This breakout session at PDXbizbikes covers tips for bike commuting to work while maintaining a professional appearance. The presentation provides strategies for biking longer or shorter distances, including packing the right gear, utilizing shower facilities, and selecting appropriate clothing. Employer policies and facilities that support bike commuting are also discussed. Sample commuting gear from local shops is shown, with special focus on addressing common concerns for women bike commuters.

1. #PDXbizbikes
Breakout Session #1 – North Room
Don't Sweat the Commute
As the number of people pedaling to work continues to grow, bike gear and
worksites are evolving to accommodate the bike commuter. This session
covers both tips for biking to work while dressing for success, as well as
policies and facilities that employers are offering to support bike commuting
by their employees. Presentation includes sample gear from local bike shops
and special attention on common concerns of women bike commuters.

2. Presented
by:
Tips for bike
commuting
and dressing
professional
for
the office.
Don’t Sweat the Commute
Portland
Employers
Bike
Summit
2014
Bike to Work (But Look
Like You Didn't)
Amy Long, Cambia Health Solutions
Hannah Dondy-Kaplan, Bonneville Power
Admin.
Grace Cho, Oregon Metro
Martina Fahrner Leah
Benson

3. Excuses, Excuses…
“I'd like to bike
to work but…”
• I’ll get too sweaty
• I don’t want helmet
hair
• I have to dress
professionally for
the office
“It takes me hours
to make my hair
look this good!”

4. • Short or long bike commute, there are
strategies and tools to make certain
you’ll be presentable at the office.
• Also, it’s nice when people ask,
incredulously, “You biked today?” You
might even inspire them to try it
themselves.
• Even a short ride can often wake you up
and get your blood pumping for that
“healthy glow.”
Biking. Looking Nice. Not Mutually
Exclusive.

5. What do we have in store for
you?
Short Ride or Long – Bike Commute Tips for
Everyone
Amy Long of Cambia Health Solutions
Hey Ladies! – Common Concerns & Solutions for
Women Bike Commuters
Grace Cho of Metro
Bike Here Please! – Bike Commuter Friendly Offices
Hannah Dondy-Kaplan of Bonneville Power
Administration
Gear that Makes the Commute a Breeze, Rain or
Shine
Martina Fahrner of Clever Cycles
Leah Benson of Gladys Bikes

6. Short Ride or Long – Bike
Commute Tips for Everyone
Amy Long – Cambia Health Solutions

7. • 5 mile or less commute? Probably can bike in
work clothes
Shorter Ride

8. Longer than five miles to work?
• Probably need to change clothes
• A shower at the office is very helpful
• Requires some preparation
– Pack clothes or store at the office
– Shower bag (don’t forget the flip flops
and towel)
Longer Ride

9. • No Shower at the office?
– Consider a shower-only or full gym
membership at nearby health clubs
– A nearby office building with showers
available to employees
– Packing necessities to freshen up
(towel, face wash)
• Or, what about biking from work
only?
Longer Ride

10. One-Way Ride

11. • Store clothes at work
• Several dry cleaners
pick-up and deliver
from office towers.
Have all your shirts
and slacks laundered
and ready for you at
work.
• If you must bring
your stuff each day,
carefully fold and
roll to minimize
wrinkles
• TransIt Garment Bag
Pannier
• Pack ahead of time
(day-of packing leads
to forgotten items)
Pack Well

12. Pack Well
• Store clothes at work
• Several dry cleaners
pick-up and deliver
from office towers.
Have all your shirts
and slacks laundered
and ready for you at
work.
• If you must bring
your stuff each day,
carefully fold and
roll to minimize
wrinkles
• TransIt Garment Bag
Pannier
• Pack ahead of time
(day-of packing leads
to forgotten items)

13. • Merino wool (how not to smell
bad)
• Packable clothing (think REI,
not Nordstrom)
• How my heated footrest has
saved my life
Amy’s Checklist

14. Hey Ladies! - Common Concerns &
Solutions for Women Bike
Commuters
Grace Cho – Metro

15. Common Concerns
• Huge variety of
women’s style, level
of interest in and
interpretation of
what it means to look
feminine.
• Common roadblocks
we’ve heard from
women:
– Hair
– Clothes
– Trip chaining and
errands

16. • Shower at the office
• Wear a well-ventilated
helmet
• Ride with wet hair or
slightly dampen and blow-
dry your hair at work
• Dry shampoo
• Use hair products that
can be “reworked”
• For longer hair, wear it
in a braid or low bun
that won’t interfere with
helmet
• Let the helmet set your
hair
Fight Helmet Hair

17. • Step-through frames are
convenient, but you can
modestly dismount with other
frames
• Wear tights in the fall or
buy a couple pairs of shorts
to wear with your summer
dresses
• Tight fitting skirts are
more challenging. Flowy
skirts can flow up. Skorts
are perfect.
• Need heels with that outfit?
• Seeing more bike specific
clothing (mostly for the
guys) but some specifically
for women
Skirts, Dresses, and
Heels
Iva Jean Pencil Skirt
Skirt Garter/Bird Industries (Etsy)

18. Grace’s Checklist
Pack the night before:
• small (or large towel) for drying off
at the office
• blow dryer
• wet wipes (insta-shower)
For the longer-haul commuters (5 miles +):
• Think of your morning being inverted
• Save time and get exercise by commuting
and working out all in one go

19. Bike Here Please! – Bike
Commuter Friendly Offices
Hannah Dondy-Kaplan –
Bonneville Power Administration

20. • Bikes are good
for business
• Welcoming bike
commuters:
• Supportive
Policies
• Excellent
Facilities
Bike-Friendly Office
Space

21. • Dress code
• Incentives
• Commute Options
• Management
Supportive Policies

22. • Quality bike parking
– Secure
– Weather-protected
– Well-located
• Shower Facilities
• Clothing lockers
• Bike Repair Stations &
Basic Tools
Excellent Facilities

23. Hannah’s Checklist
• Leave enough time for your ride
(you actually get MORE sweaty once
you’ve stopped riding sometimes)
• Panniers may be dorky but they
are more comfortable and cooler
(temperature) than a backpack
or messenger bag.
• Leave office shoes and blazers
at work for easy dress-up.

24. The Gear You Want
Martina Fahrner & Leah Benson

25. The Gear You Want
A few tools and strategies can be
helpful regardless of your bike
commute length
• Chain guard, belt drive bike, or ankle
straps (regular chain maintenance also
helps)
• Fenders
• Bike rack with panniers or basket
• Spare bike tube, tools, & a rag (and/or a
TriMet ticket)
• “Dopp Kit” stored at the office
• Step through frames are more skirt/dress-
friendly but not essential

26. The Gear You Want

27. • Exposed seam
commuter cuff
(great idea for
rainy ride)
• PoCampo Bags
• Levi’s Commuter
Collection (Men)
• Lightweights
Silver Flex Tape
(DIY
reflectivity)
The Gear You Want

28. Portland Area
Transportation Management
Associations:
• Go Lloyd
• Westside Transportation
Alliance
• Swan Island
• Washington Park
• South Waterfront
Your Friendly, Local
TMA
Lindsay Walker
Rae-Leigh Stark