I don't think I could

I don't think I could

In the fall/winter, I'd wear my work pants (dressy looking tech pants, like Outlier Slim Dungarees) and merino wool socks, but have a merino wool shirt on and cycling jacket. I change into one of about five button-downs that I keep folded up at my desk. Some of those button downs are merino wool as well, because not only are they nice shirts, they really do stay fresher than my cotton shirts. I always commute in sneakers, and change into work shoes at my desk.

In the summer, it's always shorts and some kind of loose, non-cotton, active shirt. I use a full-body, no-rinse wipe to freshen up in the bathroom and change into pants/shirt. I'd like to switch to something more sustainable than the wipes though. There's another guy in the office that just uses a hand towel and brings in liquid soap.

I once had a stupidly short commute of just 1 mile each way so cycled to and from work (on a hybrid) in work clothes including collar and tie plus heavy steel toe-capped shoes!

After semi-retiring (I'm now working a 3-day week) I've cycled to and from work (on a road bike) wearing cycling kit on the following each way distances; 10 miles, 3 miles and my current 12 miles. As a former company car driver, I spent about 35 years being very envious of cycle commuters and I'm loving every minute of cycle commuting - apart from the punctures of course.

I've ridden to work many times wearing my office clothes. This in Georgia; hot, humid, rolling hills. It all depends on the route, your level of fitness, and planning.

Top of the "planning" part is to always store a full change of clothes at work, even if you always carry a change anyway.​​​​​

On the flip side, I've NEVER cycled to work in office clothes. Cycling bib shorts/pants/jerseys are just so comfortable, and some are made of windproof breathable material, that regular non-cycling clothing can't even come close to. And I like to use my commutes as a 45 minute HIIT workout, with lots of sweat involved. On the bike, I'm a cyclist, not an office worker.

I totally get what you're saying.

But there's another point of view (of course).

I've never cycled to work in anything BUT work clothes. Granted, as an IT drone, I'm not expected to wear a suit and tie. Khakis and a blue button-down seem to be the IT drone uniform across the country.

But I'm not using the commute (about 50 minutes for me) as a HIT workout. I'm just getting to work, at a reasonable pace. I don't arrive drenched in sweat, or in need of a shower, even in summer.

In the winter, or in bad weather, I wear a Barbour waxed-cotton jacket, with an insulated vest underneath if needed. Works great, and has an amazing amount of pocket space. I don't have any specialized cycling clothing, and for my commuting style, none is necessary.

My point being, make your ride work for you. You can still commute if you don't have a shower and a place to store work clothes and change clothes at your destination.

So you're "a cyclist, not an office worker" on your way to work. Me, I'm an office worker getting to his job on a bike.

There's room for everyone.

I am a woodworker so jeans it is. I wore the seat out of all three pair of my carharts I got 2500 miles out of each pair. I bought some wranglers on sale and they were fine till it warmed up then the tougher reinforced knees (did not even noticed them) started rubbing the inside and outside of my knees raw when it warmed up. back to carharts

This is a valid point. I've worn out the seat of both khakis (for work) and jeans (not work). Certainly it's a cost/comfort factor to be considered.

yep and hassle changing clothes. having to change my wallet and such over twice a day and changing close that often is a pain. I can do 20 miles a day 5 days a week without shorts. if I ride the tandem and ride on weekends I have to have padded shorts.

You are lucky, and possibly unusual. I am sweaty after five minutes, in any temperature. I have to wash (not necessarily shower) and get into clean, dry clothes after my 20 minute high-effort commute.

So yes, the rigmarole takes as long as the actual ride, but I don't care. I don't cycle-commute to save time. :)

I start getting sweaty any time it gets above 70, even taking it super mellow. I'm jealous of folks who can arrive dry and fresh.

Possibly. I don't know. I don't sweat a lot, actually.* But also, my commute (about 50 minutes) isn't high-effort. It could be, if I wanted to make it a workout, but I've chosen to make it a bit more leisurely. In part because of the clothing issue.

As I said above, whatever works. Back in my motorcycle days, we had a saying -- "you've got to ride your own ride."


* I know there's a lot of variation in how much sweat people produce, and under what conditions. As proof, I offer this -- a close friend is a lighting director. He shoots a lot of television, some movies, and tons of commercials. He told me once that he always brought a hoodie to work, because some of the talent know that they're prodigious sweaters. If they're big enough names, they'll have it as a condition that the set (assuming it's indoors) has to be cooled to about 50 degrees, so they don't sweat. Otherwise they'll sweat through their clothes, even standing still, at 70 degrees.

either it has to be really hot or I need to have my heart rate about 135 and warm to sweat. hell I am covered in sawdust all day so what is a little sweat?

When I bike to work I ride in my work clothes

First job was night shift in a class 1 clean room. Just wore jeans and a t-shirt because I worked in a bunny suit all night and didn't bother showering either because of the laminar airflow and everyone had face masks and by the end of the night everyone was sweating and smelled like chemicals anyway. Nice while it lasted.

Nothing, I guess, but I draw the line at going through my work day with a damp groin. Colour me fussy. :)