# Office etiquette...



## Arby (Apr 29, 2004)

_Since RB started posting on the Commuting Forum the place has come alive. I went back in time to find his first post here. Thanks Arby.

MB1_

Tell me now: Is it wrong to spread your wet riding clothes out over the heater and bake your stinky old sidis when you share an office with someone? I dunno. This new guy I work with is a complete non-biker and hardly understands why people like to bike so much. He thinks I'm crazy for riding in everyday. I think he's crazy for living in Delaware and driving to Baltimore for work everyday. I really don't care, but I truly think he thinks something is wrong with me. Is there? ... I guess I don't care.

*sniff sniff*... almost done. Just about time to get soaked on my way home now. 

RB
PS: IT'S FRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDAY!!!!!!!!!


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## FishrCutB8 (Aug 2, 2004)

Is there something wrong with you? ABSOLUTELY! You're biking in jeans. Get some lycra and youre baking time will be cut in quarter....


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## Arby (Apr 29, 2004)

*I'm waaaaay...*



FishrCutB8 said:


> Is there something wrong with you? ABSOLUTELY! You're biking in jeans. Get some lycra and youre baking time will be cut in quarter....


.. too cool for lycra when commuting! Road riding; that's different.

RB


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## FishrCutB8 (Aug 2, 2004)

Well at least get some nylon sweatpants. You're killing me looking at those jeans. Also, nylon won't stink like cotton when it dries.


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

Oh, how I miss the old days. I used work at a hotel and the wonderful ladies in the laundry department would actually hang my clothes up in the laundry room to dry while I worked.  They thought it was funny that I rode my bike in the snow and rain. I miss them a lot.
I agree that some nylon pants would probably be an improvement. Wearing wet jeans is a terrible feeling even in warm weather.
As for the stinky shoes baking on the heater, he just needs to suck it up  (I couldn't resist)


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## bikenerd (Jan 22, 2004)

I agree with FishrCutB8 - lose the jeans, get some proper bike gear. Jeans are fine if you're riding less than say, 100 yards. I'm sure it gets colder in Baltimore, but out here in sunny CA I've commuted down to about 25 degrees in bike clothes, the only thing I can't keep warm is my hands. How low do you want to go? Check out www.icebike.com for serious hardcore winter riding advice.


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## jumpstumper (Aug 17, 2004)

If I were your office-mate and had to suffer though a day of smelling your cooked shoes, I would make sure you found strange and interesting things on the inside of your jeans during the ride home. Bad ettiquette? Hell yeah it is.


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## zeytin (May 15, 2004)

*Might not be the cold*



bikenerd said:


> I agree with FishrCutB8 - lose the jeans, get some proper bike gear. Jeans are fine if you're riding less than say, 100 yards. I'm sure it gets colder in Baltimore, but out here in sunny CA I've commuted down to about 25 degrees in bike clothes, the only thing I can't keep warm is my hands. How low do you want to go? Check out www.icebike.com for serious hardcore winter riding advice.


The reason I never wore biking clothes to commute in downtown Baltimore had nothing to do with the temperature. This may not be RB's reason but it was mine, lycra equals target in some areas of this city. There are certain streets where you are trying to sneak through as anonymously as possible, if you get my drift. Hell some 10 yr old kid tried to steal my motorcycle one night...while I was riding it! Don't get me wrong I love my city but, like any city, in certain parts you have to be careful.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

I hang my clothes in my cubicle. The advantage of actual riding clothes is that people can't tell if my pants or shorts are wet because they're black and that they will dry faster. I leave my shoes and insoles under my desk. Everything dries in plenty of time without needing to put anything right next to a heater. If I rented a locker in the gym and hung them there, they wouldn't dry in time.

I wouldn't leave my clothes hanging like you do. I don't know what it is, but mine never look as offputting as that picture. Maybe I'm just delusional, or maybe it is because my cubicle would be considered very tidy and "normal" compared to a lot of others around me, even with my cycling clothes hanging there.


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## Guest (Nov 15, 2004)

Couple more things, if you aren't going to wear booties or shoe covers then stuff your shoes full of crumpled up newspaper when you take em off.

They will dry faster and maintain their shape better.


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## velocity (Apr 18, 2002)

zeytin said:


> The reason I never wore biking clothes to commute in downtown Baltimore had nothing to do with the temperature. This may not be RB's reason but it was mine, lycra equals target in some areas of this city. There are certain streets where you are trying to sneak through as anonymously as possible, if you get my drift. Hell some 10 yr old kid tried to steal my motorcycle one night...while I was riding it! Don't get me wrong I love my city but, like any city, in certain parts you have to be careful.


Commuter-specific cycling clothes! How 'bout a kinda baggy urban bike messenger look? It'll help loads dealing with the sweat and the wet.


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## slowrider (Mar 12, 2004)

I with you man. I hang up my windproof, waterproof, jacket to dry in my office after my morning commute, and it has the whole office funky. It's dry by the time I'm ready to ride home, but you can smell it from 20 feet away. I wear fleece or nylon sweatpants (as people have suggested to you) as well. They're more comfortable, and dry faster, then jeans, plus they will let you blend in. Oh yeah, they stink up my office as well. If I wear that jacket 2 days in a row, without washing it, cover your nose. I leave foot powder at my desk for my shoes.


toomanybikes said:


> Couple more things, if you aren't going to wear booties or shoe covers then stuff your shoes full of crumpled up newspaper when you take em off.
> 
> They will dry faster and maintain their shape better.


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

Arby said:


> .. too cool for lycra when commuting! Road riding; that's different.
> 
> RB


Sidis and jeans?

Sorry- my commute is 20 miles each way- I'll take the lycra, thank you very much. I bike through "all sorts of neighborhoods" and frankly, who really wants to mess with a guy crazy enough to wear lycra on the wrong side of the the tracks?

My clothes dry in the shower room- and I'm the only one who ever seems to use it.


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## the_dude (Jun 25, 2004)

this topic is bringing back horrible memories that have been supressed for several years. my freshman roommate (who happened to have the worst smelling feet in the world) would throw his sweat-soaked socks on the heater at night. i'd wake up every morning with the smell of fungally-infected foot burned into my nostrils. it was horrendous. thanks for awakening that sleeping beast of a memory.

the_dude


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Poor RB's taking a beating in this thread. I think I'll roll up the cuff of my jeans, slip my semi-retired old mtb shoes over my rag wool socks, and pedal on home to have a beer in his honor.


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## gogogomoveit (Nov 20, 2003)

*Lycra for commute?*

Gotta be kidding me. Yeh lycra shorts as underlayer, but no way on top. Try wearing lycra and ride around a University Campus, and if you dont feel like you are a complete dork, you have an overwhelming self esteem.

For my commute, Jeans are stylish and warm. I only ride 2 miles, and 80% of the time I am out of the saddle, so I dont have to worry about chafing, and still look cool on/off the bike. Nothing beats a messenger bag+ Turtle neck top+ Jeans + Roadie Shades + Bullhord Single speed bike


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## BenR (Dec 14, 2001)

*don't lose those shoes...*



jumpstumper said:


> If I were your office-mate and had to suffer though a day of smelling your cooked shoes, I would make sure you found strange and interesting things on the inside of your jeans during the ride home. Bad ettiquette? Hell yeah it is.


I loved my old dominator II's but they finally cracked across the soles. Glad to see a pair out there that is still alive and stinking up some lazy guy's office. Bad ettiquette, yes! Funny, yes! It'd be funnier if you hung air fresheners. But man, unless you're only riding a couple miles, you really should try something other than jeans. Looks like you have to change anyway.


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## the_dude (Jun 25, 2004)

gogogomoveit said:


> Gotta be kidding me. Yeh lycra shorts as underlayer, but no way on top. Try wearing lycra and ride around a University Campus, and if you dont feel like you are a complete dork, you have an overwhelming self esteem.
> 
> For my commute, Jeans are stylish and warm. I only ride 2 miles, and 80% of the time I am out of the saddle, so I dont have to worry about chafing, and still look cool on/off the bike. Nothing beats a messenger bag+ Turtle neck top+ Jeans + Roadie Shades + Bullhord Single speed bike



nope. you're still a dork.

the_dude


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

I've had several ladies interact with me when I'm commuting in my bike shorts or tights. A couple of weeks ago, a lady driving an Audi smiled and gave me a peace sign while we were at a red light. The other day when I had a flat, I had two ladies in two separate cars stop to see if I needed help. If jeans made me seem even cooler, my wife might start getting mad.


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## Spinfinity (Feb 3, 2004)

*Where are the Carrera, jeans-look lycra shorts when you need them?*

I commute in Lycra and do errands in my work clothes unless it's too hot or cold to tolerate riding in long pants and a shirt. I have my own office but still hide my cycling clothes more discreetly than you do. As one with hopes of encouraging others to cyclommute, I try make it appear as normal as my personality allows.


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## TypeOne (Dec 28, 2001)

*Microwave*

Probably poor taste, but I do it, too. I keep a long pair of shorts in my bike locker that I wear over the lycra shorts or tights so I don't offend anyone at work (or get my butt kicked by hooligans on the 2-block walk to my office.) Just a thought if you are thinking of forgeting those jeans after taking all the abuse here.

I joked with someone here that I was going to dry out my wet cycling socks in the microwave. She was horrified and thought I was serious, but of course she would - everyone here thinks I am crazy simply for riding to work each morning.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

*Microwave -- Anyone try it?*



TypeOne said:


> I joked with someone here that I was going to dry out my wet cycling socks in the microwave. She was horrified and thought I was serious, but of course she would - everyone here thinks I am crazy simply for riding to work each morning.


I don't mind getting wet while I am riding. But, I hate putting on wet clothes or shoes. Years ago, I was working in a large firm and one day when I was trying to dry my rain-soaked shirt, someone told me that a certain secretary with very large hair had a hair dryer in her desk (Remember, Hon, this is Baltimore, home of John Waters, Hairspray, etc.). It took me a long time to live down the sh!t I received for trying to dry my stuff with Ms. Big Hair's dryer. 

I used to put my wet cycling shoes in the regular oven at home to dry. My method: warm the oven to the lowest possible temperature (175 on my oven), quickly open the door and throw in the shoes, turn off the oven and let the shoes sit in the warm oven for about two hours. My method worked like a charm until my wife inadvertently discovered it and demanded that I not put cycling shoe in the oven. Little did she know that she gave me a good excuse to buy a second pair of cycling shoes so that I always would have a dry pair.

RB: I enjoyed riding with you and look forward to doing it again. I don't care what you wear when you ride, either on your commute or when riding in the country with me. But, I sure am glad that I was not sharing an office with you on the day you posted these pics. Couldn't you find a utility closet or an empty file drawer somewhere to stash those wet shoes? Stuffing them with dry newspaper and changing the paper at lunch probably would have dried the shoes as well as your using the office heater and testing the tolerance of your office mate.


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## gogogomoveit (Nov 20, 2003)

the_dude said:


> nope. you're still a dork.
> 
> the_dude


Do you commute? Get a clue dude.


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## the_dude (Jun 25, 2004)

gogogomoveit said:


> Do you commute? Get a clue dude.


i know sarcasm doesn't translate over the internet, but that's what it was. sorry if i offended. and yes, i do commute. in fact, i often wear lycra or tights on my commute. so i've got enough of a clue. just trying to have a little fun in here. lighten up a bit. since when is being a dork such a bad thing? 

the_dude


-on a serious note, you mention lycra as a base layer....how does that work? every time i've tried shorts over my bib, the lack of friction that is lycra leads to my shorts sliding around and riding up like a b!tch.


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## gogogomoveit (Nov 20, 2003)

the_dude said:


> i know sarcasm doesn't translate over the internet, but that's what it was. sorry if i offended. and yes, i do commute. in fact, i often wear lycra or tights on my commute. so i've got enough of a clue. just trying to have a little fun in here. lighten up a bit. since when is being a dork such a bad thing?
> 
> the_dude
> 
> ...


We should get over this. Being dorky doesnt sound very cool . I only wear lycra when it is wet out there, cos Lycra doesnt soak up that much water. Even so I will change right off the bike.

Anyways. I dont really have problem sliding around on the saddle, perhaps because I dont switch position that much.


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## the_dude (Jun 25, 2004)

*the official thread ender.....*

for those of you that didn't see this over in the general discussion forum, take a little looksee. and let the argument over commuting in jeans or lycra end. 

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=19359


the_dude


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## Strider (Aug 3, 2004)

*Office Etiquitte.........*

Since I could not find this thread in the _General Thread_ I will post here.

You can Google _Boot Dryers and Towel Dryers_ to find a possible 
solution. You could put the towel dryer in the bathroom, if it wouldn't grow
legs. Good luck.


Strider


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## Thommy (Sep 23, 2003)

*air fresheners with double sided tape*

I agree with "toomanybikes" (is there such a thing?) that newspaper will dry out your shoes and cut down on the funk. Is there anyother place you can hang your clothes to dry? A two mile commute in jeans isn't too bad. After the ride you can use baby wipes to freshen up. Ever try carrying those plastic shopping bags in your bag for the rainy days? I use then to slip over my shoes to keep 'em dry. Talk about el Dorko factor. If you can find another place to hang your clothes you could try a self sticking air freshener to lighten things up. Can you buy a towel rack and put it up some where out of site to hang your clothes on?


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