banerjek

Earlier today, I suddenly realized that a speaking engagement I've been committed to would prevent me from participating in a ride I've been looking forward to all year. Unfortunately, I'm the lead person for a major project which means that when they need people to talk about it, I'm the one they want.

Feeling sick at the thought of having to trash a major cycling goal just so I could deliver a talk, I went to the director. He understands these rides are a big deal to me. He knows that work prevents me from riding as much as I'd like to and my fitness suffers. For example, I'll spend all of next week out of town with one of the development teams working on the project mentioned above. That means I'll have a crap diet, no real exercise, and I return too late to catch a hilly century on the weekend.

He said he'd speak on my behalf and asked that I recruit someone good to back him up, so ride plans are on. His official rationale is that it's important to keep all employees sane and saw this as part of what's needed to keep me on track.

When you work for people who cut you slack when you need it, it's a lot easier to be motivated to tread air or work weekends or late nights.

This is not the only time he's made major accommodations for cycling. I have a second office that we negotiated when I started work. There is a real business justification, but we wouldn't have looked for a into it if I didn't make it clear during the negotiations that cycling was very important to me and that I would be much happier if I could commute 20 miles each way 3 days a week.

It's a damn good place to work, and I'll be happy to make up for this large I just called in with interest. Just wondering if anyone else has it so good.

ILUVUK

I'm in a project management position....mediocre-level...i set my own hours...so it's not really a problem, they're pretty understanding (forgive the grammar and punctuation, i was being succinct).

snowdog650

Hm. I'm a Fed.

So, zero.

patentcad

I gave myself a highly positive performance review and a promotion, followed by a new mountain bike.

snowdog650

Dink.

patentcad

Fixed.

snowdog650

I'm actually shocked that it took you even THIS long for that edit.

Slackerprince

Days on: Once the baby is asleep and the wife gets home, I ride. Mostly at night.
Days off: I ride if household/baby/wife needs are covered, and it's not RAINING!
Basically, rain is more of a problem than my obligations. Oh yeah, I nap whenever the baby naps.
Oh yeah, I will have someone to take care of me when I'm back in diapers.
Pretty dialed.
Life is good.

Slackerprince

kesa101

ah, how nice to be your own boss! i ride 20 hours a week and work even less. i`m not rich and i doubt i ever will be, but i`m doing ok on the contentment thing!

Dick Rhee

We have a bike rack right next to the security guard in our parking garage, as well as a locker room/showers. Good enough for me really, although I'd love if we shifted to a 4 day work week.

permanentjaun

I don't travel for my job yet so my weekends are always free. I'm pretty good with getting to work early enough on my bike so I have time to shower in the locker room and be at my desk on time. No considerations needed from my company except that I keep my bike in the kitchen. They're fine with it.

euphoria

all my low-level jobs, pretty much had to lock my bike outside

once I'm a PT, it'll be chained to my desk

Coyote2

I have to commit to fifteen hours per week (of my choosing), and also have the occasional meeting that is not scheduled at my discretion -- maybe one or two of those per month. Beyond that, I do what I want, when I want. If it's a nice day, and I want to ride at 3pm, I am riding. God, I love my job.

yogi13

When the small company I work at owned their own building, the owners installed a shower so a few of us could ride at lunch and not stink the joint up the rest of the afternoon. Unfortunately, we grew, and are now in a crappy rental office building where that isn't an option. They do have some space set aside for a guy who bike commutes to store his stuff during office hours, though.

Red Rider

That ride intimidates me. I want to do it. I'm glad you get to -- of course we expect a report and pics.

I'm self-employed. I have two meetings a week that I make a priority, and a few throughout the month that I attend. I teach a few Spinning classes as well, and can manipulate my schedule to accommodate them. In the summer I ride early and work late, or work early and make the group rides later. Since much of my work can be done from home I have a lot of flexibility.

When I have important cycling events on weekends I'll trade a weekday for a weekend day. So if I get one day off a week I know somewhere down the line it'll work out.

Being one's own boss rocks; it also sucks if you're cycling-heavy and work-light.

Neurodoc

Showers in our current office and future space; and I keep my bike indoors, in the PT gym.

umd

Funny you should mention it. Just the other day, my boss asked me to fly to DC the day after EC. So I have to drive back to Santa Barbara immediately after, get whatever sleep I can, and then be on a plane 6AM the next day

Booger

Bike rack and locker room. No special time allowances or any of that business.

cycle17

My employer(s) past and present have no interest in my cycling. One of my past employers was a major sponsor of an MS150 event...but generally most employers only care about their bottom line, not how you get to work or how you stay healthy.

KiddSisko

While I have a boss technically, I run his company, so that gives me plenty of slack for whatever I need to do at any time. He did quite a bit of riding 20 odd years ago, and still runs for fun, so there's no friction when it comes to my bike interests. I also live near the office, so it's a simple commute, and the bike stays in the office. These summer days I do a regular workout ride in the morning, which often means a late start to my day. No problem. I also do bike maintenance work in the office. A small table to my side is a work bench of sorts with tools and cleaning fluids and such on it. Oh, and my previous bike also sits in the office since I sold it to him several months ago.

mrt10x

I have to PT (physical training) at least 5 hours a week, during working hours. So you all actually pay me to ride... thank you.

Of course my working hours can and have been 24/7 so you all get your pound of flesh.

ivan_yulaev

I work 10 hours a day so my employer doesn't really complain. Some of the "superiors" have asked me about cycling and how I do it, etc, so they seem to be slightly positive about it.

Cycling doesn't really get ahead of my work really. Unless you count not coming in Sunday mornings.

KiddSisko

You choose your PT? How is that monitored? Back in the day, it was line up in formation twice a week and go on a 2 mile run before breakfast. Guys would almost sleep-run.

mrt10x

Each of my division officers manage the PT within their own shops. Individual PT is usually the call. I get to pick whatever I want, I choose to ride my bike, or run... its the advantage of being in charge

substructure

He cuts me a lot of slack. I leave early to train some days and go to races. I commute and bring my stuff to work a lot of the times. There's bike stuff everywhere in my office. But he always asks me how it's going and seems generally interested. I have a great boss. Some of the employees are creeps but he's not.