Cycling to work: half hr. presentation- clothing?

[shootingstar]

Cycling off in a few minutes to a meeting different work site, to make a presentation. My part is only 20 min.

at beginning of morning. What would you wear to the meeting? would you spend all that effort changing.

Then I will leave to cycle back to my normal workplace site..about 6 km. away.

I feel like an idiot doing this, but presentation site really is in atypical, light industrial area. There is transit but a walk up a hill ..

Presentation site is about 7 km. away from home in a totally different direction.

[lph]

Depending on the weather and the kind of bike clothing I'm wearing, I'd change just enough to not look out of place. I've worn full bike duds to a parent-teacher meeting, and I have a pretty smart bike jacket that doesn't look out of place in a cafe. At a work meeting I wouldn't want to make a point out of having arrived by bike. I've ridden my bike to fullday work meetings, up a steep hill arriving drenched in sweat. That warrants a shower and full top-to-toe change. For something a short way away I might just wear bikeable clothing, and carry a change of shoes (I have very bikey shoes.)

[tangentgirl]

I'd bring a nice suit-like jacket and wear that to the presentation. I don't think I'd wear it on my bike - just carry it. It's amazing how a jacket can transform a t-shirt and jeans or t-shirt and pants into Instant Business Lady. Ta-da!

[shootingstar]

I cycled to the site in the dark, and got there at 7:00 am. Cycled in black jeans (which I do wear half of the time). Changed into a shirt and threw on black dress jacket. Changed out of my cycling shoes into low-heeled black patent leather walking shoes.

Which I normally wear.

Did joint presentation with my manager to 8 other divisional managers-supervisors.

Then when I left, I still wore my shirt but packed away dress jacket in pannier plus dress pant shoes. Cycled away to office location, sun was shining by then and no snow, no ice. Frost melted off.

But I still felt slightly idiotic...all that preparation. However at least by the end of today, I would have cycled 18 km. instead of 8 km.

Makes wonder if I had to meet with a group of more senior managers what I would do/wear...

[VeganBikeChick]

How clever, shootingstar. I imagine you looked very sharp in your black jeans and dress jacket. Love the creativity people come up with regarding their outfits. I would happily pay someone to dress me well.

[Melalvai]

I love this topic because I passionately believe cycling can be mainstream, and that people can bicycle for transportation and dress normally. When we did the Two Mile Challenge, one of the participants had a goal of figuring out how to dress the way she likes to, and still bicycle. She likes to wear short dressy skirts. There's several fairly simple solutions-- wear shorts under the skirt, take off the shorts after arriving at work. (Hers was a short commute. She could easily walk it--even easier if she would carry the heels she likes to wear.) Bring a change of clothes. Etc.

She ended up not really coming up with a solution during the month we did it, but she admitted that was more lack of effort on her part, that there had been several good suggestions.

[shootingstar]

Well I guess Melavi my excuse is that I honestly cannot bring myself to cycle in street clothing where I have spent some serious dollars or time just to find something that fits me. And I only have about 50% of my wardrobe. The rest is in another province.

The black jeans are Yoga jeans brand and look best on me. They have abit of lycra for a tiny amount of stretch and hence, comfortable for a short cycle.

But still I paid $100.00 for those jeans....after searching for jeans that fit/I liked for past....FEW years. No kidding. Now I wear them often. So versatile!
http://www.plum.ca/i.cfm/p/item/iid/185 These were invented in Montreal.

So I am not cycling much in such jeans. I have cheap tights and cycling clothing...

(Yea, I bought a 2nd pair, about a yr. later....)

[Crankin]

Those jeans look interesting, but a 34 inch inseam ?
You must have some seamstress skill; I would have top pay to get those hemmed.

[shootingstar]

Really, it's not a big deal for me to alter jeans for shortie me at 30 inch seam jeans.

Right now, my sewing machine is in a different province too. But whenever I go back to 2nd home, I'm doing minor alterations.

I like the jeans line since it offers different waist depth design choices.