Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)
  • Dream work changing facilities
  • elevensees
    Free Member

    Hello,

    We are currently at the planning stage of a major move at work, to a new build site and have been asked for a wishlist for changing facilities. There is the potential for 1000+ members of staff (total, not riding, that would be awesome (“,)) so I can guess at the number of showers, etc. but wondered if anyone had any ideas for the perfect changing/storage environment. I’ve got the usual, storage, showers, tools, lockers, etc. on the list, but thought you are an experienced lot, so may have some innovative ideas. I’ve done the usual web trawling but it doesn’t really bring up much out of the ordinary.

    Thanks for any ideas and ride safe.

    mt

    bainbrge
    Full Member

    Drying room – either locate next to waste heat from aircon, or stick a de-humidifier in a room.

    alexpalacefan
    Full Member

    When I last specified bike changing facilities (local council offices) I put in lockers that were perforated so wet/sweaty kit would dry when it was hung up during the day. The locker room was heated and ventilated.

    APF

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    wzzzz
    Free Member

    Drying room… washing machine?

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    One of those spinny swimming trunk dryer thingies for your wet socks etc?

    petrieboy
    Full Member

    We’ve got 10 individual shower rooms dotted around the building which is great, but 5 shower cubicles within a large changing room would allow much more efficient use at peak times (we had 30 out for running club today at lunchtime)

    Storage for clean shirts and a drying area for wet gear would be tip top

    My last place had towels provided which always felt like a real bonus and i dont think it was actually very expensive to provide either.

    SirHC
    Full Member

    Some snippets here from Sram: http://www.designboom.com/architecture/perkins-will-sram-office-bicycle-component-manufacturer-chicago-03-31-2016/

    Secure bike storage with direct access to shower/changing facilties.

    Office I am working in is terrible for the security and the changing facilities are poor (no where to dry kit/towels). Currently trying to get something done about it.

    Pieface
    Full Member

    Just a basin and hand dryer for washing your pants

    teacake
    Free Member

    Towels and lockers provided. Space at top of locker for putting your helmet. Space at bottom for shoes.

    Somewhere to stretch – padded floor bit.

    Drying room would be awesome but maybe getting a good air current through each locker would work. With such a big site thefts may be an issue so you’d avoid that this way.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    A shoe dryer, I have one of those clas ohlson ones at home and it’s great but it’s too noisy for an office environment and our changing area/locker room is at the rear of the cloak room and screened off so would still be too noisy. If you had a separate cyclists room I would have one of them.

    I don’t ask for much so I’m happy with:
    secure bike storage
    locker
    somewhere to hang cycling clothes during the day
    somewhere private to get changed
    access to a radiator to dry wet kit/warm up gloves in winter
    space between lockers for hanging towel, helmet

    MrPottatoHead
    Full Member

    We had a changing room refit about a year ago and it was terrible. They tried to take on all the feedback and accommodate everything, but it just didn’t work with the space available.

    I would just focus on getting the basics right.

    One thing I wouldn’t forget is ventilation. Ours is like a steam room in the summer and drying off after a shower is impossible.

    jimmy
    Full Member

    We’re having ours redone at the moment and the cyclists were surveyed for input. The overriding requirement was for more drying space, so we’re getting a good big room for it that has suitable air handling and hanging space.

    Existing showers were OK – open plan kid of thing, but we’re getting individual cubicles in the new ones. I have my doubts whether that’ll work so well for rapid turnover, but there will be plenty.

    Did I mention drying space?

    MTB-Rob
    Free Member
    DaveyBoyWonder
    Free Member

    Dancing girls with warm towels to hand you as you get out the shower.

    BaronVonP7
    Free Member

    “Enough” lockers.
    Somewhere to store/dry shoes & gloves (in the locker would be great…)

    The distance from the building entrance to the changing/shower room is short and avoids Persian carpets and/or marbled floors.

    Mainly though, somewhere you can leave a bike and be almost certain that there is a remote possibility it will be there when you return.

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Drying area

    Lockers that are big enough to hang suits.

    Enough hooks in the shower area so you can hang up work clothes and kit so it doesn’t get wet on the floor.

    Someone to clean the showers/facilities to clean the showers. Ours gets cleaned probably once a month, apart from being disgusting, all the muck and mold on the shower tray is very very slippy.

    mttm
    Free Member

    We have nice big lockers split 50:50, so your work and home kit can be segregated, which is nice. The really good feature is the ducted air. Lovely warm air – filtered, naturally – is blown into the top of the lockers, flows through your soggy cycle kit and exits at the bottom of the locker. Soaking kit goes in, warm dry kit comes out – magic!

    bruceandhisbonus
    Free Member

    The cycle parking from HB linked above looks like inserting your bike into giant lady parts!

    Our office is quite pathetic. We have a single shower room which is a pain as if you arrive at the wrong time you are waiting for someone to shower, dry and dress. Our previous office had the much more effective changing room with shower cubicles. However, the main problem with both has been insufficient ventilation. During summer especially it’s like trying to get dressed in a steam room.

    Would a drying room not totally stink of soggy and sweaty kit or does good air circulation stop this.

    My wish list would be…

    Covered bike parking
    Several shower cubicles to avoid/minimize queuing
    Ventilated locker to hang wet gear (would just a metal cage be enough?)
    Locker for dry gear (depending on demand it would be great for storing clean work clothes

    jimdubleyou
    Full Member

    I like to keep suit / shirts / shoes etc at work. I’d like somewhere to keep them away from my stinky kit.

    I’d like somewhere secure to keep wet / stinky kit that allows it to dry out in the day.

    I want to be able to walk into one area in cycling kit, and walk out in a suit – I don’t want to have to:
    go up to my office,
    get my stuff,
    come back down shower etc,
    take stinky kit to another place
    eventually get to desk.

    I’d also like a toilet in the same area as the showers.

    RustyMac
    Full Member

    Clothes drying facilities
    Lockers big enough to hang clothes in and segregate clean and dirty clothes
    Near by toilet
    Espresso machine

    simon_g
    Full Member

    Lockers with nice dry airflow are lovely. The last place I was at had all this in the basement (former carpark) and as the aircon vented down there you could just leave stuff draped over your bike and it would be bone dry by home time.

    Security is main one. Same place had “airlock” security gates (which makes it near impossible to just follow someone in), CCTV, and most days someone working in the mini-workshop space down there. Never felt the need to lock my bike to anything.

    Only gripe was racks, most were the type that stuck out from the wall and supported the underside of the front wheel (bike vertical). Doesn’t work well with mudguards or disc brakes. One small section had racks for “heavy” bikes (which used a hook for the top of the front wheel, and a gas strut to help with lifting it up vertical) which was often full up – lots of commuters tend to just leave mudguards on.

    mrchrispy
    Full Member

    decent sized lockers but most importantly a proper drying room…a dehumidifier is a most.

    Our room has a sign on the door that says ‘drying room’….that’s the extent of the drying facilities, the reality is that its just a big damp dark room.

    I’m going to do them on trade description

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    Valet bike parking.

    Massage lady.

    Showering companions assistants

    Sleeping area.

    project
    Free Member

    When working in a large steelworks we had a dirty locker and A clean locker, with showers in the middle, the lockers had a ventilated top and a steam pipe going under each locker, the steam was presurised in the pipe not as a sauna steam room.

    Ample ventilation via fans not open windows, to remove steam condensation,also non slip flooring and shower curtains, along with soap holders.

    chrisdw
    Free Member

    Best drying room I’ve seen is looking round a distillery in Scotland. One of the staff had his bike clothes hanging over the hot pipes under the stills.

    TiRed
    Full Member

    Well I work for probably the most bike-friendly large company. Happy to put you in touch with our coordinator.

    But… Lockers and storage for shoes are a must. Lockers should hold a suit and two shirts as a minimum. We have a regular locker usage survey, because of the high demand.

    Laundered fresh towels.

    Decent shower gel.

    Folding ironing board. Ours is never folded away and the irons break from being dropped.

    Hair driers for hair and gloves, of course.

    Benches to sit on to change and place clothes when changing

    Hanging space for cycle kit. It doesn’t dry in a locker.

    Now the value added: we have a cupboard with emergency spares to get home. We have a bike shop on site and free servicing and labour.

    We are rewarded with one pound per day to spend in said shop or Evans.

    W have a very generous bike to work scheme.

    But the nice white towels fresh daily, unlimited Dove gel and somewhere for my suit are what matters!

    hjghg5
    Free Member

    Hairdryer and/or sensibly located plug sockets. My main gripe with the showers where I work is that the plug socket is nowhere near the mirror, and right by the external door meaning you’re in the way when people come in/out.

    Dibbs
    Free Member

    We already have:-
    A bike shed for parking (takes about 30 bikes).
    Site patrolled by armed guards (to keep the bikes safe). 😉
    Everyone has at least 3 personal different size lockers.
    10 showers in the locker room I use but there are others.
    Drying room.
    Wall mounted hairdryers.
    Towels provided free.

    ninfan
    Free Member

    a dirty locker and a clean locker, with showers in the middle

    worked in several labs with different itinerations of this, and it is wonderful.

    add in a drying room with lots of lovely warm, clean towels and its heaven.

Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)

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