HaveBlue08079

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!

HaveBlue08079

Shortly after posting this, I found garment bag panniers for $100+ (ouch). I also found these:
https://www.eaglecreek.com/accessorie...lder-15-40153/

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

Any other suggestions?

annc

Have you tried rolling your clothes instead of folding them?

jeffpoulin

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.

HaveBlue08079

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.

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!!

RLSchell

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.
https://www.eaglecreek.com/accessorie...lder-15-40153/
The idea posted about using cardboard panels is a similar homemade solution.

DESchindel

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.

Engyo

+1 ^^

I use these when traveling or commuting

TRaffic Jammer

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.

nashcommguy

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: https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...6_10000_201483

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

Depends on who's got the cheapest shipping.

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!

savethekudzu

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

2su

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

2su

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

ottothecow

man

what is that UGLY shirt in the nashbar photos?

trekker pete

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.

CliftonGK1

+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.

nashcommguy

Looks like a Garth Brooks castoff. Yee-haw!

BarracksSi

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.

deefrost

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.

kaseri

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

daredevil

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.

barturtle

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

robi

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

ottothecow

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

daredevil

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.