Help me buy essentials for bike commuting! What to wear?

[solittletime]

Any tips on how to prepare for commuting by bike. It’s about 40 mins each way so cycling in work clothes not an option.
Budget very tight.. there’s so much specialist cycling gear out there!!
Would it work just to buy lots of cheap leggings and spare underwear, and just quickly freshen up in toilets at work and change? That way doesn’t even matter if I get wet too much.
Am I missing something?

A cover for your bag to keep it dry and waterproofs for you. Decathlon is good for cheap, but reliable stuff.

Thanks! I’m just trying to picture changing at work and the preparation that involves. Can see myself forgetting part of my work outfit and spending the day half in leggings and half in a shirt!!!

Can you leave clothes at the office? So my husband drives once a week to stock up supplies in his locker of clothes. He also showers when he gets to work is that an option?

Make sure you have really bright lights for you bike and lots of hi viz the nights are already drawing in.

You don't need much tbh. Leggings and tops to change out of is great. I would get sports clothes as they are more comfortable and dry more quickly but you don't need them to be cycling specific. Get a waterproof backpack if you can. Rain jacket. Small washkit and quick-drying towel to keep at work if possible. Plus leave dry shoes there. If you can find room at work a spare outfit is handy. But I've only forgotten clothes once or twice out of almost 20 years of cycling to work.

cycle is a cheap long sleeve top from Sports direct or similar, use gloves too, all to give you some protection from grazing in a minor spill.

Obviously you have a high quality helmet and lights.

High vis, reflecting band/ coat. Extra lights!

High quality lock

Helmet cam, they can be very cheap

Plan for where your cycling kit goes during the day. Somewhere it can dry but not cause other people any trouble. If you get soaked on the way in you don't want that stuff in your bag all day and then have to wear it again.... Can you shower at work? It helps if you can but I haven't always been able to. Oh and for the winter you will need really good cycling gloves. I have sealskin ones.

Thanks I needed some reassuring words of encouragement. Really don’t want anything to put me off and tempt me to take the car.
Unfortunately varied work locations and tight margins with school drop off make keeping clothes at work and showers unlikely.
Hoping wet flannel in toilet cubicle will work....
Almost talking myself out of this !!!
Also hoping I’ll sweat less as time goes on and I get used to the ride..!

I only have a short journey so I just freshen up at work rather than full shower. I keep a bag at work with hair products, deodorant, makeup etc. Also a few spare clothes and shoes as well as a jacket and small bag for lunchtime.

Thanks yes, I have invested in good helmet and lights and d-lock

Make sure you have a lot of high vis clothing, bike lights + batteries, + reflectors - it doesn't matter if its not fashionable if it means you'r visible to motorists on the road.

A good bike lock for storing the bike (I might be wrong, but I believe D locks are the safest?)

And, depending on your bike and bum, do you need some nice padded shorts? You might have a fanny of steel and thus not be bothered by the bike seat, or you might want all the padding in the world? (if you need some, but don't want to buy too many pairs of padded bottoms, just buy one or two and you can wear them over /under other pairs of normal leggings).

.... yep, I look greeeat when I go cycling 🙄😂

If you have to carry everything with you, panniers are much easier than a heavy backpack. Decathlon are great value.
I have a good altura waterproof jacket but a few pairs of cheap leggings and normal trainers. The winter cycling gear should be coming into Aldi/Lidl soon.

I have a massive waterproof panier (not Ortlieb, but like it) so I can safely carry my laptop. Waterproof trousers and a decent anorak are important imo (I cycle in my work clothes, but it would be unpleasant to be wet in cycling clothes also, and even more unpleasant to put them back on later!).

My dp is an avid cyclist and he always recommends a cap too - keeps the sun out of your eyes of it's sunny, soaks up sweat if needs be and keeps the rain off your glasses/out of your eyes when it rains. I don't use one, but he swears by it.

It actually doesn't rain as often as you might think, and the prospect of cycling in the rain is always much worse than actually doing it.

Dp also recommends a routeplanner website called cycle.travel which gives more appropriate routes for cyclists. Quite a specific example, but the shortest route to my parents' house is very up and down and exhausting. There is another route which is mostly downhill on the way there, and quite a gentle slope up on the way home. It's much better, even though it's a bit further.

I’m so glad I posted the question, thanks everyone!!

If you have room (and work one location) keep a couple pairs of trousers and your work shoes (plus emergency dry socks and pants) at work. Also suit jacket if needed. Carry clean shirt/blouse in backpack or pannier. Every so often take home a pair of trousers to wash. I would wear decathlon cycling shorts (under leggings when chilly). Rain jacket, bike gloves. Whatever top layers suit weather. Leave lock at work bikeparking. If it’s chucking it down in morning bring spare leggings/shorts gloves to ride home (unless you have amazing drying area at work), and shove your wet shoes full of paper towels/newspaper.

Agree get panniers, usually waterproof enough for rainy days and far less sweaty and don't destabilise your balance like heavy backpacks can. Pack it the night before and just grab and go in the morning.

Strongly recommend a decent rain jacket that is longer at the back to cover the bum. Gloves as if you come off hands are the first thing to hit the ground. If your gear is not brightly coloured you can get stick on hi viz strips and ankle/wrist velco wraps from Poundland.

Normal sports leggings and tops are fine though padded cycling shorts underneath are much for comfy for female bits. Use plastic bags over socks inside shoes if its really chucking down. If you do need anything, Aldi cycling gear is good enough as is Decathlon.

A wet & dry flannel set and bio-degradable baby wipes for a strip wash in the loos plus dry shampoo. And a full change of underwear as sweaty knickers feel horrible and a sweaty bra can pong by end of day. (I used to wear a built-in-bra vest top for cycling as it was stretchy and more comfortable). On hot days I'd shower before I left home to get the sweaty night smells off my skin.

Cycle commuting is easy and not complicated. Once in the routine you'll be used to it.

Thank you @Gerwurtztraminer such a comprehensive reply! Hadn’t thought of that, two flannels, one wet one dry. Think I’m all set!

What kind of job do you have, OP, what kind of dress code is it?
What gear do you actually need to lug back and forth daily?

What kind of bike do you have, have you tested the route which is why you know it's 40 minutes to cycle each way?

I used to cycle 30 mins each way.

For summer I had cheap exercise shorts and t-shirts/vests. For winter I had similarly cheap insulated leggings, and t-shirts/long sleeve shirts. I had a reflective lightweight waterproof too. I had insulated and non-insulated glove options.

I spent more on my safety gear. A waterproof, reflective backpack (wish I'd gotten panniers), good rechargeable lights for my bike and helmet, a really decent helmet too.

Folding a blouse round a sturdy magazine or similar and then put it in a plastic bag that you then fold neatly to the size of the magazine is a great way to have crease free clothes when you arrive at the other end.
And a supply of snacks at work as if you feel hungry at the end of the day it can feel like a long way home.