Commuting Attire
by on November 5, 2008
Marketers have been alienating cycling from the regular people for too long. Most people have a pretty fine collection of office clothes – shirts, suits, ties, t-shirts, cargos, linen pants, denims, sporty Nike and Reebok floaters, exquisite leather-crafted shoes, or dainty tops, skirts, dresses, denims, scarves, heels, boots, slippers for the ladies…it’s endless. But most bicycle advertisements seem to focus on the jocks in spandex, helmets and cleated shoes, which barely let you walk properly, let alone dance with your date.
Folks do not want to ride to work in spandex. Stick to your regular work outfits. And though I will be flamed to the ends of the earth for this, ditch the helmets for some stylish caps and hats.
Sometimes though, there are genuine problems with wearing office clothes on a bicycle. Maybe it has been raining and you do not want to spoil your patent leather shoes in the slush. Or the bicycle chain has just been greased and you are afraid of getting stains on your trousers. Switch over to shorts or an old pair of trousers or jeans while you ride and then change once you reach work. Your panniers or rack comes in handy at times like this. And remember to carry the deodorant with you.
Trousers often get caught up in the chain. So get a chain-guard to protect them. If they still get caught in the pedals, get trouser clips or fashion your own out of rubber bands.