Keeping track of all yer stuff!

[indigoiis]

Ah, the joys of gear and cycling. And the hybrid commute.

How do you keep track of all of your gear? Do you keep it on a shelf by the door? Helmet, check. Sunglasses, check. Money? Keys? water bottle? lights working? Lunch? Do you pack the night before? How long does it take you to leave in the morning?

I had a complicated plan for this week. Due to the holiday, I knew the buses were running on a very reduced schedule. My plan was:

Monday - hybrid commute - drive halfway, ride halfway. Reverse to home.
Tuesday - Drive to park and ride, take bus in, ride home.
Wednesday - Ride in, take bus home with daughter to park and ride, pick up truck, drive home.

Well, yesterday I got to the halfway point at 6:30 a.m., and I had my helmet, gloves, day-glo jacket, lights, but something was missing. Yes, there is the bike. Okay. I check everything over again. I have everything. Everything, that is, except my cleated shoes.

So, I couldn't ride seventeen miles without the shoes.
I put the bike back in the back of the pickup, continued on to the city, and found a parking spot about three miles away from campus, and rode the bike with clogs (gah!) to my office. I left my bike at work last night and took the truck home. I figured I'd left the shoes behind at the house.

So, this morning I looked everywhere for those shoes, and they were NOWHERE. I looked on the porch. I looked in the barn. I looked in the garage. I looked in my closet. No shoes!

Well, that messed up my plan to ride home this evening. So I drove down to the closer bus stop in utter frustration.

I had not planned on taking this particular bus, but because the stop is closer, it takes less gas to get to it, and I was feeling guilty about driving all the way to and from the city the day before.

At the bus stop, my neighbor from down the road approaches me. "Did you lose some bike shoes?"

"Why yes."

"My son thought they were yours. No one else on the road bikes. (We live on a dead end rural road.) They were on the side of the road."

It hit me then. I must have put my shoes on the roof of my truck while I was loading my bike.

*Sigh.*

So, I can't ride home tonight. Lesson learned. But I am thankful I live on a road where if something like that happens, everyone knows who the dumbazz was who put her shoes on top of her car! ;)

I need a better system.

[beccaB]

Well, I'm glad your bike shoes turned up! Those can be expensive, and good ones that fit nicely and do the job well are hard to find for some people.

[redrhodie]

This story reminds me of the time I saw a guy driving with a pizza on the roof of his car. Doh! At least you got your shoes back!

I'm awful at remembering stuff. I was in a panic at work the other day because I couldn't find my underwear. I was just about to go commando, when I found them in the bottom of the bag. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened!

[indigoiis]

I told my mom about my day. She wrote back:


Years ago Aunt Ruth was in a nursing home after a stroke. We were
living out in the country--Sandy Point Farm. Every week I use to take
her a martini. I used a paper paint bucket with ice and a glass and the
shaker to transport it to the home Well, once I got all the way to town, stopped for the traffic, and looked around to take
inventory of the stuff I was bringing her - magazines, clean nighties,
martini. NO MARTINI. Then I remembered. I got out and looked on the
roof of the car just in case, and there it was. Is it true that Romney
drove to Canada with his Irish setter on the roof? Anyway, I'm so glad
you got your $$ shoes back.

I love stories like this!

[Trek420]

I need a better system.

Or different pedals. Think dual sided. My commuter has the ones with SPD on one side for when you can find your shoes, flat on the other for when you can't find your shoes or just want to hop on the bike and ride in whatever shoes you have on. ;) :)

[sfa]

I'm glad you got your shoes back! Sounds exactly like something I'd do. I'm not a forgetter in general. I've never locked myself out of my car or house and I don't really lose things. But I'm forever putting my coffee on the top of the car when I strap my kids into their seats and then I drive off with it still on the roof. I've also lost keys and lunches this way. If I were an entrepreneurial type, I'd invent a roof-top box where you could put your stuff to keep it safe when you forgot it and drove away.

For the larger question of organizing my stuff, I don't think my commute is nearly so complicated! I either bike the whole way or drive the whole way. On the days I'm biking, I pack my bag the night before and put my helmet, gloves, glasses, etc. by the front door. One time I had a problem because I discovered at night that I had left my shoes at work in my gym bag (wasn't using cycling shoes--just regular old running shoes) so I biked in the next day wearing water shoes. I live in fear of forgetting to pack my underwear, though.

Sarah

[Tuckervill]

I'd just find a different place to put my coffee. Like on the hood or the dashboard where I couldn't miss it.

Karen

[GeoCam]

How do you keep track of all of your gear? Do you keep it on a shelf by the door? Helmet, check. Sunglasses, check. Money? Keys? water bottle? lights working? Lunch? Do you pack the night before? How long does it take you to leave in the morning?

indigoiis - This has been a pain for me as well. The first several times I commuted, it took me so much longer to get ready to go in the morning that I nearly backed out and drove so I would not be so late for work.

Now I do get absolutely everything ready the night before that I possibly can and that helps me a lot. But I need a better system too. I don't carry a purse on the days I commute, so I have to figure out which items are essential and make sure I put them in my trunk bag (and switch them back to my purse the next day). I misplaced my office key for a couple of weeks because of this back and forth - finally found it in the bottom of my pannier.

[Geonz]

When I can keep track of my keys and phone and wallet for a month straight, I'm going to buy myself an I-phone.

And I'll probably allow for flexibility in the definition of "straight," as in, "okay, I'm pretty sure it's in a pocket in the laundry instead of with me..."

[gnat23]

I got myself one of these units with various sized bins in it and it has changed how I get ready every day:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/rooms/childrens_room/12018-2/

Top drawer (shallow): sunglasses, chapstick, keys, checkbook, heart rate strap, etc
Middle drawer (shallow): multitool, spare tubes, misc patch kits, maps, wool hat, etc
Middle drawer (Deep): Helmet, gloves, vest, windbreaker, arm warmers, leg warmers, etc
Bottom drawer (deep): warm jacket, waterproof stuff, neoprene booties, other misc bits like spare saddle bag, spare tire, backup gloves

I have it in-between my bike storage and the front door. :)

-- gnat!

[SouthernBelle]

I have a bag I bought off of Ebay which doubles as a purse or a handlebar bag. This helps tremendously. I seldom change.

[surgtech1956]

I use a bookcase, keep my bicycle stuff on one shelve and my motorcycle stuff on another, then in the winter I put either the bicycle or motorcycle stuff in a tote and put my cross country ski/snowshoe stuff on a shelve, I need something like bins to keep everything..... :)

[malkin]

One day DH called and said he'd ride to meet me at work and we could ride home together. About a half hour later he called to say that he thought the garage door opener was in his trunk bag, inside the garage. Now it's a detached garage at a condo complex, and there's no other door. I had the other opener on my keys at work.

I rode home, and upon arrival, realized that I'd left my keys (and garage door opener) on my desk.

It was the perfect storm of garage door opener amnesia!

[pardes]

It was the perfect storm of garage door opener amnesia!

Oh Malkin, that is the saddest (but funny) story. I can just imagine your frustration!

I'm too lazy to organize things the night before and two blurry to do it in the morning so EVERYTHING I need stays in my messenger bag and panniers. So far I've not forgotten or misplaced anything in three months of commuting.

On the other hand, I am obsessive-compulsive about the garage door opener. As I zip down the driveway I must look back at the garage door to make sure it's closed and then I fret all the way to the bus stop about whether or not the garage door opener in my pannier might have gotten pushed accidentally and my garage door is flapping up and down.

[GeoCam]

I'm too lazy to organize things the night before and two blurry to do it in the morning so EVERYTHING I need stays in my messenger bag and panniers. So far I've not forgotten or misplaced anything in three months of commuting.

I wish I could make it that simple, but . . . .

I need to transfer "work" from my briefcase to my pannier on the day(s) I commute, but the clothes are what really get me. I need to figure out what I'm going to wear on the bike, plus what I can take to wear at the office. I need to take shoes and a washcloth and make sure I don't forget underwear. It's getting easier, but these decisions took forever at first. Now that people at work know I'm riding, I don't worry near as much about whether my clothes will look wrinkled or my hair is kinda funny.

[shootingstar]

during the first few years of bike commuting, I was quite organized. I packed my work clothes the night before.

Now, I seem to only do that 1/2 of the time.

The worst about 'forgetting', is just before a Labour Day weekend a few years ago, I left behind my house keys which included my bike key locked up in records storage facility (which I am responsible for its security). My bike was locked up at a bike storage facility near a transit train station.

I even turned around and WALKED back to worksite only to discover this dismaying situation. This meant an extra hr. on top of my 1.5 hr. long commute by bus, walk and train.

So guess what I did that weekend? I was so determined not to destroy a holiday weekend...I had to bike to enjoy and not waste vacation time....so I went and bought a new bike.

Admittedly, I had been eyeing the bike for past 3 months in store. :D

And my first ride on that bike..was 90 kms. on that day. I was truly stoked..!

[jsdilks]

:rolleyes:My DH is the one who packs our bags the night before. I get my stuff ready and put it in a tote that goes in the pannier. That being said, we've had two trips with no towel (which we bungee to the top of the center bag), which necessitated the washing of hair in the sink in the locker room and mopping up with paper towels. I have a hair dryer in my bag, so that was all right. And I have extra panty hose in my cabinet at work. I've finally broken down and left a pair of shoes at work to wear - black wedges that take up too much room in the bag. But most days they work fine with my clothes. And it was a good transition since I'm done with the summer flats that took up so little space in the bag. Now we need to work on that lunch thing...can't quite get that worked out yet.

[malkin]

I like shootingstar's problem solving!

[Geonz]

during the first few years of bike commuting, I was quite organized. I packed my work clothes the night before.

Now, I seem to only do that 1/2 of the time.

The worst about 'forgetting', is just before a Labour Day weekend a few years ago, I left behind my house keys which included my bike key locked up in records storage facility (which I am responsible for its security). My bike was locked up at a bike storage facility near a transit train station.

I even turned around and WALKED back to worksite only to discover this dismaying situation. This meant an extra hr. on top of my 1.5 hr. long commute by bus, walk and train.

So guess what I did that weekend? I was so determined not to destroy a holiday weekend...I had to bike to enjoy and not waste vacation time....so I went and bought a new bike.

Admittedly, I had been eyeing the bike for past 3 months in store. :D

And my first ride on that bike..was 90 kms. on that day. I was truly stoked..!

LOLOL

I love it!!!!

Catalysts rock :)

[Blue_Wildflower]

Hello Everyone.

I bike to work 2-3x a week. I keep my toiletries, a curling iron, combs, flip flops, an extra cycling shirt, first aid kit, socks and underwear in a backpack. The night before the first ride, I pack 3 days of clothes. I leave the backpack at work and bring it home on the last ride.

When I come home from a ride, I put my road-id bracelet, gloves, shoe pouch (which contains an old id and cash) in my helmet and hang the helmet on my bike. Near where I put my bike is where I store my clothes.

So far, I haven't left anything. Of course, I go through my bag one more time before I leave.

[shootingstar]

I like shootingstar's problem solving!

Instead of buying a gorgeous evening dress and a pair of sexy expensive shoes, we buy a bike. :rolleyes:

And blueflower you are so organized. I would have problems bringing and storing changes of work clothes for 3 days. It will looked as if I rolled out of bed since we lack enough storage space to store personal stuff neatly. I leave a dress casual black jacket at work.

Well, it gets abit marked up with.. some smears of construction dust (ooh, sorry. make that a fine soil...)

[Geonz]

I won't go anwhere I can't be wrinkled :)

[Blue_Wildflower]

I would have problems bringing and storing changes of work clothes for 3 days. It will looked as if I rolled out of bed

I bring fabrics that "wrinkle out" easily. Usually, slacks (some fabric blend, lol) and a knit top. Bringing clothes for the week has helped a lot.

[out_spokin']

After a bunch of forgotten items similar to those listed here, I put together a checklist that lives in a plastic sheet protector near my "prep area", which I'm happy to email to anyone who can open a Word document, PM me if you want it and you can customize away.

I also highly recommend a single bag or removeable insert for work keys/bus pass/etc. that can be moved from bag to bag for non-bike days....another thing that's helped me is to have different colored lightweight plastic bags for each clothing item (striped one gets the shirt, etc.) so I remember to pack one of everything, and it's a nice backup in case of rain, leaking lunch, etc.!

[Kitty Gatita]

Or different pedals. Think dual sided. My commuter has the ones with SPD on one side for when you can find your shoes, flat on the other for when you can't find your shoes or just want to hop on the bike and ride in whatever shoes you have on. ;) :)

Do tell! What pedals do you have??!!!:)

[CommuterChick]

I used to keep two fairly wrinkle free outfits at work -- black what-I-call Chico's pants, those travelers pants, a long skirt, two different tops, a black sweater or neutral jacket, a decent bra, and a pair of sandals. In the winter the Chico's pants would work with a layer of Cuddle Duds underneath, and I'd keep a couple of pairs of black tights in a file cabinet drawer, make-up too, and a pair of Danskos or other appropriate shoe under my desk. It was just the underwear that had to make the trip back 'n' forth. After the morning I rode to the Y, swam, then went to change before riding to work and discovered NO UNDIES -- I am now the proud owner of a Pepto-Bismol pink strapless, all that Target had in my size at 8am -- I started keeping an emergency set at the office.

Terry sells this thing they call a bicycle cube for keeping all your stuff together -- plain, deluxe, and recycled deluxe (http://www.terrybicycles.com/detail.html?item_no=7629943&c=Accessories), but I would pack my pannier the night before. I like the checkoff list idea!

And that martini story is the best!

[malkin]

Dress where I work is very casual, so unless I get creamed by paint, playdough, school lunch, or eek! I usually wear the same jeans all week anyway, so it doesn't matter if they spend a few nights in my office file cabinet.

In cases of eek! it might mean a trip home to the laundry immediately.