After having received written permission from the building landlord in October 08 to use the freight elevator to store my bike in my office, today I was told I could no longer do that. The reason? He received an email from another office that stated that "some of my coworkers are concerned about [me] being permitted to bring my bike up to the 12th floor, because "it should not be permitted", and because "it may encourage others to do the same thing."

The terms of the written permission stated to avoid using the elevators during "rush hour" (i.e., 8am, noon, and 4pm.). I have come in as early as 6:30am to avoid bothering people...and leave later than most. I work for the Municipality of San Juan, in a 15 story building in San Juan's Hato Rey Financial District. The "landlord" is a colleague with substantially the same standing I have.

Shortly after I began riding to work, a new bike rack was put in place outside the building. I suspect it was put in place because of me. But I fear using it because I've a new Trek 7.5FX, the rack is exposed to the weather, and because after 4pm, normal quitting time, there is no one, no one around. I leave the office far later than that...and I am afraid of what I may (or may not find) on my way out of the building.

I had an interview this afternoon with the "landlord"...and he absolutely would not hear me. He could not state a single time when my use of the elevators affected others. I even offered to walk the bike up the 12 flights of stairs. Nada. He based his decision on the fact that he got an email.

But he suggested I get a cheaper bike so I could use the rack without fear.

Out of 800 employees, I am the only one who commutes, so this is seen as a "privilege".

Thanks for letting me vent.

What a bunch of *******s. Hope you get it sorted somehow.

Do you have any "enemies" at work, or people who otherwise don't like you? I can't imagine someone being so petty as to complain like that. Sheesh. Why can't people just MYOB.

Where do the employees park?

Get a bike rack and mount it in one of the parking spaces. They don't like it inside, they lose a space in the parking garage.

Where do you keep the bike once you have it on the 12th floor?

From the first post.

Yes, god forbid that others do the same and start riding bikes to work. Incredible. I teach at a small state school. Early on I was told that I couldn't bring my bike into my office. I simply ignored them. I also bought a Moulton, and in the unlikely event that someone would have pursued the issue, I would have simple taken the bike apart and carried the pieces into my office in a bag. I think it might be difficult for anyone to tell me not to bring bike parts into my own office.

I'm trying to start a bike coop here, and make the campus bike friendly with indoor parking. I'd even like to use the bike to teach green commuting, and health benefits of riding. They could even offer classes in frame building and geometry. It's incredible how small-minded some people can be. The paradigm needs to change. Good luck brother.

As others will inevitably point out, offices and businesses have the right to prohibit people from bringing their bikes inside, given that there's no law saying they can't. Others yet will likely argue that bikes are often seen by the average person as a dirty, recreational thing that has no place inside of an office or professional environment, and that the average person has all the right to believe that. And of course, people do have the right to believe that.

And I have the right to say that those people are a bunch of snotty, dumbarse pricks.

Here's an idea that many people love, but to my knowledge has not been done. Buy a crappy van for as cheap as possible, and park it in the parking lot permanently. Whether it runs or not is immaterial so long as the locks work. Use the van as a mobile storage locker inside which you leave your bike during work. If they're happy to give you a 6'x15' space to park for free, use it!

Bonus points for removing the engine and replacing it with a flower planter.

So ridiculous, like the bike was harassing anyone. Good luck however you handle it. For a more conventional approach, do you have the sort of relationship with your management that you can enlist their help in dealing with the assh*le landlord?

That is an awesome idea! Better yet, have someone airbrush a mural on the side, say scantily clad viking women holding swords and riding unicorns, etc.

That should speed up the bike approval process.

That sucks although i dont see the problem with using a bike rack. Of course you could work in an area with a high crime rate?

Buy a couple of U-locks and leave them on the rack. One for your rear triangle and rear wheel another around your front wheel\frame. Elements? Rain snow etc? Im in California and do not commute in the rain but I frequently lock up a carbon race bike with a power-meter (noon hammer ride) that you can guess was not cheap and only use one U-lock.

My work has never complained when I do take my bikes inside to my office but I am the one that feels improper for some reason...I can see the landlords point because I used to be able to leave an extra pair of shoes\gym bag at my Company's gym full time but I think I started a trend because after 6 months half the lockers had crap left overnight and they had to put a stop to that so now my shoes\crap stay in my office.

I ride to work , but lock my bike up outside. Why would it be ok for me to bring my bike inside, especially after it's wet outside and all the grime is brought in to drip onto the floor? I leave my bike outside when it's wet out of respsect for the landlord, though i do lock it close to the building entrance to keep the rain off of it. Parking a bike in a single office isn't a big deal, but if the bike is in a walkway area it becomes a hazard - not to mention an eyesore (not everyone finds metal tubing, chains, cables and gears as appealing as I do).

If you owned the office space would you feel the same way?

You have been descriminated against!! Call the media in, get Critical Mass to hold a 'round the clock rally, get a pro bono lawyer or call the ACLU or AARP 'er somthin'

Make a stink so it's more trouble to not let you bring your bike in. Beauracrats hate stink.

I've brought my bike inside any number of times. The floor of my lab is currently covered in ... footprints. There may be the slightest hint of a tire track on a really bad day.

tough situation. On the one hand, you would think that your employer would be more sensitive to your needs. On the other hand, if cyclists want equality we need to accept that we can't expect to be special. Would it be possible for all of your co-workers to park bikes as well? It there is a good bike rack, I say use it. For now, there is no cultural norm that says bike commuting is ok. Until there is we must continue to use the best that is available to us. I say do your best to find a way to keep your bike in the building. If it doesn't work out, bite the bullet and park at the rack. While I would initially want to put a rack in a parking spot, that would probably only cause more trouble. Go with the flow and hope that it gets better.

Bureaucrats hate people who make stink, too, and don't feel shy about retaliation. I would advise against a confrontational approach.

Another excellent argument for a folding bike and a bag.

I think cyclefreaksix was, in part at least, being sarcastic. Bicycle commuters are not a protected class, so there is no grounds for discrimination. That said though, I disagree with you on not making a stink. I would, but not because I felt discriminated against but because of the dumb reason for losing the privilege of parking my bike inside. "Just because I got an email."? I mean come on, the landlord can come up with a better reason then that.

I like Mr. Underbridge's idea very, very much.

Is there a freight elevator? Offer to use it. Also offer to be there slightly earlier or later so you don't inconvenience people.

I realize you're not really inconveniencing anybody, but see if the offer works. That's one way bike messengers get around this.

He did and he did. He had a written agreement. If there wasn't anything in the the terms like a "people who are arseholes and complain because I'm helping the environment, but don't give a rat's arse and this agreement is void" clause, would he not have a binding agreement?

That's what I get for posting when sleep-deprived. Never mind...

That sucks.

How about locking your bike outside, and then around 4pm you can bring the bike inside.

A product of the digital age. Hide behind someone's email instead of meeting face to face. Probably your gossipy co workers feel envy because they see you passing them by on a bike as they are stuck in gridlock.