Limitations?

Being off my bike this weekend, and working, has made me think about the limits to bicycling. While being in the elements can be unpleasant, there are tasks where a bicycle seems more than just an inconvenient solution, but an impossible one. The more I thought about this, however, the more I wonder how many of these issues can be overcome?

The common concern I have with bicycling, especially in the summer, is heating up and sweating, and then smelling like body odour when I get to my destination. When I was commuting last year, I was commuting to work at The Beer Store. This wasn't too bad as I would usually work up a sweat at work anyway, and worked in a cold environment, preventing the smell from building up on top of it. Currently I am commuting to the Armouries some nights, which is convenient because I have an office to change in or showers if I need them. School and other events come up as an issue, though, because I don't want to wear the clothes I cycle in to class, nor do I want to wear a suit on a bike (or roll it up into a ball in my bag). The school problem has been overcome, as I have a locker now and can store most of my stuff. Any common solution to wearing fancy clothes other than finding a washroom and pulling a Superman?

The other issue for bicycling I foresee is bulk; I am still stubborn in my belief that I can replace a car with a bike in an urban environment for essentially all situations, but bulk has me worried. For starters, as a Military Reservist, there are times when I have to carry a lot of my personal equipment (jackets, boots, shirts, my helmet and other equipment) from home to work. My basic uniform barely fits in my bag (which is why I just leave it at work in a locker), and the rest is hopeless. I'm sure that if I put in the effort, this summer I can construct a trailer (or just shell out the cash to buy one) and that will solve that issue. My most imaginative problem so far has been a kayak; I would love to bicycle down to Cootes' Paradise with a kayak and just enjoy a day on the water... but on a bike? If I can, this summer I would like to build some sort of kayak-trailer. A minimal harness with wheels and a manner to attach it to the back of my bike. Turning radius will be difficult, but maybe I can engineer my way out of that.

My stubbornness holds it's ground; I'm still pretty sure I can over come (nearly) every obstacle to cycling in an urban environment. I would love to hear some other solutions or problems, or even funny stories (like showing up to a business meeting in a suit with chain grease on your hands? That would suck!). Let me know or leave some comments!

Keep it crafty,
Ken