Design your office for commuting.
 

My company is moving to a different building. The architect is incorporating wellness and fitness into the design of the new building. So far, there will be an indoor area for bike storage, locker rooms with showers, a fitness room with exercise equipment, etc.

What are some of the key things they should consider from a bike commuters standpoint? Of course, they could have moved the building 1.5 miles to attach it to the local bike trail system. I doubt that will happen. But, maybe I can gets some of the easier/cheaper design considerations incorporated.

Next on the list, I'll need to decide on using a my XL higher geared mountain bike or picking up an old road bike.

My office won't let you bring the bikes inside. They have to be chained up on the rack outside. So, if it's rainy I would think you'd not want to be on a real nice bike. Otherwise, things are good. We have a bike to work initiative so there are showers, lockers, plenty of rack to chain to, etc. It would be nice if I didn't have to cross I-85, but that hasn't been the worst thing.

This is what I usually see over here for "fitness" items:

1. Bikes outside.
2. Locker room.
3. Showers.
4. Washer/dryer for clothes.
5. Full kitchen w/4-burner stove, 3-4 microwaves, full pots/pan set for cooking, full-size fridge, full-size freezer.
6. Acceptance of storing bikes in the basement if one chooses to (5-10% of people do and usually to keep the tires out of the sun).
7. Acceptance of clothes being dried on wall-mounted radiators in individual offices.

The bike storage will be in an enclosed parking garage with keyed entry. I haven't seen details, but I've heard it's a small area where cars wouldn't fit. If I see the plans without a rack, I'll assume they mean motorcycle also. Plus, some of those parking enclosures with key access have pedestrian access. Without a place to lock up, it would be easy to walk in and out with things. I think they are making it secure from the public, but that is worth checking into further.

I doubt there will be many commuters, but getting 1/2 of a car parking space to share with motorcycles may be difficult.

A washer and dryer would be a good idea. I'll check if they plan on towels for the fitness room/locker room. Maybe a place to hang things and store shoes.

that is awesome
 

I just want to say that is really cool. I tried to convince the place where I work that they needed to put in bike racks to park bikes outside while people were inside doing business. I think it would have been forward thinking and environmentally friendly but it did not happen. :twitchy: So customers continue to carry their bike inside the building. I thought it woudl have showed to the customers who bike there that they are welcome.

I am in a new position with the same company and we have bike racks but they are not covered and are not bolted to the ground. (POINTLESS)

They keep a list of bike friendly businesses in my hometown at this website http://omahabikes.org/perks/ They keep adding to it.

I wouldn't consider riding in to where we are currently located. The streets are dangerous, narrow (4 lanes in the width of 3), winding with poor visibility, poor maintenance, and no turn lanes. I'd have to cross traffic in some of the worst places in town. And I have no place to store anything when I'm here. There's no place to change either.

The new place will be closer, safer, and have ammenities built in from the start. I'm watching what they do and will chime in with recommendations.

I think the two indispensable things are 1) showers; and 2) secure bike parking. If you can arrange so that the bike room is inside, keycard acccess only, easily accessible to the outside (wide doors, no rolling through the lobby, or carrying up stairs), and close to the shower room, that would be better than 99% of office buildings.

Are you making fun of every office ever? :laughs:

I wish I could have this. But we're low on space for people so there's no way they'd dedicate a room for bikes. And they won't let us bring them in because its against fire code because there's no where to put them that doesn't block walkways (sitting against a wall is considered obstruction). So, outside they go.

We do have showers. And there is acceptance of the hanging of damp cycling clothes in the cubicles. In the summer I have to spray them with Febreze or I start getting nauseated from it.

What, no beds? How about free companionship service? Hopefully the refrigerator is fully stocked with appropriate German beverages.

Places to hang things up to drip dry and spread things out to air dry

We have sleeping quarters as well, but they're not used for commuters ... only long term guest researchers or current researchers working overnight.

Most students are cooking every day on a rotation for the other students (10-15 in a group). It keeps the costs down to 2-3€/day for food, which is good as a student can't have a job while studying and student loans don't really exist (as there is no tuition per se). Students like to keep their costs as low as possible (usually <300€/mo including rent/utilities which can be tricky in Frankfurt).

However, I don't think I've seen a office "break room" in an office building over here without a full kitchen, it would seem really unfinished if that was the case. How would one heat up food in a pan at work for example? Or make espresso without a stove top or a dedicated machine?

edit: I should state that there is Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz, which is a little like a student loan. Most people say "Bafög."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_loans_in_Germany

They aren't planning on stoves and pans, but the new eating area will have a microwave bank, free coffee bar, sinks, vending, industrial refrigerators, and big screen TVs. It opens to a green space courtyard that's attached to a walking path around the small lake behind the building.

The only con so far is losing my office for more of an open cubical type structure. But I've managed in that environment in the past.

I'm not making fun of anything. I was addressing the OP's question of what key things should be considered from a bike commuter's perspective when designing a new office building.

I think he was talking to someone else, but what you said is exactly what I'm looking for. The bike parking area looks to be located next to the mail room and the parking structure entrance to the building. The outside door to the garage will be a large rolling door operated by card access. I'm not sure if it's a chain or solid door. Mail/UPS/FedEx etc will go through the same area. If there is a lot of traffic from various deliveries, I'd like to make sure I'm able to bolt things down securely.

Well, if you're looking for ideas that specifically relate to bike commuters... how about a basic workstand and a floor pump or two? Doubtful they'd spring for a full blown workshop, but the stand would allow those (with the knowledge) to do some simple adjustments...

Somewhere in the bike room where you can store locks overnight is a good idea. We are not supposed to leave the bike locks on the bike hooks overnight, but there is a separate area with loops attached to the wall, so you can lock your lock there, and then unlock it when you want to lock your bike. Saves having to lug a heavy lock to and from work. We also have a floor pump attached to the floor (I take full credit for that one).

Maybe smallish lockers for helmets and gloves etc as well.

Excellent ideas. A pump on a leash could be used by people with low tires on their cars too, so that might be an easy sell. If the garage is secure, I would probably use a cable lock. But a heavy lock storage would be nice. Maybe a rack of small open air type lockers against one of the garage walls to store shoes and misc.

This would be at the top of my list after the things you already mentioned (secure storage, showers).

My office remodeled the fitness facilities recently and thought they were being nice to us commuters by designating a row of lockers as "bike lockers" that could be claimed all day. Unfortunately they also wanted to make everything look nice, so the lockers have solid faux-wood panel doors. If I hang a wet shirt there in the morning, it's just as wet at the end of the day. Even standard lockers with 3-6 vents in a metal door don't help much. You really need lockers with a lot of air flow. That can be cheap and ugly with a metal mesh door, or it can be beautiful and high-tech with a hidden ventilation system. I brought it up with our facilities people but neither one is happening. So, I'm stuck hanging wet clothes in my cubicle.

My office has curbs and sidewalks around it, but the handicap ramp is at an odd angle so it makes it a pain to get to the front door. I would also prefer some level of overhang to stop in, get my keys out, and unlock the door. Granted we have no underground garage or anything, I just put my bike in a spare office, but I'm often the first one here in the morning, so if it's raining or something, I have to open one of my bags to get my keys and risk getting other things wet.

Something like mud room. Plenty of space for bikes to drip off, racks for hanging clothes, maybe a fan to help drying stuff. Would be good to have a floor drain. What about a hose outside? How many people would be using this area? Room for expansion?

A gradual transition from outside to inside is useful. Its nice to open the first door when sheltered from rain. Into an unheated garage style area with some outside air and a "dirty" floor , to store the bike. Access to a warmer changing room where you can remove footwear.

This avoids the hit of warm air when you go into a building, resulting in a sudden sweat.

The OP asked for tips related to designing a workplace from the bike commuters standpoint; not living quarters for students nor how to furnish the office break room.

Actually, there have been a couple of times when I would have preferred to stay at work than come home...

And though I don't see it happening for the OP, it would be nice to have a range to cook with- especially for 'pot luck' lunches.

lockers