Choosing your cycle route
Even when facilities are provided, some cyclists prefer not to have to change their clothes when they get to work. Sometimes it’s just not practical. For example, if you have to attend a morning meeting at an office just a few blocks away from your workplace and decide to cycle straight there, you will want to be able to walk from the cycle rack to the meeting room without making any adjustments other than putting your cycle helmet in your backpack or cycle carrier. Even if you rarely attend meetings away from the office, you may still not want the bother of having to change your clothes when you arrive at your destination. One of the tricks to arriving feeling fresh and looking professional, is to make your ride in as effortless as possible. While what you wear is important, how you get there is too. Take the easiest route you know. This isn’t necessarily the shortest route, but often the one with the flattest terrain. Some of the most stylish cyclists in the world can be found in Amsterdam. It’s very rare that you see anyone riding in Lycra in the cycling capital of the world. These commuters cycle in their everyday business attire. And they’re able to arrive at work looking polished because they don’t ride up hills (admittedly, they’re lucky enough to live in a city that’s very flat). So do as the commuters in Amsterdam do and cycle leisurely if you want a perspiration-free commute to work.
Another trick to arriving at work looking as though you’ve done little more than ride the elevator to your desk is to equip your bike with a device of some sort to enable you to carry what you need on your bike rather than on your person. This is especially important if you want a crease-free shirt; there’s nothing that’s going to ruin a freshly ironed shirt quicker than a heavy backpack thrown on top of it. A basket on the front of your bike will work but whatever you put in it may not be that secure (it’s likely to jump out should you ride over any bumps). Furthermore, a basket doesn’t provide any protection from the rain (unless it’s covered), and it’s a difficult look to carry off unless you’re an elderly spinster cycling in 1940s England. A much better option is to get a simple rack fitted to the back of your bike and fix carriers (panniers) to it. You can get one or two depending on how much you need to transport. If you’re going to be carrying a lot of items, it’s probably best to get two to even up the load (a bike can be difficult to manage, not to mention a little dangerous to ride, if there’s a considerable weight on only one side of it). These carriers can be easily and quickly lifted off and carried around with you. They come in various shapes and sizes, some of which are very smart looking and similar in design to a brief case. A good quality carrier will be made from durable, waterproof material and have some sort of reflective device fitted to it to help other road users see you in the dark.
As for clothing, wear multiple layers of loose-fitting items which you can take off and put back on depending on how warm or cool you get. If you’re wearing pants, use cycle clips to prevent the hems getting covered in grease or caught in your cycle chain. Make sure no item of clothing is flapping about as you cycle (e.g. an unzipped jacket), because if any part of it gets caught by another vehicle, the consequences might not be too good.
Read more: Necessities for your cycle commute
