So you’ve started bike commuting. Congratulations! You’re doing good things for your physical and mental wellbeing, the built and natural environment, and probably saving lots of money while you’re at it.
But, as you’ve probably started to realize, there are downsides. Namely, how to avoid looking like a sweaty, soggy, road-grime-splattered mess in your professional setting.
There are a few aspects to consider when thinking about the logistics of looking presentable at work if you’re bike commuting:
- Your Bike Setup
- Carrying Your Cargo
- What to Wear on the Bike
- How to Look Presentable Once You Arrive
I was always surprised when I read advice on bike commuting that so unhelpfully said, “Arrive ten minutes early so you can take a shower and change!” I mean, sure, great, if your workplace has a shower.
After my ten mile ride to work, with a significant hill climb at the end, I always wished there were a shower, especially in the heat of high summer.
No such luck for me, though: My place of employment, at the time, had a bathroom with a sink — and the microwave was in the bathroom because that was the only place it could fit. However, the bathroom was quite luxuriously large so at least it was easy enough to change without contorting my body in weird positions to avoid rubbing a butt cheek against a stall door, or — gasp — touching the toilet.
Prior to that my commute was only two and a half miles, and, conveniently, it was all downhill, so I generally didn’t even break a sweat getting to work. I rode a geared city cruiser with a rear rack and basket, and it was easy to ride in any clothes and shoes, including a skirt and flats.
And before that, in China, I frequently rode the eight very flat miles on my upright, single-speed cruiser. Although I was used to not wearing “special” clothes for cycling at the time, because of the distance, I found I was breaking a sweat and took to wearing my running clothes for the commute and changing upon arrival.
So the supplies you’ll need for commuting will vary greatly, depending on how intense your ride is, what sorts of clothes you need to wear for work, and what facilities you have upon arrival.
The Bike Setup
So first of all, let’s talk about the bike. I almost always rode an inexpensive bike to work, not only when I had to lock it up outside, but even when I could store it inside — it was in a crowded storage room that we frequently accessed, and I wasn’t worried so much about theft as one of my coworkers accidentally knocking it over trying to reach something in the storage room.
My commuter bike has attached to it: a bottle cage carrying an icy bottle of water; a mini U-lock mounted on the seat tube; a frame pump mounted on the top tube; and a saddle bag with two tubes, levers, box wrench, and multitool. Since my commute wasn’t walking distance, I needed to be prepared to fix a flat and minor mechanical issues roadside.
I also opted for flat pedals with straps and rode in sneakers — and then changed into dressier shoes that I kept at work. This was more to do with not wanting to deal with clipless road pedals while riding in stop-and-go traffic than anything else (perhaps ill-advisedly; I’ve toppled over far more times while riding with straps than while riding with cleats). I’ve also considered dual-sided platform/SPD pedals with clipless sneakers for my fixed-gear bike, and if I were to start commuting on my road bike, I might consider pedal adapters that clip in and provide a platform pedal surface.
Bike Setup Tips:
-If your commute is more than a couple miles, keep all the tools and tubes you need for repairs on your bike, in a saddle bag, a handlebar bag, a top-tube bag, etc.
-Think about the most practical pedal choice for your situation: Do you need to wear a certain type of shoe at work? If you can wear the shoes you ride in, are you happy riding on platform pedals (with or without cages or straps), or should you consider clipless pedals and “casual” shoes that are outfitted with cleats?
Carrying the Cargo
I’ve known a few bike commuters who bring a week’s worth of shirts with them to the office on Monday and take them all home for laundry on Friday, and then don’t deal with any cargo whatsoever the rest of the week, but I suspect most people are going to need to carry something with them most days.
I carried with me daily: a thermos of coffee, lunch in a Tupperware, a fresh shirt and sweater in the winter and a full change of clothes and small towel in the summer. I was able to keep a pair of shoes, a small makeup bag, and deodorant and dry shampoo at work.
I carried everything in a small backpack that I bought at a discount store — it wasn’t cycling specific. For days when I needed to carry more things, I took a larger backpack made for bike messengers. And on days when I could manage to carry very little, I took a large fanny pack. The backpack wasn’t ideal because it left my back soaked, but I think the ride was intense enough that I was going to sweat heavily, backpack or no.
Other options would be: a backpack designed to allow airflow between the backpack and the wearer; a rear rack with a bag strapped onto it; a rack and pannier system. Because I was riding through one of L.A.’s most heavily congested neighborhoods in the thick of afternoon rush-hour traffic, I did not want the extra width of panniers.
Cargo Tips:
-The best option is carrying nothing, but if you can’t get away with that, minimize as much as you can. If there’s anything that you don’t need to bring back and forth and you’re able to leave it at work, do so! If I weren’t a tightwad, I could have bought coffee and lunch and avoided carrying those, too, but, hey, I’m not living that life.
-Opt for lighter weight and less bulky items. I often carried my lunch in a glass container because I was going to microwave it, but on hot days, a minimally wrapped sandwich or a salad in a plastic container was a welcome lightweight lunch. Likewise, I found myself opting for clothes that could roll up tightly, like cotton and silk button-up shirts, as opposed to bulky sweaters (ironically, since I worked in a knitting store).
What to Wear
I rarely wear cycling-specific clothes for commuting; because they’re expensive, I try to save the wear and tear on them for when I do long, recreational rides.
For commuting in the heat of summer, I wear inexpensive sweat-wicking T-shirts and fashion, unpadded “bike shorts” — at $10 a pair, I can have a clean pair every day.
Naturally, the one day I did wear a pair of padded cycling shorts, I also forgot to pack a pair of underwear — and I had brought a skirt to wear that day. I briefly considered wearing my chamois under my skirt all day, but then remembered that there was a nearby drugstore I could run to for a pair of emergency panties. From that day forward I just kept an extra pair of underwear alongside the emergency menstrual pads in one of the pockets of my backpack.
For commuting in more moderate temperatures, I ride in jeans and change only my top upon arrival. I do wear or pack a cycling-specific windbreaker on chilly days because it folds up very compactly compared to a regular sweatshirt.
If you need to wear clothing that is more formal, you might look for wrinkle-free fabrics that can be rolled rather than folded.
How to Make Yourself Presentable Once You Arrive
For me, the toughest part of riding to work was that I needed to look a certain way upon arrival, since I worked in a high-end, customer-facing job. Here are four simple steps to follow to look and feel fresh once you’ve gotten to work.
- Try to stop sweating. Here’s where that icy bottle of water comes in handy: As soon as you get off your bicycle drink as much cold water as you can to try to lower your body temperature. If you can stand outside in moving air or fan yourself, that helps too. Rinsing your face and neck either with your water bottle or at a sink can cool you off as well.
- Stink prevention. Aim to remove your sweaty clothes as quickly as possible. If you still feel sweaty, you can give yourself a bird bath with a hand towel or use disposable body wipes if, for instance, you’re in a bathroom stall and don’t have access to a sink. Apply deodorant and put on your fresh change of clothes.
- The most challenging part of getting presentable for work after a sweaty ride in my opinion is the hair. In the heat of summer I sweat enough that the entire length of my hair is pretty damp. A hair dryer might be an option, but I’m not very handy with such tools, so I hang my head upside down, finger comb it, spray in a little dry shampoo, and then clip it up into a messy bun.
- By this point hopefully you’ve stopped sweating enough to apply makeup if desired and you’re ready to start your workday with some exercise and time spent outdoors already checked off!