Does your employer support cyclists?

tootsie323

We have a good-sized pond. Bike shed has nowhere to lock up, but I can store it in a separate, lockable, shed. Anyhow, once my commute is done my bike - and me - is so covered in s£!t that it is not an attractive target. And we are out in the sticks. I may get some funny looks, but that could br my insistence on wearing speedos in lieu of lycra / baggies.
Oh yes - we have C2W as well.

andy9964

We have:
Plenty bike storage, including a security pass enabled area which I use.
Two lockers, I need them to change into work clothes anyway
Two large shower blocks. Though I never use the showers, I work in a foundry and stay hot and sweaty all day (probably more smelly from my job, than cycling)
Also, working in a foundry provides ample, if sometimes a little risky, clothes drying opportunities
Free hi-viz vests if you want one
And a C2W scheme, though I'm not happy about the 'admin' charge they didn't seem to mention in the info handed out

stu-bim

I work in a hotel so all the facilities you could need. Gym with very good showers, washing machines and dryers (if needed) and keep my bike in my office. Pampered really.

Mikey41

No showers. No bike parking. Tiny locker. One disabled toilet for changing.

However, I can leave the bike in the staff break room where it's out of the way, and out of the 25+ workers, I'm the only one that cycles in with any regularity.

woodyonthebeach

stu-bim wrote:

I work in a hotel so all the facilities you could need. Gym with very good showers, washing machines and dryers (if needed) and keep my bike in my office. Pampered really.

Sounds great. Just one question do you have a masseuse as well.

Need any onsite IT support. Willing to move for the right job.

inkz

I hide my bike in the corner of the office, wash in the toilets with travel wipes and paper towels, and hang wet stuff off the cupboard doors by my chair :P

Lassic

Pros: Bike to work scheme.
Cons: No bike racks, no showers, no lockers.

The office is ill-equiped for cyclists, there's about 30 employees and 2 of us cycle. We have to lock our bikes up round the side of the buiding onto the aircon machine cabling. (No one is going to cut through electric cables, I hope) It is well out of view though.
I work in IT, so I have a little, locked server room which I get changed in and store all my gear, the other cyclist uses the archive room next door to it. He's even erected a line to hang his wet clothes up.

I only cycle 4 miles each way so I don't really need showers, though it would be nice.

There's also more cars than spaces. Oh well. :P

Koncordski

Until a concerted campaign last year we didn't really have anything. Luckily we were upgrading the building facilities so myself and the other cyclists lobbied constantly to get stuff put in.

Now we have 4 showers (2male 2 xfemale) on the same floor as the main office.

Lockers, vented but only half height. Drying cabinet was vetoed on elf and safety. :roll:

Bike parking is in the underground car park, covered by CCTV and only accessible by swipe card.

So now, it's pretty good. They still refuse to do the C2W scheme though, it's too complicated. :roll:

mmuk

bit spoiled here - 5 employees, I'm the only one who cycles.

Nice big bathroom for changing and clothes hanging, that they kindly had a shower put in when I asked (c £1500)

indoor storage for the bike.

do the C2W scheme (cos i asked nicely) no 'admin charges'

all I need is to be in the office more often!

MM

Cafewanda

I work for a large company and there is ample secure bike parking, more so than spaces for cars and motorbikes, a large changing room with lots of showers and a large room that was for the cleaners to store their equipment, but now 'stolen' by us wimmin to hang up cyling/running gear and towels - some left there for weeks on end - yuk!

stu-bim

woodyonthebeach wrote:

stu-bim wrote:

I work in a hotel so all the facilities you could need. Gym with very good showers, washing machines and dryers (if needed) and keep my bike in my office. Pampered really.

Sounds great. Just one question do you have a masseuse as well.

There is a spa but it would be a bit cheeky

But since I'm planning on doing half ironman in April a bit closer to that I could discuss staff rates with one of the spa team

matt581

I work for a smallish firm, about 20 employees. I'm only the only one who cycles. As i do 15mile each way they think im some sort of freak!

No showers, but disabled loo for full strip and i can leave clothes on the radiator to dry. My bike gets left in the hall under the stairs so is very safe.

I'm toying with the idea of getting C2W set up? I know i'll be the one who has to sort it if i did.

kevinharley

Work for a Local Authority, who generally seem to be 'pro' cycling ...

The central offices have bike storage and showers, but since I'm not based there, that's no use to me!

There are no showers or dedicated bike storage at the office where I work ...

After my bike was nicked back in May from inside the building, I now lock it up to a beefy old victorian radiator in an unused office, behind two security-coded doors.

My colleagues are generally bemused / impressed ... but as I wear 'normal' work clothes (jeans and shirt) rather than lycra, I guess there's less to make fun of.

They offer C2W, although I've yet to make use of this ...

But the best thing about my employer is that they PAY ME 20p a mile to use my bike for work-related journeys!!! :P I do almost all of my home visits, meetings etc by bike ... just returned to the office from 3 visits, 40km in total, including a long stretch back along the canal ... lovely!

flybywire

But the best thing about my employer is that they PAY ME 20p a mile to use my bike for work-related journeys!!! I do almost all of my home visits, meetings etc by bike ... just returned to the office from 3 visits, 40km in total, including a long stretch back along the canal ... lovely!

brilliant , like that wish mine did :roll:

stu-bim

flybywire wrote:

But the best thing about my employer is that they PAY ME 20p a mile to use my bike for work-related journeys!!! I do almost all of my home visits, meetings etc by bike ... just returned to the office from 3 visits, 40km in total, including a long stretch back along the canal ... lovely!

brilliant , like that wish mine did :roll:

It's only 8c per Km in Ireland

http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it51.html

markhewitt1978

Been wanting to go cycling at lunchtimes, but bike storage is stopping me.

There's nowhere in the office, that is both clean and secure, plenty of places where the bike would get stolen.
Nowhere outside to lock it up, no bike stands at all. - Except from a cycle shed on the other side of the car park but that's just for one company we can't use it - otherwise it would be ideal.

Thought about putting it in the back of my car through the week, which would work, but would need to take it out at the weekend, and we've got nowhere in the house to put it, at least nowhere our 2 year old won't pull it over, or get oil all over her - she does that enough with my existing bike.

So my lunchtimes at the moment consist of walking instead.

barrowmatt

Office of 20 people, we have a metal bike box outside which fits 4 bikes at a push, luckily that's the max required. Reasonable amount of hanging room outside the toilets, large disabled toilet makes it easy for changing. Lots of heaters to hang stuff over. C2W too but personally prefer to buy bargains on here

thistle_

These are all with the same company, in less than 12 months...

Current place:
6 almost Sheffield stands. 1 unusable as it's next to a column in the car park. All located just outside of the top deck of the car park, ideal for the groundsman to go around blowing leaves off the top deck onto the bikes (and cars) below. It's a serviced office, apparently the cyclists on other floors are starting a campaign to get the bike stands moved under cover.
1 shower on the top floor (I'm on the next to top floor so it's not too bad). Nowhere to hang stuff, it gets spread out around our office by an openable window.
Did I mention they don't like you leaving bike locks in certain places?
Company offers cycle to work, although it's only a recent thing
Bike shop about 15 mins walk away, not been in yet so don't know how good it is
It's not perfect but not that bad really.

Next place (moving office in 3 weeks)
Office is much much smaller (won't be able to leave stuff around the office to air)
Apparently has more/better bike parking and better shower/changing facilities. I went for a recce last week and couldn't find any bike parking, maybe it's inside.
Only access is via a dual carriageway, which becomes a motorway a mile further along
No bike shops in the area

Last place
Nowhere to lock bike up, however there was no problem with leaving it under the stairs. Fine apart from when somebody would go out and leave the front door wide open...
No shower but disabled loo with space to hang stuff on hangers
Decent bike shop 10 mins walk down the road

Cupras

I put my bike in the cellar.

That's is all.

swod1

yes they do its a big government building with secure car park for bikes, motorbikes and cars.

my desk is next to the radiator so i can dry anything thats wet.

I dont get any looks for riding into work as there is that many people here who does it, must be space for 40 bikes i think and people can leave locks on the racks.

People are more impressed because i've cycled in when the weathers bad.

adam0bmx0

swod1 wrote:

yes they do its a big government building with secure car park for bikes, motorbikes and cars.

my desk is next to the radiator so i can dry anything thats wet.

I dont get any looks for riding into work as there is that many people here who does it, must be space for 40 bikes i think and people can leave locks on the racks.

People are more impressed because i've cycled in when the weathers bad.

Snap, sounds like my government building. You based in London?

shmooster

I used to work for a company that paid you to cycle to work in bike mile stickers that could be spent at the on site bike shop (only on parts though, as labour was free). Plenty of lockers, lovely power showers with free shower gel, a drying rack, a couple of irons, secure access controlled parking. Man do I miss it.
They justified it by it still costing less per person than providing additional car parking.

Oh and they'd done some finance deal where c2w wasn't limited to a grand. You could spend whatever you liked, some pretty nice bikes there.

My current employer isn't doing too badly but can't match that.

Stevo_666

Yep, happy with my lot. The place I work takes the environmental stuff seriously so they actively encourage cycling to work.

We've got an underground car park/loading area with security guards and CCTV for the whole office complex with dedicated bike parking for our company (usual street furnniture type stuff to lock the bikes to), lockers of a decent size and changing area with showers and toilets in the basement. The boss is a cyclist as well so he understands if we wander into the office with our kit on.

Cannot complain. The only 'gripe' is that other companies paid more and have either a locked security cage for their parking area and/or nice slide in/out individual racks for bikes so we feel like the poor relation

Beartown Bikist

Thanks all for this thread. I'll have a good read before asking my burning questions. Been a while since I visited this forum so looking forward to getting back into it. :-)

Beartown Bikist

I got an email today saying I can't keep my clothes in my office anymore, in fact, soon, it won't be my office (that's another story).

There are facilities where I work that are ideal - shower, store rooms where I could keep my bike, but I don't have permission to use them.

I recall a former colleague telling me that cyclists have a right to certain things in all new build workplaces e.g. Drying room, shower, somewhere to store clothes. I'm very interested (and keen!) to know what our rights are as employees - what minimum standards are employers obliged to provide for us annoying cyclists.

MattPillinger

Sorry to gloat, but my employer is really good.

We have keypad secured bike sheds, for about 150 bikes, showers, lockers, drying room etc. Once a month we have a guy come in to do repairs etc (pay for parts only). They've just put on a cycling maintenence course and once a year we have a cycle to work day where anyone who cycles gets a free breakfast and a technical t-shirt.

We also have a cupboard with just about every bike tool you can ever imagine, free access to staff and the consumables (oil, grease etc) are free.

Really, very little to complain about, although on wet days the drying room gets a bit full

thistle_

Beartown Bikist wrote:

I recall a former colleague telling me that cyclists have a right to certain things in all new build workplaces e.g. Drying room, shower, somewhere to store clothes. I'm very interested (and keen!) to know what our rights are as employees - what minimum standards are employers obliged to provide for us annoying cyclists.

I'm not aware of any 'rights' to have anything but there are incentives.

Many buildings go for a BREAAM rating which gives you a score based on how environmentally friendly the building is. It looks as energy efficiency and all that but you get 'points' for having a bike stand, having a bus stop outside etc.
I think the awarding of points is pretty subjective and some assessors are easily convinced e.g. the bike parking doesn't have to be usable.

In some areas the local authority's planning department have 'guidance' notes on what facilities should be provided and expect them to be followed or justification given for not following them.
Certainly my local council don't enforce the cycling related ones and developers seem to try everything to get out of providing things which cost money after they have been granted planning permission which requires them to do it.

Often a lack of facilities can just be down to ignorance. I'm in our new office now and we have 14 bike stands, 8 showers, a cycle lane but nowhere to store/dry clothing.

Bookwyse

As an IT consultant the previous company had a C2W scheme that I was the only person to use but they had no where secure to leave the bike, no showers, lockers, changing or drying facilities. Lickily I was at a clients site for over twelve months that had a seperate loading bay converted to bike storgage with a seperate key issued to those who used it, the door was alarmed so if it was left open for more than two minutes security were alerted and investigated and it was also covered by CCTV.

Inside was pretty much the same with eight showers, three drying rooms, two changing rooms, and plenty of free lockers.

Now gone self employed and the current office has one shower, and plenty of room for clothes etc plus can leave the bike in my office!!!!!!!!

jmcdyre

Mine is pretty good - c2w scheme that seems better than other places I've heard of in that they also pass on the employers NIC contributions on to the employee (is this normal? One of my friends works for a large multinational and they only get the VAT off and their own NIC's and tax through salary sacrifice).

Bike storage in the goods out warehouse which is usually manned so no security issues.

2 shower rooms, with heated towel rails for drying if needed (though I use the radiator next to my desk)

Of 125 employees around 50 have bought bikes (I know this cos I'm the accountant and I have to administer it!!)

goonz

Mine seems pretty good. CEO is a keen cyclist loves showing off his £10k ride.

Have changing rooms and a room to leave all cycling gear and wet clothes. Company has bought a number of gym passes to be used for the shower facilities. Just need to sort out some underground bike storage.