I was wondering if anyone on here commutes to work in the clothes they are going to wear for the rest of the day. I'm doing a design project that's trying to improve the experience for people who cycle in formal clothing and so was wanting a bit of feedback about peoples experience doing this, i.e. what sort of bike are you riding, what clothes do you wear (including foot wear), how far and any specialized kit you have on your bike. Information about the changing arrangement at your place of work would also be helpful. Basically anything to do with cycling in smart clothes would be very much appreciated. I'd also be interested to here from people who may have done this but found a better solution.
Thanks in advanced for any input given.
My ride from home to the light rail station is four miles, with an 800 foot descent. I could coast almost the entire way, though actually pedaling the last mile gets me there faster. Given that there is almost no effort involved, I could ride in my work clothes without arriving sweaty and smelly. But the ride home isn't so great; four miles with an 800 foot climb.
On the other hand, my office has a locker room and shower area adjacent to the keycard-access bike parking. On days when I drive to the train station I'll bring a few changes of clothing in my backpack. Then on the days I bike-commute to the train station I change into one set when I arrive at work, and bring it home in my backpack at the end of the day.
I don't bike commute as often as I should; before this year my only bike was a road bike, and it wasn't ideal for rigging as a commuter. Now that I have a hybrid with fenders I'll do it more regularly when the weather gets back up into the 40+ range.