London cycle commuters need more office showers, bike storage and drying rooms, study finds

for those who don't have showers I'd definitely recommend perspirex deodorant, I used to suffer from hyperhidrosis leaving me with pretty bad sweating marks if the weather was even slightly warm (ruined lots of work shirts that way) and now have almost no sweat wherever I've applied it (armpits and small of back). I tried most of the general supermarket available high strength antiperspirants and they didn't do a great deal, but now I only apply deodorant twice a week before going to bed and never have to worry about it. It's not cheap but lasts ages (sounding like an advert now). itstings like hell the very first couple of days you use it but after the first week it's totally fine. 

Would still like some showers at my office though.

Commuted 10miles to work everyday for 5 years. No showers. I might sweat a bit in the summer, but a change of clothes and quick wash and I'm fine. I figure, in the summer, I'm arriving probably about as sweaty as anyone travelling on the Tube (and I, at least, have a change of clothes).

Simple solution in hot weather is just slow down a bit. If you race in, you're bound to arrive soaking in sweat (which isn't pleasant for anyone).

The reality is, small offices are not always going to have the space to install a shower and drying facilities. I feel lucky, I have somewhere off-street to store the bike.

In London, there seems to be:

https://www.h2bikerun.co.uk/join/ (£50 joining fee and £49/month)

https://cyclevault.inmidtown.org/index2.php (£20/month)

If you didn't happen to work near Bloomsbury square or Soho, then you're perhaps out of luck (as am I!)

Maybe worthwhile these being brought together in one central repository? Anyone here from TFL?!!!

I'm lucky as my building in the city is fairly recent (so had to have a standard of cycling facilities built in). The bike room is reasonably large (and burried deep inside the building, not just part of the loading bay) and the air conditioning there will dry your clothes if you leave them on the clothes rail in there. Could do with a few more showers, but I've never had to queue. There aren't enough lockers (some are in the disabled shower room!) and a large waiting list for them.

This is much better than previous buildings in the city I've worked in which often had limited bike parking in the car park / loading bay, and always a queue for the showers.

Another reason why the Dutch don't get sweaty on their way to work on the bike is the lack of hills. That is not something that is lacking in the UK, certainly not where I have lived anyway

More showers would be nice though, quite apart from cycling. Even for brisk walking it would be handy. But I don't think it's going to happen. Someone would have to clean them regularly, for one thing.

Long time ago worked right next-door to a gym, which meant I could run to work.

Report about cyclce commuting compltely misses the major problems cycle commuters have.  

London's cycle commuters need safe infrstructure that they can ride on without being stressed and getting sweaty.  That way then can commute in ordinary clothes rather than dressing up in funny clothes and treating it like a race.  

I'm one of the lucky ones.

Two showers on every floor, and a heated and dehumidfied drying room.

Until it's legislation, it won't ever be the norm. And since the government don't give a shit about cyclists, it will never be legislated.

I don't​ the really need a shower at work, I rarely break into a sweat on the way in. During the summer I would be sweatier if I caught the tube. Secure bike storage is a must though and a pre-requisite before even applying for a new job.

Too many other peoples germs in showers for me ...

My workplace only lacks a drying room for it to be ideal for those that cycle. Access to the site is via an access card and the bike racks are inside the fence.

My current office/job has a shower and its great as I'm lazy and it means I can get an extra 10mins in bed rather than showering pre ride.  But my other jobs haven't had a shower and its not put me off cycling

No showers at work... Boohoo my heart bleeds.

I used to think that a change in tax breaks to give employers an incentive to provide shower facilities was needed.

But now I believe what we need is the proper infrastructure so we can cycle sedately while dressed in normal clothes. Holland has understood this for years. Cyclists' average speeds are much higher in NL than in UK because although UK riders are mostly on road bikes, wearing Lycra, and sprinting from red light to red light, their Dutch counterpart is plodding along on a "green wave" of cycle provision designed for cyclists.

They arrive in less time and don't have the inconvenience of changing.

when i went for a interview at a decathlon store, i was pleasantly surprised that they had a shower room, and decent lockers, which for a sports store it's kinda to be expected, but it's still a retail store which isn't even something i thought they'd have, but it was sorta let down by having a pretty crap bike rack.

it'd still be nice if more places had a place to shower and get changed,  rather than having to jump in the disabled loo, and give a rub down with baby wipes.
 

We lost our small cycle rack for 5 bikes in order to free up one extra car park space for the office. Not too miffed as alternative is in a disused gas bottle cage and under cover, out of sight. However at least 5 of my colleagues habitually drive less than a mile to work every day.

Still no chance of any changing facilities though.

My company has realised that cycling facilities such as these are essential for attracting talent. You won't get the best people if you don't have good showers , bike security and drying facilities.

Don't make this thread all about Willo.

Even when companies do have the facilities, they can shoot themselves in the foot with a stupid access policy.

I arrived at a new company earlier this month and went looking for the bike racks. I found them, but they were locked behind a gate. Brilliant - dry and secure. I went to security to ask for my pass to be granted access, only to be told there's a waiting list as the racks are full. They weren't of course - they weren't even half full. I pleaded with the security guy, but no, I would get access at their annual usage review, if my name was at the top of the list.

I now pay £12 a month for secure cycle parking about 5 mins walk away.

The showers, however, are great. You have to pay £10 a month to access, but you get towels and toiletries for that. So, I can't complain too much. Makes a nice change to previous places where the changing room consists of sneaking into a cleaners' cupboard (which was my experience at One Canada Square).

Without a change in the law, things will only change when people start refusing job offers due to the lack of cycling facilities. Which, of course, nobody would do. So, government, over to you...

Until it is a legal requirement companies are unlikely to change.

In other news: the Pope is Catholic and bears do indeed void their bowels in wooded areas.

Problem is, most older or smaller offices don't and never could have the required facilities

 And the larger and newer ones don't because cyclists are 'Other' and not motorists.