I roll pants and shirt together, padding with undershirt or whatever. I also hang them up while I am showering where they can get a bit of mist and settle out. While it doesn't work for solid color uniform shirts, with civvy shirts, I am very partial to tattersal or other patterns.

Back when I had to, I learned to iron..

Another vote for the non wrinkle shirts.
I'm also a big fan of just taking in a weeks worth of clothes on the one day a week that I drive, but then I have the luxury of my own work closet which makes a big difference.

I occasionally have to take a full suit + shirt with me. I use SmartPack (http://www.smartpack.co.uk/SmartPack-Travel-SuitPack.aspx). I bungee it horizontal on the rear rack, on top of panniers. It has a couple of plastic boards for shirts, and a frame for the suit. It works very well, but when they say "folding takes seconds", think 300 seconds. With daily practice I might get the folding time down to maybe 1-2 minutes. Maybe.

Taking just shirt(s), SmartPack shirt frames are small enough to fit in my rear panniers (Ortlieb Classic rollers). Suit frame is too big for that.


Pressed, starched shirts look like the tail end of a weeklong Vegas bender if you roll them up and stuff them in a pannier.:lol:Never been to Vegas myself, I'll take your word for it. :lol:

--J

I've trained my boss to be comfortable with me being 90% presentable.

+1 on Eagle Creek, been using one for 3 years now, keeps shirts and trousers crisp and is still in like new condition...I commute year round so it's gotten lots of use.....When i get to work, I have a small spray bottle of water to get rid of any wrinkle that might be in the trousers after being folded.

Nashbar and Performance both have a 'commuter garmentbag' that are from the same manufacturer/material at differing prices. They go on sale as cheaply as 50.00US. They both have slots for shoes, too. W/a couple coats of Thompson's watersealer inside and out and a zip-up internal garment carrier you should be good to go. Nashbar's is on sale now for 70.00US: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...6_10000_201483 (http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_166278_-1_201476_10000_201483)

Performance's is on sale, too for the same price. http://www.performancebike.com (http://www.performancebike.com/) site search: garment bag

Depends on who's got the cheapest shipping. :thumb:

BTW, notice in the Nashbar pics how high the rack is set to accomodate the size of the bag to avoid heel strike. That's a huge consideration that's not made very clear on either site. Buyer beware!


The Nashbar/TransIT suit panier looks great and the reviews sound very positive (except for the stitchwork). I see that there's a special rack sold for this panier (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes//Product_10052_10551_1023820_-1___). Do you have to use it or can it hook to the seat stay and remain stable on a regular rack?

Guess I'm lucky - I don't need to wear "pressed" clothes to work. My normal daily work attire is khakis and a polo, occasionally a button-down. I don't care if they're not pressed. Hell, put the shirt on for five minutes and it's already wrinkled, so why bother. The six times a year I need to wear a suit, I make arrangements to drive in to work or take metro. Otherwise, slightly wrinkled shirts from my backpack are good enough for me! :-)

That's why I keep my clothes horizontal, folded in a plastic bag in a small buffle bag with a board in the bottom, tied on the top of a rear rack.

I see lots of commuters using backbacks rather than paniers or bags on rear racks. Their clothes must really get trashed en route.

Actually, backpacks work pretty well. Just fold the shirt and it comes out just fine.

Another suggestion: bring an iron to work (not every day ... just leave one there).

I've trained my boss to be comfortable with me being 90% presentable.


lol..

:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

I roll the clothes with decent results. Fabric wrinkles when it presses on itself, removing that will remove the wrinkles.

-Shirt down first, opened all the way with the front up.
-Pants laid out on top of shirt cleanly.
-Fold edges of shirt up and over the pants to essentially hug the pants
-At bottom of pant legs, stick underwear, socks, etc to start the roll.
-Start rolling up the pants gently around the underwear and socks.
-Keep rolling, picking up the shirt back. When you're done, you have a roll with the back of the shirt exposed.

If you roll tightly you'll get wrinkles.

For me this goes nicely into the panniers and my clothes look good on the other side of the ride.

I'm also a big fan of just taking in a weeks worth of clothes on the one day a week that I drive, but then I have the luxury of my own work closet which makes a big difference.I was too lazy to check if the OP was military when he mentioned uniforms, but this is what I did when I was in the Air Force. I'd ride in 3 days and then drive. Dirty uniforms went home in a backpack. I wasn't exactly the model of military discipline, but it worked.

Here's another vote for Pack-It folders. They're just brilliant.