Questions on practicalities

[MiguelWrang]

Hi everyone,

Im really considering learning to ride but there are a few things holding me back and I'd like to hear if a bike is really practical for me. The main concerns I have are:

If you ride into work how do you manage to wear both your work clothes and the bike gear as well? like I have to wear a suit for work, so is it just a point of putting on the jacket, pants, boots and gloves over it? How does this work in the summer? Or do you guys carry a change of clothes into work?

How do you guys find riding in the rain?

How much safety gear is enough?

Thanks for the help

[Str8 Jacket]

I leave my work clothes such as suit jacket and shoes at work and just wear the rest under my codura's.

Safety gear is awesome and something you will only really find out if and when you crash. Its your decision to wear safety gear pnly must is a helmet.

NEVER ride in the rain. Your bike will rust.

[steve_t]

Take the cage to work on a monday with a week of shirts etc. I have an iron and ironing board at work plus a shower I can use which I need cos of the helmet hair :niceone:
Ride Tuesday-Thurs unless it's raining - I'm not as hard core as some.
Take the cage on Friday and bring stuff home to wash after stopping off for a beer :drinknsin

[Str8 Jacket]

Take the cage to work on a monday with a week of shirts etc. I have an iron and ironing board at work plus a shower I can use which I need cos of the helmet hair :niceone:
Ride Tuesday-Thurs unless it's raining - I'm not as hard core as some.
Take the cage on Friday and bring stuff home to wash after stopping off for a beer :drinknsin

Oh my... Life is so much easier when you dont have a cage licence. Dont even get to think about it! :rolleyes:

[The Stranger]

If you ride into work how do you manage to wear both your work clothes and the bike gear as well? like I have to wear a suit for work, so is it just a point of putting on the jacket, pants, boots and gloves over it? How does this work in the summer? Or do you guys carry a change of clothes into work?

How do you guys find riding in the rain?

How much safety gear is enough?

Thanks for the help

It aint worth the hassle.
Get a new job!

[Laxi]

nah, you buy suits 3 sizes too big and just wear them over your armour:niceone: problem solved... next:doctor:

[ViragoVixen]

I also keep clothes and necessities at work. This takes some forward planning but far out weighs the annoyance and cost of public transport ($8.60 return on the bus per day with a multipass concession). My two cents.

[Ixion]

I have ridden to werk which required suit-wearing. Not hard.

Keep the jacket at werk. Suit jackets need cleaning only occasionally. When they do, stuff the old one in a back pack. Bring the fresh one next day very carefully folded . This is the only hard part.

In between, shirt and trousers, jacket and leggings over them , tie in pocket. Either keep a pair of dress shoes at work or carry them in jacket pocets (or ride in shoes , I am no ATGATT Nazi).

Once at werk, off with jacket, gloves, helmet. Shoes and tie on, jacket on if needfull, all ready to go.

Short male hair does not suffer from helmet hair.

A machine with luggage capacity facilitates matters.

[Insanity_rules]

I leave my shoes and Jacket at the office and wear the rest under my corduras. Easy.

[bezajel]

I wear corduras over my work pants and top/shirt. I keep shoes and jackets at work... as well as spare pants just in case it rains and my corduras leak! :(

Seems to work ok for me :)

[Mom]

Guys, what if he wears skirts? :bleh:

[Str8 Jacket]

Guys, what if he wears skirts? :bleh:

Easy, he can put it on over his coduras. Duh! :p

[Mom]

Easy, he can put it on over his coduras. Duh! :p

LOL...Yeah, but they get so crinkled :msn-wink:

I used to have my "girlie" work clothes at work, and get changed when I arrived. Helmet hair is the new chic btw!

[skinman]

If your jackets & pants are waterproof just wear your work gear under. Riding in rain is ok just watch for oil slicks & avoid at all costs. I wear a bright yellow fluro vest over my jacket so no excuse not to be seen. as mentioned already keep suit jacket & shoes @ work.

[Shadows]

Hi everyone,

Im really considering learning to ride but there are a few things holding me back and I'd like to hear if a bike is really practical for me. The main concerns I have are:

If you ride into work how do you manage to wear both your work clothes and the bike gear as well? like I have to wear a suit for work, so is it just a point of putting on the jacket, pants, boots and gloves over it? How does this work in the summer? Or do you guys carry a change of clothes into work?

How do you guys find riding in the rain?

How much safety gear is enough?

Thanks for the help

Bikes are completely impractical. But heaps of fun.

If you're seriously concerned about practicality get a Corolla.

[caseye]

Well do you enjoy riding? enough to have to think ahead a bit? then theres no problem.Enjoy the freedom and plan for wet days is all you have to do.

[vifferman]

For about 15 years I've communtered to work by bike. Most of the time, I just take my shoes, slacks and jacket (if I'm wearing one) to work in my backpack, then get changed when I get to work. Sometimes I've left my shoes (and anything else I know I'll be wearing the next day) at my desk.
It depends to some extent on your gear. My current bike trousers (and last pair) don't allow for wearing slacks underneath, however some cordura gear or overtrousers are baggy enough that you can just slip them on over your work trousers.
When I used to work in a job where 'business attire' was mandatory, it used to create some mirth among my non-biking colleagues, when I'd arrive at work all dressed in leathers, disappear into the toilet or shower, and emerge as (seemingly) a completely different person.

I have communtered in my work clothes, with helmet, gloves and jacket on. I don't recommend it; I'd rather wear boots than shoes on the bike for gearchanging, putting my feet down, and for protection. Also road spooge and traffic fumes make bike gear pretty grubby, so they don't do dress shoes and slacks any favours. I've also torn the knees out of two pairs of nice slacks when taking a short (<2km) journey into the CBD to have lunch with my wife, and encountered maniacal eejits that caused an Asphalt Encounter.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Hi everyone,

Im really considering learning to ride but there are a few things holding me back and I'd like to hear if a bike is really practical for me. The main concerns I have are:

If you ride into work how do you manage to wear both your work clothes and the bike gear as well? like I have to wear a suit for work, so is it just a point of putting on the jacket, pants, boots and gloves over it? How does this work in the summer? Or do you guys carry a change of clothes into work?

How do you guys find riding in the rain?

How much safety gear is enough?

Thanks for the help

I dont usually ride a motorbike to work, I usually ride a pushbike. I am in a job where I wear suit and tie every day. I am also the boss so I get to post on the internet a lot, and make decisions and approve spending.

What I do is have a cheap-ass wardrobe in my office (bought from the red shed IIRC for about $200). All my work stuff (suits, jackets, shoes, shoe cleaning kit, ties blah blah) live in there. Once a week or so (usually at the weekends when out and about) I bring in a week or so's worth of ironed shirts.

That way I can wear "appropriate" clothing coming to work, and at work with minimal hassle.

I deliberately ride slowly into work, and its not far, so I dont get sweaty and need a shower, and riding home it isnt an issue.

As for safety gear: commuting I would go for textile: but you get what you pay for. Look for waterproof, breathable, armoured. Buy the most expensive helmet you can afford BUT IT MUST FIT YOU. and decent gloves and boots. Become a rider who is not an utter novice before sallying forth. Ride with the expectation that every other road user is actively trying to kill you.

Enjoy.......


Oh, and for the type of riding you are contemplating, something like a scooter would be ideal. but do it properly, get a motorbike licence, and get one that is >50cc. I would like a Vespa or something myself.

[marioc]

I just throw me leathers on over the top of everyting [dont wear a suit tho].
Shoes stay at work,need the hair product at work to fix it up on arrival.

[sinfull]

hair product at work to fix it up on arrival.
Doh !!! MetroMarioc !

[xwhatsit]

(or ride in shoes , I am no ATGATT Nazi).
Yes. I've found, however, that a kickstart and gearchange quickly ruin both (nice dress) shoes. Oil mist spraying out from the rocker pivot shafts and landing on your left shoe can't be good for the leather, either. It certainly doesn't look nice.

You could always buy a Noddy bike?

[jim.cox]

If you ride into work how do you manage to wear both your work clothes and the bike gear as well?


Make it easy: your bike clothes ARE your work clothes


like I have to wear a suit for work, so is it just a point of putting on the jacket, pants, boots and gloves over it?


A good wool jacket is actually a practical riding jacket. But for me I'd probably throw a riding jacket over the top. Helmet and gloves are a given, but I would not bother about riding trou.


How does this work in the summer?


Nice day? I'd ditch the jacket


Or do you guys carry a change of clothes into work?

Almost never - but I might carry sox and grots on a wet day


How do you guys find riding in the rain?

Wet


How much safety gear is enough?

Thats a personal decision! As you can tell I'm not an ATGATT safety nazi, but I would never ride without eye protection & gloves

[marioc]

Doh !!! MetroMarioc !


heh yeah well its either that or go round looking like mutant with hair in all directions!

[jim.cox]

heh yeah well its either that or go round looking like mutant with hair in all directions!

A 'Number Two' or less all over is the non-gay solution to your helmet hair problem

[marioc]

Yes perhaps you are right,however a number 2 all over rates rather low on the style meter :Police:

[Harvd]

Yes perhaps you are right,however a number 2 all over rates rather low on the style meter :Police:

and he should know, he lives in Wellington...:bleh:

[Shadows]

My advice, take a plastic bag or something to cover your seat if it rains, or get some wet weather gear.

You don't want to get a case of athlete's arsehole from regularly getting onto a wet motorcycle seat and then spending the rest of the day in damp undies.

Trying to itch one's entire lower bowel through one's jeans with one leg up in the air in public is never a good look.

[Phurrball]

Bikes are completely impractical. But heaps of fun.

If you're seriously concerned about practicality get a Corolla.

Ah, I see you're in Chch.

In the rotten old land of Orc, the impracticalities of a bike are FAR outweighed by the advantages.

Quite a time saving at peak time on my 25km commute, and paying $4 per hour if you have to park in town (or getting tickets) is a royal PITA.

[MiguelWrang]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[crash harry]

Draggin jeans and a business shirt suffice where I work, so it's no problem commuting on the bike. I leave my work shoes under my desk and change out of my boots when I get there. Hang up my jacket on the nail in the end of my desk and the helmet just sits by my screen.

I commute every day rain or shine. Even commuted on a bike in the snow in the UK - that sucked big time but, like Str8 said, when you haven't got a car there's no choice :)

Commuting on the bike is well worth it. You get to stay in bed 5 minutes longer, and you get to go for a hoon EVERY MORNING!

[MidnightMike]

Oh, and for the type of riding you are contemplating, something like a scooter would be ideal. but do it properly, get a motorbike licence, and get one that is >50cc. I would like a Vespa or something myself.

TA DAAAA

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=96571

[p.dath]

I have to say I do most of my riding for pleasure, rather than a daily commute. Having said that, I tend to ride to work 2 or 3 times a week.

I wear smart casual to work. I wear my "safety gear" over my clothes. I got a set of bike boots that look semi dressy. Ocassioanlly I take a more formal pair of shows in with me.

I also have a laptop, and got a laptop backpack to allow me to take it with me every day. I put in anything extra I need into that same bag.


I ride if the weather is a little bad, but drive if it is really had or their are high winds. As I say, I ride for pleasure, rather than to save money.

[Hiflyer]

You get to stay in bed 5 minutes longer,

WHAT? only 5? haha if i had a car or took the bus i'd have to get up about an hour earlier. Mind you i work on Shortland street, the road not the show. in the CBD and i'd be coming from Greenlane so yea it only takes me 15 mins to get in.

Back on topic tho, i wear my gloves helmet jacket and boots everyday, riding pants only if its going to rain. I keep my work shoes in my drawer and my jacket fits nicely over a business shirt and i dont usually wear a blazer even tho my workmates usually do. But yea its easy peasy japaneesy.

If you dont have the option to leave stuff at home get a "house bag".

its a bag that can fit heaps in it, and put ur shoes in a plastic bag inside that one. Problem solved :msn-wink:

[Cheshire Cat]

Hi everyone,

Im really considering learning to ride but there are a few things holding me back and I'd like to hear if a bike is really practical for me. The main concerns I have are:

If you ride into work how do you manage to wear both your work clothes and the bike gear as well? like I have to wear a suit for work, so is it just a point of putting on the jacket, pants, boots and gloves over it? How does this work in the summer? Or do you guys carry a change of clothes into work?

How do you guys find riding in the rain?

How much safety gear is enough?

Thanks for the help

Maybe you should just take a car to work if you have to wear a suit....but if you're real keen on bikes you'd just change at work lol
I put my gear over what I wear for the day.

Rain? If you have the right gear its just as fun! :p

Gear? All the gear all the time....you never know what will happen.