Re the rolling clothes thing --

For me it works better when you place (or leave) the clothes in the bags that dry cleaners use, before you roll them up. I think the plastic helps them slide around so there is more sliding, less crinkling and creasing.

For some materials, there's no way you can stop them from looking bad. Others, impossible to crease. I am gradually transitioning my wardrobe to modern miracle fibers.

I get some usage out of folding and using the travel packer things, like these (mine are older models before the little handles). I use the heck out of them when traveling. On the bike the bigger ones (for my bigger clothes) are a bit big for my smaller panniers, so less great. I prefer to stage a wardrobe at work, shuttle things like underwear and machine wash stuff, and do the dry cleaning at the work site. A cheap linens & things closet in a storage area I could access worked wonders for me.

Yup, and it's a myth I bought into for a long time, which is why I try to mention it whenever I can

that's a relief that I am not alone with a red line under all my words.

Yup I'm a male commuter. However check out this site for commuter insight. These young ladies have a great deal of info for the female commuter. https://letsgorideabike.com/ enjoy.

I think it depends on the commute. My ride to work is 17 miles of hills in the morning. It takes me about 80-90 minutes and I'm sweating by the time I get there. Riding slow and wearing street clothes isn't an option.

Remember - girls do not sweat, girls glow. Even if your jersey is so soaked it's nearly transparent - girls glow. Reply to detractors with something witty, like "That's how I stay half your size at twice your age".

Good luck

SF

My 25-35 mile r/t commute was not viable wearing my work clothes so it was always cycling shorts/jersey etc. Took work clothes rolled up in a pannier and did a ladies room sink shampoo then a hobo cleanup in the handicap stall using a small bucket, soap, and washrags. Kept a travel towel and cleanup kit at work. My hair is short and on the rare occasion I had makeup on, I kept lipstick/eye makeup at my desk. I arrived to work early to have time to be presentable and get oatmeal/coffee before others showed up.

Embrace no-iron clothes. I kept 2 pair of shoes, basic cardigan sweaters, belts at work so I had fewer bulky things to cart back and forth.

About "glowing" - dried salty sweat with dead bugs and road grit/splat embedded feel like getting rubbed by sandpaper. Getting cleaned up post-ride is very mood-enhancing. Sit down somewhere cool and drink water until you quit sweating before you start cleanup.

About the same commute here, ~16 miles, lots of hills, and 60-70 minutes ride time. In the winter, I need enough layers to stay warm on the downhills that I'm soaked in sweat by the time I arrive at work. It doesn't help that the last 2.5 miles on my ride are mostly uphill. In the summer, I'm drenched. To avoid being sweaty, I imagine it would take me over two hours to get to work and I don't have or desire to spend that much time commuting.

So, my answer is to get the ride over with as quickly as possible, cool down for 10-15 minutes in the air conditioned office (I've long gotten over people seeing me sitting in my lycra dripping in sweat), then washing up in the bathroom (no shower). Being a male who sweats like it's his mission in life and whose sweat tends to smell, the most important thing I do is to wash my armpits with soap. I just use the same soap I'm using on my face then apply deordorant. I definitely do notice an odor if I skip that step but washing them out does the trick.

I'm known as the nut who rides his bike in any weather, not as the smelly guy

one more question girls. Do you change into your work clothes in the bathroom? I haven't started my new job yet, but when I got the tour of the buildling, I didn't see any type of locker room, shower area etc so it looks like I'd be trying to change out of my cycling duds into my work clothes in a bathroom stall. Anyone else do this?

Not a girl, but I have done this from time to time depending on where I worked. It can be a PITA and discouraging. Cycle-commuting's really fun in general. When I would take days off it was usually because of the grind of constantly looking over my shoulder when changing or trying not to get caught at the sink. Kudos to you for deciding to commute despite all the obstacles. Your employer sure isn't making it easy on you.

Changing your clothe in the stall is your business and no one else. My coworker don't really mind. If you feel somehwhat uncomfortable with it in the begining, perhaps after starting your new job, you can scope out the building in search of a single bathroom elsewhere in the building. This can provide more privacey and a peace of mind.

I change in the handicap stall. Not my proudest moment of the day, but I've hardly seen anyone use the handicap stall here. I've tried the smaller stalls and could do it, but the extra space and air movement is worth the risk of being criticized for using the handicap stall when I otherwise don't need it. (And for the record, I do not park my bike or car in handicapped parking spaces.) I bring my baby wipes in with me and wipe down with those. Once I'm dressed, I head for the sink to give my face a splash and run some water through my hair.

And all the ladies who frequent the rest room at the time I come in all know who's in the stall with the pants tossed over the top of the door and say, "Hi, Kath!"

Currently I am very lucky to have a workplace shower, locker and towel service. I store my soap/makeup and other necessities in my locker.

I had a position at another place of employment that had no lockers, towels or locker room whatsoever. My ride is about 10 miles one way with lots of hills and there's no chance of not sweating. First I made sure that I could work an earlier schedule than most others. What I used to do is store makeup/other things in my desk at work. Then I would change in the shared (by the entire floor, not only the business I worked for) bathroom taking a sink bath as much as I dared (only was interrupted maybe once or twice - turns out people didn't like arriving to work before 8:00 am). This pretty much was it. I had, and have, a haircut that doesn't require much maintenance either. I buy clothes that either don't wrinkle or fold very carefully. I always pack my lunch in an extra plastic bag (leaks from the best food containers will happen). I have extra articles of clothing at my desk because you will forget everything eventually from bra to undies to shoes to pants. Pack your bags the night before.

Yes, I cleaned up and changed clothes in the handicap stall close to my desk per my reply above. The ladies rooms were cleaned late at night and were in pristine condition for my 7am arrival. I was careful to leave them as clean as I found them to avoid antagonizing some "concerned" management/facilities liasons - no drips splashes or loose hair. The handicap stall has much more elbow room than a regular one. My sink shampoo was fully dressed.

The ground floor restroom had a "sitting area" that I used AFTER work to change into my cycling apparel. It was close to the building exit and appropriate since I didn't need my cleanup kit kept at my desk.

Sounds like a fun ride! have you commuted these sort of distances before on a regular basis?

Typically I just wash my face upon arrival. Hair too, if necessary (it's short). There are showers, but they're in the men's bathrooms, so I've never used them (I probably could arrange to use them, but the hassle is not worth it). Mostly I count on not getting too sweaty, which I usually can manage (especially in winter, heh). If I really need to, I can always use baby wipes and do a "bird bath" in the sink, but that's rarely necessary. Of course, it helps that the way to work is pretty much all downhill.

Makeup? What's "makeup"? If I did use it, I'd probably put it on afterwards, since I ride through snow and rain and sun etc...

It's business casual for me too. I keep a change of clothes at work just in case, but most of the time I'm able to ride in my work clothes. In winter or in rain I wear raingear over it, so water and dirt don't get on them. If it's really warm rain, I bring the clothes in an ordinary rucksack or pannier and change at work.