Minerva

I decided to experiment this morning and attempt to commute in my work clothes. After all, it's fall and it's cool enough that I won't sweat so much, right? I put my bicycle shorts on under my work pants to prevent chafing and seam issues. I should mention that I commute 12 miles each way.

Well, it was a mixed experience. It was nice to feel like a real person on a bicycle wearing smart clothing and my usual winter jacket, however, I was HOT and there was little way to really cool down. My clothes didn't have wicking materials, so I see the issue here. Also, I seem to think that my pants may not be designed for the wear and tear where my thighs rub the seat. It was great though to sail into work and not really have to change. I looked respectable when I arrived, and I wasn't dragging a trunk bag and 2 panniers with me.

Is there anyone out there that has a longer commute that has attempted to commute in normal clothes and surmounted these difficulties or is this impossible with a long, hilly commute?

Thanks!
M

jeffpoulin

In work clothes, my cutoff would be about 10 km/6 miles each way assuming no big hills. Beyond that, I find it's much nicer to cycle in cycling clothes, especially if the weather isn't great.

noisebeam

1mi in summer, 10mi in winter

caloso

Me too. Leaving the office at 5pm in July, I'm soaked by the end of the first block. My drycleaning bill would be astronomical.

MNBikeguy

You're disqualified! Riding in work / regular clothes doesn't include bike briefs.

Were you really able to work all day with bike shorts underneath? That sounds hellacious.
My unofficial cutoff for riding in regular clothes is around 5 miles. Anything longer requires bike shorts or briefs. "Normal" clothes meaning fleece or shorts; not "work" clothes as they are suits.

snake_p20

My commute is just over 4 miles and I don't mind riding to work in my work clothes once in a while. I don't really want to do it in the extreme of summer or winter but otherwise I will just ride in my work clothes every now and then, still not all that often. Much more than another mile or so and I don't think I would ever bother making the trip in my work clothes.

chipcom 

I finally got my commute down to under 5 miles last year, so I decided to try riding in my work clothes again. If my commute were not so rolling, it might be doable, but as it is, even keeping an easy pace on an upright city bike with nice wicking polo shirts and khakis, I was sweating too much.

Since I gotta clean up anyway, it's just easier to have nice fresh clothes to change into.

jdmitch

Commute is just under 6 mi one way. Wear my work clothes (use Ibex Balance Runner briefs). Merino really helps in the summer. Just clean up well before you go (I also like a cool down stop at the nearby Starbucks before I actually go in the office).

At some point my company will build a few miles away and my commute will become 10-12 miles one way. I'll probably try... most likely I'll wear a merino jersey and swap a clean shirt when I get to work. At least during the summer.

Winter is no problems.

Oh, FWIW, I wear polos most days.

Bezohh

3 miles each way.

mikewille

My commute is shorter than yours, 11 miles round-trip, and I wear my work clothes to ride all year.
This probably won't apply to you, but I'll share my situation for diversity's sake.

I'm a welder/fabricator, so "work clothes" means steel-toed boots and whatever
I don't mind getting pinhole burns, scorch marks, and extreme u.v. damage on.
For me, underarmour wicking underwear is normal clothing. My work area is not
air conditioned and is poorly heated. I end up sweating all day in summer, but
cooling down after riding to work is quite pleasant in wintertime.

I guess it all depends what kind of work your work clothes are intended for.
What I thought were heavy-duty industrial-application workpants turn out to be
quite fragile and delicate when I ride a bike in them. I end up inadvertantly
tearing the crotches out, they just don't quite have the required range of motion.
If I had to actually interact with customers or clients and look presentable I don't
know what I'd do. Luckily I'm in the farthest remote corner of the building and people
tend to avoid the welding area due to arclight, loud noise, flying sparks, and splashing droplets of molten metal.
Also noxious fumes sometimes.

DallasSoxFan

I'm in texas and wear suits. 50 feet would be my max.

commo_soulja

I used to have a mile and a half commute when I lived in the SF Bay Area of CA and I biked to work in work clothes (business casual). That'd be my limit. I worked 5 miles from work when I lived in San Diego and brought my work clothes in a side pannier.

mtnwalker

I wore my work clothes my first month of bike commuting, when I used to drive 7 miles in and bike the remaining 3.5 miles to work. So, 3-4 miles of flat roads and no hammering is my limit.

Anything longer and more effort requires lycra. I sweat too much.

PaulH

Ten miles each way. During the summer, I take my suit jacket off and carry it on the bike.

Paul

superdex

a mile, ish. Past that and I sweat too much, and would want to actually exercise

dipy911

1 mile. But I would probably just walk the mile rain/shine.

I also wear the bike clothes while using my trainer in my living room. GASP! That is what they were made for.

If you think riding in non bike specific clothes is for you, or that it will help convince other people to ride, by all mean don't wear bike clothes. I like wearing the proper gear for the exercise, and don't mind changing(into clean sweat-free clothes), and don't care what other people think, and don't care if I influence (indirectly) people not to ride.

bhop

I wouldn't, unless changing your shirt doesn't count. My pits get too sweaty and would be smelly by the afternoon.

dgk02

When I first started commuting by bike I was afraid I would smell, so I took the bike in on the train in the morning and rode home in the afternoon. Then one day it was Bike TO Work day, so I decided to bike in (and take the train out). Much to my surprise, I didn't smell. My commute is 15 miles each way through New York City. My average speed is only around 11 mph though so I don't really expend much energy and thus don't sweat much.

Mostly I wear black jeans, which I can get away with at work, but I much prefer wearing a cheap wicking top layer. I really wouldn't want to do it in a suit or even a dress shirt. I keep a dozen or so nice shirts at work and either bring them home every other week for a washing or just have them dry cleaned near work. I also keep a supply of socks, underwear, and nicer pants at work for use as needed. If I just need to work in my office for the day I sometimes don't even change out of the biking shirt (like today, a cheap C9 shirt from Target).

mustang1

I ride 11 miles each way on race bike with cycling outfit. I used to commute with cycling shorts and jeans over the top but found my jeans were getting ripped at he bottom where the socks go over the jeans to prevent jeans going into chainring.

I wouldn't cycle more than 3 miles in normal clothes.

JiveTurkey

Normal commute is 10.5 miles to the next town over. But one day a week I work in town, which is about 4.25 miles.

I would never commute the 10.5 miles in work clothes. I regularly commute the 4.25 miles in work clothes; much more than this distance and I'd consider bike clothes.

Booger1

I used to bike to work 6 days a week,42 miles a day,for 18 years,in Dickies type work clothes.No problems.Now it's only 9 miles,still no problem.

thdave

I usually ride my 7 mile (one way) commute in my business clothes--casual dress. I change tee shirts when I get to work and put on my dress shirt, but don't change pants. Works well.

I like Levi Dockers. They are my favorite pants, as they have a strong fabric which doesn't wonder out into the chain. I have a chainguard, but some lightweight fabrics get too loose and can get in there.
They have good pockets, too, which is important for the couple of things I carry there.

My pant seats have never worn out on any of my pants. I wouldn't worry about that.

Wool sweaters are great this time of year. They look professional and yet they do a great job with keeping me warm and dry. Never tried them until a few weeks ago, and now I want lots of them!

mickey85

Umm...I ride in regular clothes every day. Not my work clothes, because I'm a sweaty dude, but a pair of shorts or knickers (with no diaper) and a T shirt is usually all it takes above 45* or so. Under that, I start layering, but I've honestly never ever owned a jersey, bike shorts, or any kind of shoes that attach themselves to the pedals. As I will ride with the club like this for 50+ miles, I'd have to say, how far do you want to go in normal clothes?

Now, that said, I'd be hard pressed to ride in my actual work clothes. They're too nice, and the ride is too crappy to subject themselves to that, nor I to having sweat stains all day.

tarwheel 

Zero (0). I have a shower at work and don't want to subject my coworkers to my BO. I also live in the Southeast and usually work up a sweat no matter how cold it is outside.

rhm

I always commute in my work clothes. At present distance isn't really an issue; but I don't think I'd consider dressing differently even if my ride was 20 or 30 each way. But you have to understand, my office has no requirement that I dress well. If looking sharp was in my job description, I'd have to do things differently.

Hypothetically, if I had to dress sharp at the office, it would come down to this question: what's faster, to ride this distance (whatever it is) fast, and change when I get to work (maybe even shower?), or to ride it slow and not work up a sweat? I must admit, I'd have a very hard time riding 10 miles so slow that I didn't work up a sweat.