Ducati Monster Forum

Since I moved to SoCal from New Jersey, I've been riding to work every day.  100 mile round trip daily certainly puts a strain on me, but I love riding so I don't mind it.  Picked up my brand new 2012 M796 with 2 miles on the odometer.  It now has almost 2,500 in just over a month.   :)

Anyway, mornings are a little chilly so I usually ride with a winter cycling jacket under my leather jacket.  Unfortunately I'm still wearing jeans.  I feel guilty since this puts me in a position to wear jeans every day to work.  While it's totally fine, my position is a bit higher up so I want to at least look the part.  I'll have a polo on top, which works with the jeans combo.

I would like to wear slacks and a button-up shirt, but I have no idea how I can pull that off with my ride to work.  I'm thinking of picking up a pair of leather riding pants, but there's no way pants would stay unwrinkled after a 1+ hour trip.  Even if I had overpants on with slacks, my leather jacket would destroy my nicely ironed shirt.

Thought about bringing clothes nicely folded, but I wear a backpack that's already packed sorta full (laptop, work shoes, lunch, etc).

Right now, I only look nice on rainy days since I drive.   8)

What are my options? 

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=56097.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=56097.0)

Get a tank bag for your nicely folded clothes and wear your leathers. I keep my clothes in my backpack, but if I didn't have space that's what I would do.  Tank bags often come with a rain cover too.

get a rear case set-up and just nicely put your clothes and whatever else in the rearcase/topcase and call it a day!

I leave a pair of extra shoes some pairs of socks and a belt at work. The days I drive, I take trousers and shirt and rotate with fresh ones. I had an office last year, so it was very convenient. Now, I leave the shoes at work, and carry jeans and a shirt in the backpack.

I leave an extra pair of shoes at work, and I wear my jeans under my riding pants. It's only about 15min-30min ride for me, but it seems to work out well. I arrive at work about 10 min early to undress etc. I also pack a shaded and clear lens for my helmet in my helmet bag which I have around my waist for daytime/nightime riding after work.

I don't care about wrinkles so I would throw my shirt in my bag and wear my riding gear. Get changed, fix my hair at the office.

I have a few pairs of pants that I rotate out, and leave shoes at work.

This is really nice on days when it was 80 by 7am and humid or when it was raining.

Tank bag or leave some dress pants at work.  My 1 cubicle drawer is used for spare shoe mainly.  I change my boots at my cubicle and put it in the drawer. So far no complaints.  Helmet etc on desk or stick it in empty cubicle and avoid the same small talk about " you ride today?" bs.

I just take my truck to work with the clothes I need and leave them at work.  That way I can ride my bike, I wear full riding gear to work, Dainese of course  ;D,  and when I get to work I take off the riding gear and throw on my work related clothing.  I will wear them until they need to be washed and then throw them in my Kriega to take them home.  I leave shirts, pants, belt and shoes at work.  As well as lots of other gear.  I find it's easy to cycle out your clothing once you have most of the items you need at work.  If you need to wash your pants and shirt, just throw them in your pack.  Heck, I've even folded my clothing up and placed it against my chest and then zipped up my riding jacket.  The jacket keeps the clothing firmly against my chest and flat.

I'm sure you will find a solution that fits you and your workplace!!!  Good luck and congrats on the new bike!!!

Aerostich Roadcrafter Light One-Piece Suit.
http://www.aerostich.com/roadcrafter-light-one-piece-suit.html (http://www.aerostich.com/roadcrafter-light-one-piece-suit.html)
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I'm commuting everyday whit the bike and it's awesome but when I get to work it's like a 20 min. marathon of makeup, hair and clothe's ( I work in a bank) .....

I leave my higheels at work... ;D. this should not be an issue for you  [laugh]

Ducatigirl reminds me of Flo from the progressive commercials.
I have to go from courthouse to courthouse and will generally ride about 60 miles or so a day. I usually wear dark, dress pants styled pants (heavy material and kneepads under it) riding boots, wrinkle free shirts and carefully wrap my suit jacket in a wider backpack. When i get to court, ill switch my riding armor with my suit jacket.  So far, I haven't been reprimanded by a judge, yet.

if you don't mind the looks.  get a tail bag.  i use Cortech.

A cool looking backpack will do the trick

This works for me for about 3 seasons, if it's chilly I just wear my Bicycle jacket underneath. http://www.revzilla.com/product/olympia-stealth-one-piece-mesh-tech-suit (http://www.revzilla.com/product/olympia-stealth-one-piece-mesh-tech-suit) - Gene

+1

You can also check out the Olympia Stealth
http://olympiamotosports.com/catalog/air-essentials/stealth-one-piece-mesh-tech-suit/ (http://olympiamotosports.com/catalog/air-essentials/stealth-one-piece-mesh-tech-suit/)

Both of these work great over your work/casual clothes. Leave a pair of shoes at the office and you are done.

Probably duplicates, but:

I have a nice set of overpants, and wear different types of casual & dress casual stuff under them with no problem.  I keep a couple pairs of shoes at work and you can keep any amount of "backup" clothes f you have space to.

JM

Been doing this for almost 40 years now.
The commute by bike in the traffic outweighs any inconvenience with clothes.

Once you commit to doing this, you find ways to make it work.
I work in a suit/tie environment, some of my clothes have never made it home!
Buy close to work, keep at work, dryclean near work, no need to transport them.
My shoes get cleaned at work, stay clean at work, customers never need to know how i get to work and back.
In the rain, Put on wet weather gear before leaving, am dryer than people who have to rush for their car when leaving work.

 [laugh] ...exactly   :) [laugh]

All great responses.  I wear overpants and tend to leave a lot of stuff in the office when I drive.

My issue is hair - not something I ever cared much about but nothing like putting a wet head into a helmet and then emerging in an office 30 minutes later looking like bozo.  Have to keep it very short.

I used to have long hair which was great with a helmet as it went straight in, now I'm getting thinner up top I keep it fairly short so dont have to worry about helmet hair too much ;)

I have some armoured jeans by a company called RST which I have in both plain black and dark green camo, but as I work out of a non-public access office and with wayward teenagers I can get away with the casual look. When I go into schools for formal meetings with teachers etc I will need to find some jeans that look more 'blacker' and with a chino style.