New Company - No Shower, No Lockers - Help

MartinGT

Guys

I am about to start at a new company next week and I love commuting by bike and would like to continue that, now a couple of obstacles have been placed in my way and I would like some advice.

No shower, Ive read the thread re no shower and its pretty much common sense, so thats not a bad one. I was just thinking when it was raining, drying myself off, basically Ill use my travel tower, but this put me onto my main question.

My old company had lockers, so any wet gear I would hang in there and dry. Now, I dont 100% know my new office,there maybe an unused disabled toilet I can hang gear to dry and get changed it.

BUT

What do people do with wet gear that dont have lockers? Any genius way of drying stuff? I ride in Lycra anyways so it drys pretty quick.

All thoughts welcome

TIA

Cafewanda

Hmm, I have a locker but don't put wet stuff in there. Fortunately I sit next to a window that has a bar going across it so that is my 'washing line'.

If I didn't have that I'd probably use the coatstand :evil:

kieranb

I use the handicapped toilets as their is no one in our office who needs it, I used to use store rooms before or coat racks

Clever Pun

kieranb wrote:

I use the handicapped toilets as their is no one in our office who needs it, I used to use store rooms before or coat racks

that's a best place to go for a .. comfort break.

If someone drops off something the size of king kongs finger in there do you really want that smell hanging around?

to the OP is there a gym nearby?

MartinGT

Nah no gym I dont mind not having a shower in the morning, I can take it steady and not need one. I would prefer one of course, however, thats not an option.

If there isnt a disabled loo I shall have to devise some way of hanging my shorts up really. :?

Shoes can go under my desk and dry there. Its mostly my shorts.

HamishD

If you've got no way of drying clothes the best thing to do is take two sets of shorts and top each day - one for the way in and one for the way back . . .

Pufftmw

Server Room is ace for drying things - just don't leave them dripping over the servers/electrics :shock:

rjsterry

Get hold of one of those trouser hangers - like a coat hanger with two big clips attached - these are good for hanging lycra shorts up, and will make them easier to hook over a convenient drawer handle or similar.

http://www.sourcingmap.com/wooden-antislip-clothes-trousers-pants-skirts-hangers-pcs-p-49921.html

Norky

Air coming out of A/C units is quite dry, so despite being cool, it can take the moisture out of your clothes pretty quickly. Finding somewhere safe to hang your clothes in front of an A/C outlet is an exercise left to the reader...

In my case, we have a floor full of junk above a warehouse which houses some A/C heat exchanger units (the things that usually sit outside a building) which put out warm air and have been used for emergency drying after some very wet weather.

You could also hang shorts behind (behind, for dog's sake, not *on*, water dripping into a PC is not clever) the warm air outlet of your PC, assuming you work at a desk with a computer on it.

Failing that, a clothes hanger, so that the shorts are stretched (but not too stretched) out a bit will aid the natural drying process.

The main question is "where in your place of work can you put your clothes without somebody complaining about it for some (often specious) reason?". Only you can answer that.

edit: Oh, also, ask your new employer about it. Quote the usual advantages for cycle commuintg: you're healthier and more alert; it's one less parking space for them to pay for (assuming they do provide parking) etc etc.

MartinGT

Cheers for the Info guys

Will be driving there for a couple of days next week, gives me a chance to scope out the facilities

Norky

Pufftmw wrote:

Server Room is ace for drying things - just don't leave them dripping over the servers/electrics :shock:

I'm somewhat responsible for our server room. I wouldn't let myself or anyone else use it as a drying room. Single PC on a desk, that's the user's own look out, but it's not going even vaguely near our servers.

jonnyboy77

I have dried clothes and shoes on a shair in front of my desk before, I used my Dell workstation as a heat source for rapid drying!



- Jon

Stuey01

Norky wrote:

Pufftmw wrote:

Server Room is ace for drying things - just don't leave them dripping over the servers/electrics :shock:

I'm somewhat responsible for our server room. I wouldn't let myself or anyone else use it as a drying room. Single PC on a desk, that's the user's own look out, but it's not going even vaguely near our servers.

+1

You would honestly be out on your ear if you tried that at my place of work.

wgwarburton

Stuey01 wrote:

Norky wrote:

Pufftmw wrote:

Server Room is ace for drying things - just don't leave them dripping over the servers/electrics :shock:

I'm somewhat responsible for our server room. I wouldn't let myself or anyone else use it as a drying room. Single PC on a desk, that's the user's own look out, but it's not going even vaguely near our servers.

+1

You would honestly be out on your ear if you tried that at my place of work.

Server rooms at my current workplace are several miles from my office and need a good reason, an authorised change request and three days notice for access...
(I'm simplifying a bit- it's harder than that in actuality but you get the gist....)

Cheers,
W.

davmaggs

My tip is to put the stuff out of sight as people always assume that used clothes are somehow grubby or smelly and start moaning and become a pest. The kind of person that complains is usually the type not to let it drop as they have nothing else to do. My office is fine as I use an unpopulated storage room.

PS: A next door company once complained when they could see my stuff out of their window when it was hung on my bike. Talk about petty as they overlook a large air duct and venting system anyway.

soundninjauk

I have no facilities at work, but I do work in a small office with one other person who also bikes to work, so is sympathetic to my cause. When I have really wet stuff I I hang it on the coat rack, and put things like socks and shoes behind the Mac Pro/RAID, where there's an awful lot of hot air being blown around.

The Rookie

I work in a large office with no facilities, wet clothes go over the back of my chair until they dry, then in my drawer, I learnt the hard way not to put wet clothes in the drawer!

Simon

Sirius631

Did the OP not enquire about such facilities before his accepted the job? Is there an option to remain at their old employers? I'd accept lower pay for good facilities.

Initialised

Use the rear exhaust on your PC. If it's not hot enough give your CPU a workout with something like Prime95 or Folding@Home.

fossyant

If you've got a desk in an open plan office, nab a desk fan and shove it under the desk. Rig up some clothes hangers and dry kit with fan.

I've currently got my own office, so stuff on radiator, or hung in a corner with a desk fan for drying/airing.

Norky

If you've got the choice between cooler moving air and static warmth (e.g. a radiator), go for the cooler air. Heat (combined with the moisture) promotes bacteria growth, which makes clothes smell.

(It's far from that simple of course, but you get the idea)

Simon the Pieman

When I was a kid and cycled to college I cycled in my jeans and if I got wet then I just used to sit it college with wet jeans. Never entered my mind that I could ride in other clothing and change.

Hrun

Simon the Pieman wrote:

When I was a kid and cycled to college I cycled in my jeans and if I got wet then I just used to sit it college with wet jeans. Never entered my mind that I could ride in other clothing and change.

Thinking about it I used to commute to school and it was the same. Cycled in uniform and dried out during the first lesson.

Couple of weeks sat at your desk in this state and they might open discussion about lockers

cyberknight

I have a locker but it does not allow stuff to dry and if i leave it out it would get stolen , found a pair of gloves some one had tried to flush down the toilet this week showing the level of idiocy i have to work with.

If i get wet i have to wear wet stuff home :oops: