What to wear for 4.5 mile commute? General commuting tips?

[shootingstar]

If you wore clothing just for cycling, (it doesn't have to be bike lycra shorts, even walking shorts is fine if you don't need padded shorts. I don't, but everyone is different.), it would lessen the worry for you on bike commuting for awhile. Bring facecloth, soap water,etc. If you can, start work earlier (?) and end work day earlier. I've always negotiated this one for the last 15 yrs. when bike commuting. And it works for me...meaning I finish work at 4:00 pm.

Lay out your business clothing for packing night before, if you are too worried/nervous. Pack very light jacket and super light wind pants in case it rains. Scrunch them up into your pannier and don't worry about them until you need to wear them. I store at least 1-2 dress shoe pairs at work so I don't have to haul around extra weight.

I've never had a flat commuting to and from work...in last 20 years by bike. I've had bike commuting trips ranging from 30 km. round trip daily (for ten years) to 8 km. other years, on a combination of road pavement, ravine park packed dirt/gravel trails, etc. Yes, I've bike commuted through downtown cores for 3 major Canadian cities....and I've never had a flat while commuting to and from work.

My bike flats have always occurred on bike rides outside of work commutes. You learn to know every foot or metre of your favourite bike commuting route, see the debris or non-debris ahead.

You'll get the hang of it.