+2

I keep jeans and shoes at work, and I also keep emergency-backup jeans, polo, socks, briefs at work in case I forget to bring clothes, or I brought my primary jeans home to be washed and forgot to bring them back. I also keep a towel (there's showers), and I never bring the towel home so I can bring a fresh one to work; always the other way around, I bring a fresh one to work so I can bring a dirty one home.

On off-fridays I sometimes come in and don't shower or change, I just work at my standing desk in my athletic (not spandex) shorts and tech tee and spd shoes.

I realize I'm fortunate that these are options for me, I'm not in a customer-facing business (except for email), and I'm in SoCal, so the dress code is very casual.

I'm pretty sure over the past five years I've forgotten every part of clothing necessary for a work day in an office. Now I have everything needed in a filing cabinet just in case.

That's fine; in my case, I'd rather get to work in 35 min than 52 min, and keep my fitness tuned for a 20mph pace to boot; which is, after all, one of the main reasons I bike commute. The office clothes I packed along (assuming I didn't forget them, that is) are perfectly fresh when I arrive; and I'm still way ahead of the game, time-wise, after changing into them.

I've forgotten so many items of clothing over the years that I now keep a full wardrobe in a filing cabinet, including shoes. Two of everything, in case I forget to replace something after I forget to bring it.

I have a cubby full of clothes at work ready for me at any time. One reason is just so I can travel light some days.

It is true. I will not ride in street clothes, plain and simple. If I have to wear street clothes, I will just drive. They are not comfortable, nor will I ride in them. My commute, my attire, my bike, they all fit me. It is fine if some commuters want to ride upright bikes with IGH and full fenders and what not. I choose not to do that, just like I choose not to wear street clothes on my bike. I cannot imagine plodding along on a heavy bike on my way to work in full street clothes, breaking a massive sweat because they are the wrong type of clothes. I am done arguing about it. This thread was about forgetting clothes. I have done that, and so far, only once. Forgot my underwear. Was a long day at work in scrubs, with one of two options. Commando which was high risk, or rock the chamois for the shift. Luckily it was in the cooler part of the year so I wasn't hot and sweaty when I got there. I don't forget now.

But that is true. We all don't have the same options in the different environments we live. A Dutch bicycle in Las Vegas would be torture. We don't have a lot of fauna here, so you're exposed to the sun most of your ride, if not all. And honestly, feeling like it's 110°is not the same as 110°. I want to get to work as fast as I can. I'm trying to limit my exposure to UV and heat. Even when i travel at 10 mph, I end up sweaty and smell. So wearing street clothes IS NOT an option.

In before CrankyOne gets all pedantic with this sentence:

"I choose not to do that, just like I choose not to wear street clothes on my bike."

If an option falls in the woods, does it make a sound?

if luck is really when preparation meets opportunity, then what is genius, really?

I forget things while getting ready in the morning as well, a micro fibre shirt sucks as a towel. Once I started putting my panniers together the night before, all forgetting stopped.

I would like to report that I remembered my pants this morning!

I forgot my underwear once. I had the choice of wearing my cycling shorts or going commando. I wore the shorts. It wasn't a pleasant day.

Mine got wet one day on the trip to work when I got drenched in the 20% chance of rain predicted for that day and now I have a second reason for keeping a spare pair at work.

Sheesh, I can ride any of my bikes in regular or cycling clothes regardless of weather without issue. The "need" for something special is just a symptom of ones choices.

I wear jeans at work, and my jeans are tight enough, or I am fat enough, that riding any bike in jeans is just plain awkward and not fun. I guess I don't "need" to wear shorts, I could probably get by if I had some hammer-pants. But I almost never wear anything cycling specific. Basketball/athletic shorts over tightie-whities, with a tech tee.

You chose poorly. Commando is awesome.

Me to.. but don't feel too bad..when i was in college i biked in thinking I'd changed into my shorts (it was summer)..surprised at how comfortable i felt all morning i met my new wife for lunch and she asked why i was still wearing my boxers at school.. man that was an 'old man' moment and i was in my 20's.. lol

+3 (or 4). No matter how long a pair of pants has been in the drawer, or how ripe my towel has gotten, it doesn't come home until I've brought a clean replacement to work.

If you work in an office and have to wear a suite? or like me in a data center, we have to be at least 'office casual'.. no way i'm riding home from work on a hot summer day for 20km in slacks, shirt, dress shoes..that's nuts.. Even factory work or fast food servers would want to change for distance riding..I could see that if you were 5 or 10 minutes riding distance from home.

I'm a truck driver and I'm required to wear a uniform and steel toes. I change my shirt because they frown on us wearing it off duty, and I change my shoes because steel toes are clunky to ride in........but I have worn both with minimal adjustment. My commute is 8.4 miles and very hilly. My average speed on my dutch bike is 13 mph and on my road bike its 15 mph, my other bikes fall between that.

If certain types of clothing aren't climate appropriate that's a different matter, obviously nobody's going to ride wearing a wool suit in hot weather, or shorts and shirt in sub freezing weather.

My boys need a home.

I keep a pair of "emergency pants" in my desk for these events. It was useful on a day that I happened to get totally soaked on the way to work.

I have several pairs of pants and shirts at work at all times. I shuttle them back and forth, exchanging clean for dirty a few times a week. I do the same with food, always have a steady supply in the fridge and in my desk. I even bought some plastic containers to store them in, keeps the mice and what-not away from the yummies.

I have forgotten verious items throughout the years. Usually items like socks, lunch, thermos (a few times I remembered the thermos but forgot the tea bag), underwear, undershirts, and ties. Items that I should have, but I can do without for a day. I always said, at least I have never forgotten my dress shirt or pants. The day that I forgot my pants I sat outside my office thinking about what to do when my boss walked up. I stood up, told him that I would be taking the day off, hopped on my bike, and rode home.