Things I've learnt from commuting

[DJR]

Ok right. Sounds like an odd question but what if there are no shower facilities? Is it just a matter of going to bathroom, wash face and freshen up a little bit?

Lack of shower facilities not a problem, but you do need a bathroom / toilet / change room with privacy. In my previous building I had full shower facilities, which was great.

 

Now I do "bath in a basin" when I get to work. Basically, I sit down for 10 minutes, have a cup of coffee and look through my schedule for the day. It gives you time to stop sweating. Then go to the bathroom, close the door, fill basin with warm water, strip down, wipe down with wet wash cloth from head to toe (get the order right), dry off with towel, whack on some underarm / deodorant, get dressed in work clothes and I'm ready to go. Takes only a couple of minutes. 

[cat-i]

Do you guys commute in your full cycling hear and carry work clothes in a backpack and change at work? If you have shower facilities at work do you shower or just freshen up and then change again to cycle home?

 

Leave shoes 2*pants & skirt towel shampoo make-up & deodorant in the office. Commute with clean non-wrinkling shirts, and now and again when I go in by car, swap the towel and heavier clothes.

 

Have a shower right here in the office which is great. 

[Hairy]

Lack of shower facilities not a problem, but you do need a bathroom / toilet / change room with privacy. In my previous building I had full shower facilities, which was great.

 

Now I do "bath in a basin" when I get to work. Basically, I sit down for 10 minutes, have a cup of coffee and look through my schedule for the day. It gives you time to stop sweating. Then go to the bathroom, close the door, fill basin with warm water, strip down, wipe down with wet wash cloth from head to toe (get the order right), dry off with towel, whack on some underarm / deodorant, get dressed in work clothes and I'm ready to go. Takes only a couple of minutes. 

lol ... the last thing you want is an open bathroom where you have your leg up on the WHB with your wash cloth in hand and someone walks in!

[Hairy]

Leave shoes 2*pants & skirt towel shampoo make-up & deodorant in the office. Commute with clean non-wrinkling shirts, and now and again when I go in by car, swap the towel and heavier clothes.

 

Have a shower right here in the office which is great. 

I do a "crease test" when buying cloths ... I scrunch them up on the rails, and if they look decent after shaking out then they are commuter worthy and would be considered for purchase.

 

What I do with all my clothing, is to roll them up before putting in my bag. Makes a HUGE difference.

 

[AlanD]

I do a "crease test" when buying cloths ... I scrunch them up on the rails, and if they look decent after shaking out then they are commuter worthy and would be considered for purchase.

 

What I do with all my clothing, is to roll them up before putting in my bag. Makes a HUGE difference.

 

https://youtu.be/so93nqxZLjM

Was going to ask whats the best way to pack your clothes.

[J∆kk∆ls]

Put on your work cloths and cycle at 15 km/h. No need to shower or change! 

Wear a base layer if you worried about sweating and remove it at work. 

Edited September 4, 2017 by J∆kk∆ls

[Lurch the stalker]

Put on your work cloths and cycle at 15 km/h. No need to shower or change! 

Wear a base layer if you worried about sweating and remove it at work. 

What about the days you find a fellow commuter and it turns into a race..?

[J∆kk∆ls]

What about the days you find a fellow commuter and it turns into a race..?

Haha- I know the feeling.

 

Let them go. By the time they are done showering and changed into fresh cloths, you will have arrived and sitting at your desk with a coffee. 

[ChrisF]

Put on your work cloths and cycle at 15 km/h. No need to shower or change! 

Wear a base layer if you worried about sweating and remove it at work. 

 

I find that as long as my heart rate stays in zone 2 - SLOW ride - then I dont sweat.

 

Even short stints into zone 4 and I need a basin bath ....

[ChrisF]

What about the days you find a fellow commuter and it turns into a race..?

 

 

..... uhm ja .... basin bath ....

[Bateleur1]

Put on your work cloths and cycle at 15 km/h. No need to shower or change! 

Wear a base layer if you worried about sweating and remove it at work. 

 

Haha- I know the feeling.

 

Let them go. By the time they are done showering and changed into fresh cloths, you will have arrived and sitting at your desk with a coffee. 

 

You saying I should then spend 2 hours 15 min commuting instead of 1 hour 7 mins.  Your kidding right .  Only take 5 minutes to clean and dress.

[J∆kk∆ls]

You saying I should then spend 2 hours 15 min commuting instead of 1 hour 7 mins.  Your kidding right .  Only take 5 minutes to clean and dress.

Hehe not you sir!! 

 

But I'm told that the average person only commutes around 5 km's to work! There are exceptions of course! 

[sierrrd]

The more you commute, the more efficient you become in packing, changing, showering - whatever is in your routine. Same as when you would drive to work like any other maniac out there. Routine. 

 

I get to work at 8.53. I shower and sit with a cup coffee ready for my daily meeting at 9.00 - okay, hair sometimes still dripping. I alternate running and riding - The other day I sprained my ankle on the mountain, not far from the office. Got fashionably late, but your colleagues also get used to you stumbling in covered in sweat. 

[ChrisF]

Hehe not you sir!! 

 

But I'm told that the average person only commutes around 5 km's to work! There are exceptions of course! 

 

Seems I am "average" ...    have been called worse ... 

 

My morning commute is about 4,8km, including two steep hills.

 

If I do the commute in 22 minutes, or more, then I dont sweat.  Just have to keep my heart rate DOWN on those two hills.  Actually easiest to walk the second hill - purely not to sweat.

 

 

 

In the afternoon I add a few extra loops, and push the hear rate a bit ... no issue getting home full of sweat.

 

 

Some mornings you just feel good, and pedal a bit faster ..... basin-bath ...   

[Lurch the stalker]

Haha- I know the feeling.

 

Let them go. By the time they are done showering and changed into fresh cloths, you will have arrived and sitting at your desk with a coffee. 

I wouldn't be able to let it go, I definitely have that switch in my head that says, "One person is a ride, two people is a race"

[sierrrd]

Hehe not you sir!! 

 

But I'm told that the average person only commutes around 5 km's to work! There are exceptions of course! 

 

10k here. When I feel like it, I do Oukaapseweg on the back or the forth. In an ideal week I leave my bike at work on Wednesday, run home via road (10k), so I can run trail (15k+) on Thursday morning. I've been doing Glencairn - Muizenberg for little over a year now. Privileged as ***.