Turt99

In the summer I was commuting. I was driving in on monday with the bike in the trunk and the backseat full of work attire. Then I would bike back and forth untill friday when I would drive home again.

This worked great except I still had to insure the car, and because of that didn't save as much as I might have if I had just taken the car off the road.

So how did you ask about the bike in the office? Any tips on things to mention or anything?
Also in bad weather how do you deal with a wet or dirty bike?

caloso

Do a search. There are tons of threads on where to keep your bike and how to deal with clothes. But to answer your question:

Re bike storage: I have a bike locker in the parking structure adjoining my building. $5 a month, which is a super deal for the peace of mind.

Re clothes: I normally ride in the full kit so I bring in shirts, underwear, and socks for the week on Sunday evening. Pants, blazer, ties and belt hang on the hook behind my office door. Shoes under the desk.

JeffS

I didn't ask, I just started bringing it in. I have access to multiple non-public spaces to store it. Were I a cube-dweller without this access it would be different.

Regarding insurance, I saved VERY little money on insurance when I sold my car because I lost my multi-car discount (I'm still paying my wife's insurance). For instance, adding a cheap car with no collision would raise my rate by about $50/6mo. Adding a $20K car with full coverage would raise my rate about $200/6mo. That's almost inconsequential from a budget standpoint.

Turt99

Interesting I guess I will have to call my insurance company and see what would happen if I dropped a car completely. Just to see what the rates would be like.

And yes I'm a cube-dweller of sorts, but I'm in a little room with the other IT staff, so it might be possible to store next to me. I just wonder what the powers that be might say since you have to go through the office to get to our room.

CliftonGK1

Depends on the cube setup. I have a pretty spacious cube (8' x 8'), and I keep my bike in my cube when the weather's nice. Thankfully, our facilities staff is cool with my parking in the locker room when it's wet outside. They even put a drip-mat for me to park on.

Doohickie

My office has a couple storage closets. It's a small office of about 50 people, so everyone knows everyone and everyone knows the bike is mine, so no one messes with it. I keep stuff in there like bably powder so it's handy when I change.

As for carrying stuff, I NEVER pre-position work clothes. I carry them with me every time. I got a pair of panniers and they hold so much that I usually only have to bring one.

In my panniers I carry:

. Personal effects like wallet, keys, cell phone, work badge
. Work clothes- a full outfit including pants (if I'm not commuting in long jeans), shirt, undies & socks (I have toe clips on the bike so I don't need to pack shoes)
. My lunch

On the way home there's no lunch to carry but I often pack extra clothes I rode with when the morning was cool.

JeffS

I was thinking more about my company. One person has already been told that she couldn't keep a bike in her cube - or anywhere in the office - or outside, since the landlord won't allow a bike rack.

d2create

I didn't ask but my office is casual. I just bring it in. I can do pretty much what i want (within reason) in my office. I bring in odd furniture, hang my own artwork on the walls, whatever. We're all designers/artists so its cool.

CliftonGK1

That sucks, man. I've never had the misfortune of working someplace that didn't allow bicycles. The first company I was with was based in a campus building at my college, so there was ample bike parking all around or I could bring it into the offices. Even when I did a contract stint at P&G in Cincinnati, they had a few bike racks around the side of the building.
Why won't the landlord allow a rack outside the building, I wonder?

Dizzy

Sounds like time to look for a new job. Employers should want to make there employees happy. It is a two way street. I love the place I am at now. Showers for me and a warehouse for the bike. Can't ask for more then that. I have no problem staying late and putting in a little extra effort.

dcrowell

At my previous job I had a private office, and just brought it in. If it was wet or muddy, I'd bring it to one of the floors without carpeting, and let it drip-dry first.

At my new job, I share a large-ish office with my boss. I just started bringing it in. He didn't say anything for a while, then he mentioned that he'd rather have some guest chairs rather than my bike.

I started parking my bike in the locked "mechanical room" just down the hall. My boss' request for guest chairs didn't get the greenlight, so I'm back to parking in the office.

macteacher

Really it all depends on your office and the people that work there. I park mine in a little space in the office. It annoys two people out of 9, but whatever....I don't really care and it doesn't cause any inconvenience for them...they just like to be difficult.

Rule of thumb is: Don't ask, just do it. It's easier to apologize if anyone complains rather than asking for permission.

parity

I didn't. I just park my bike next/near to my desk. As for a wet or dirty bike, thats what the carpet is for.

knobster

I asked where I could lock up my bike when I first started at my company and they told me "oh no, don't lock you bike up outside, it'll get stolen. Park it in the empty cube next to yours". Awesome. I'm a wuss though, if it's raining, I work from home. I just passed the 200lb mark so I may want to rethink this....

Popeyecahn

Same here, I've kept 2 bikes in one area without a word about it. Now I'd like to bring in a couch or loveseat...

badmother

Get a folder.

MrCjolsen

It's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

Roody

I use a long forgotten (some say haunted) breakroom in the basement of the hospital. I park it on an old hospital sheet to catch the drips, leaning against a broken hospital bed. I can change in the room and leave my clothes there in a drawer.

One winter day a housekeeper looked at me hatefully and hissed, "I detessst people who ride bikesss in the sssnow. My husssband hatess them too." I gave her my best nonverbal **** you and never heard any more about it.

lil brown bat

I didn't ask. Others were already commuting when I came to work here (that's where I got the idea) and brought their bikes in. It's never been questioned (maybe it helps that one of the company owners is a tri-guy).

tsl

I've had great luck with bosses. All public libraries have bike racks outside. I figured I'd lock there.

My boss said, "Your bike is your personal property, so I can't tell you what to do, but rather than lock it in the rack outside, why don't you park it in the staff workroom?"

She didn't have to offer twice. I also made a deal with the custodian that I would mop up after it.

Since she retired, there was an interim and now a new boss. It was established practice and no one said a word.

Now at other branches, I just say that I need indoor parking for my bike and at those places too, I mop up after it.

Bosses are happy, custodians are happy, I'm happy and my bikes are happy.

tarwheel 

I didn't ask for permission to keep my bike in my office. I just started doing it, and nobody complained. Since my office is right next to my bosses office, I figured he would say something if it was a problem. He hasn't complained, and I am careful not to track in mud (and don't ride generally on rainy days). We have a rack outside our office, but it is on the other side of the building where I can't keep an eye on it.

Roody

Your boss probably would complain if you were keeping an eye on your bike all day, instead of doing your work. Another good reason to let employees park inside.

Tony A.

I asked the head of security who happily is cool. If any of the other guards looked at me funny I just told them I had asked Leroy. Now me and my bike are just part of the usual day-to-day commotion. Also, I try to be cool myself: I ride it to a safe place before dismounting; remove helmet, goggles, etc. to avoid that "take me to your leader" look; and am especially polite coming in and out of the elevator.

Tony

vrkelley

If you have to place it in the hall, just bring it in and park it. If they don't like where you've parked the bike, ask for another INDOOR location.

Be bold, but for chr*** sake, be considerate. Don't distract someone from working. Whatever you do, don't leave wheel marks, grease or a mess on the carpet. If that means carrying the bike across the carpet or wiping the bike down before bringing it in, do so. Don't give 'em a reason to complain.

ollo_ollo

Many county commercial codes now require that buildings have bike racks, you might call your county planning dept & ask, but parking outside in a rack should be your last resort..

When I first started commuting, others had already been told to lean their bikes against the wall next to the vending machines, so I did the same. Later, when there were more of us, we expanded into the supply room across the hall from the vending machines. Our office supplied lockers & a shower room for those who exercised befrore work or at lunch time, so I just got a locker & kept a change of clothes with a towel, soap, floor pump, etc.

During the year before I retired, I was assigned to another team located quite a distance from the bike parking. For my own convenience. I began parking the bike in my cubicle and no one ever complained. If my bike was wet or dirty, I wiped it down. Don