How I bike to work in a suit

Riding in Milan without a helmet, which I don’t recommend (the helmet part – riding in Milan is highly recommended).

Riding a bicycle in Italy was a revelation. Seeing so many supremely well dressed men and women riding bikes through a major, busy city opened my eyes to a truth I’d never seen first-hand: bicycling can be elegant.

Here in Toronto many commuters ride bikes as if they are couriers, as quickly and aggressively as possible. Our only association with bicycles is sport and so people ride and therefore dress for biking like they’re in a race. But what I saw in Milan was a completely different approach. Instead of thinking of biking as a commute slightly slower than a car, it was a commute slightly faster than a walk. Most cyclists ambled along leisurely and relaxedly which gave them lots of time to deal with traffic and pedestrians and as such they caused little stress to those around them. I will admit that this was the impression left after only two weeks in the city; I’m sure others would say the opposite and perhaps commend the way we ride our bikes in Toronto.

My impression of Milan supported the way I ride a bike: with the utmost respect for those around me while moving slowly and deliberately. And that is the key to riding a bike in jacket and tie. If you think of it as a fast walk, instead of a sport, there is no need to change into Spandex shorts. Also, since walking rarely damages my clothes or my shoes, with a little bit of preparation the same has been true of biking. Riding at a slower, even pace allows me to more confidently navigate the city’s streets as well as not arriving at my destination in a full sweat.

However, it isn’t as simple as just jumping on your bike. First and foremost, give your bike a good wash and do it often. Grease and dirt build up on bikes and the former can easily rub off on your clothes and is next to impossible to clean, especially on worsted fabric. No matter how clean your bike is, though, you have to protect your trousers from the oil of the chain and I have found that Brooks trouser straps combine function with elegance. A metal strip covered in various shades of leather, their only drawback is that they are not quite long enough to securely hold heavier trousers. But since most of my biking is done in the summer, my trousers are usually lightweight wool, linen or cotton.

Brooks trouser straps.

Commuting on a bicycle also means carrying stuff and I strongly suggest you avoid a backpack: they cause sweat to build up on your back and the weight of the straps will misshape the shoulders of your jacket. Instead, I opt for a pannier pack. My Brooks Suffolk rear pannier, like their trouser straps, is both elegant and functional. Made of waterproof material and with a very large main compartment, it holds everything from my laptop to a change of shoes. Plus, when I remove it to carry it into the office, it looks more like a stylish tote than a gym bag.

Brooks Suffolk rear pannier.

When I was in Italy, I asked the legendary tailor Gianni Campagna what was more important when riding a bicycle: wearing a helmet or wearing a fine suit? The answer, for me, is both. The problem, again, is that most helmets look like they were designed for off-road mountain biking. Effective, yes, but they create a look similar to wearing a baseball cap with a suit. I’m happy with my solution: the Bern Watts looks a bit more like an equestrian helmet. It’s a more natural fit with a suit thanks to the long association between sports jackets and horse riding.

Bern Watts helmet.

In colder months, gloves are a must and while driving gloves would fit the bill sartorially, functionally they don’t work for me because all those perforations defeat the purpose of keeping your hands warm. Instead, I opt for lightly lined leather gloves – just enough protection without overheating.

As I’ve said before, one key point for me when biking in a suit is to ride at a slower pace. Not only does it feel safer, you don’t heat up as much. However, when spring turns into summer, even a slow pace can raise the temperature. To deal with this, I start by putting my tie in my pannier and unbuttoning the top one or two buttons on my shirt, as well as unbuttoning my shirt cuffs, so a bit of air conditioning can flow up my sleeves. A few degrees hotter and the jacket comes off and is carefully – very carefully – rolled and placed in my pannier. However, when Toronto’s sweltering, humid weather really does arrive I will gladly admit that I doff my suit. Instead, I wear a polo shirt, shorts and sneakers and change once I get to work. The last office I worked at, I kept a pair of leather loafers under my desk as shoes can be cumbersome to transport. My jacket, trousers and shirt were carefully rolled and gingerly placed in my pannier.

If you ride while suited, I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.

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