Somewhere in Steve Otto’s closet is a Bike to Work Day shirt from 1991. He’s not sure if that marks the first time he ever biked to work, but he does know that Bike to Work Day is what inspired him to start making his daily commute on two wheels instead of four.

“I tried it out, I really enjoyed it and I just gradually built up,” said, Otto, 49, a software developer at WhiteWave Foods in Denver who has been commuting by bike almost everyday for the past 10 to 15 years.

Biking to work is an increasingly popular option in Denver, a city that averages 1.5 bikes per household. Denver is also home to the country’s second-largest Bike to Work Day event, which this year takes place on June 24.

Though biking to work has many benefits — reducing carbon emissions, getting in shape, avoiding the hassle of parking — it can often seem at odds with the goal of showing up at the office each day looking your best.

But a few tricks and a little planning can help you make a smooth transition from the bike lanes to the boardroom.

Plan your route: There’s nothing less professional than showing up late to the first meeting of the day because you got lost on your way to work.

So if you’ve never biked to work before, take some time to map your route. Otto recommends doing a practice run of the route on the weekend when you’re less crunched for time. You can also start out by driving part of the way and slowly increasing the amount of miles you bike, he said.

For longer commutes, you can purchase a device that mounts your smartphone to your handlebars and uses Google Maps for directions.

Don’t sweat it: A shower at the office is the ideal situation for most bike commuters, but if you don’t have one, there are options.

Carl Pluim, 47, a sales engineer at Level 3 Communications in Denver, suggests showering right before you leave for work in the morning. He also suggests slightly underdressing or wearing lots of layers that can be taken off during the ride. It not only cuts down on sweat but also “keeps the motivation higher,” he said with a laugh.

Luke Chavez, 29, a food scientist at WhiteWave Foods’ Broomfield office, has a different way of avoiding sweat on his 25-mile commute, a strategy he calls “bike and bus.”

He bikes two miles to Union Station, takes a bus that drops him off three miles from the office then bikes the rest of the way to work. The whole process only takes about 15 minutes longer than it would by car, and if it’s cool out, he doesn’t end up sweating that much, he said.

Beat the rain: No one wants to show up to work soaked after a rainy morning commute, and dressing right can make sure you arrive relatively dry. Katelyn Sandoval, 26, an engineer at Tower Engineering Professionals in Arvada, suggests wearing not only a rain jacket but rain pants. Rain pants can go right over your regular pants and are a great way to avoid splashing even if the weather is good. A plastic poncho can also do the job in a pinch, Sandoval said. Just tie the front and back corners together to prevent it from flapping in the wind.

Hair styles: A ponytail or a bun are usually the go-to styles for long hair after biking into the office, but Andrea Krushefski, 25, a software developer at DaVita in Denver, has recently been experimenting with putting her hair in a braid, which fits easily under a helmet and still looks professional. “Braids are really popular right now,” she said. “And it’s a good way to keep things tight and neat.”

Depending on how formal your work environment is, you can keep your hair style basic, said Mona Rosene, 47, a nutrition research scientist at WhiteWave Foods in Broomfield. She takes a shower when she gets to the office but doesn’t wash her hair and just combs it out afterwards.

Extra, extra: Storing extra clothes at the office helps to minimize what you’re carrying on a bike and also gives you flexibility in dressing professionally once you get there. Krushefski keeps black and brown heels and black and brown flats as well as extra shirts at her desk. Caroline Bridges, 28, a corporate social responsibility coordinator at DaVita in Denver, also keeps a cardigan and a blazer at work, which provides a good way to dress up any outfit, she said.

Jessica Iannetta: 303-954-1510, jiannetta@denverpost.com

Bike to work day

Commuters can register for Bike to Work Day online to win prizes. Local organizations throughout Denver will set up breakfast stations in the morning, bike home stations in the evening and water stations in the afternoon.

June 24 from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. 303-458-7665 or biketoworkday.us