B*****cks...no shower!

[Downward]

Oh, so I'll have to buy a load of new kit? Nice one!

Febreeze your kit, I've done this for a year now and it's clean enough for 2 days commute.

When you get in assuming you get changed in the loo just cool down for 5 minutes before getting dressed. I haven't used the showers at work for well over a year now

 

[Jezston]

If you build up a fair sweat, then you will smell. Wet wipes may be enough, but I'd want a shower. I once rode 14 miles home after work in clean clothes and felt dry and clean upon arriving home. Was about to just get changed before going out as I thought I was fine but had to be stopped and instructed to shower by my flatmate who pointed out that actually I smelt really bad!

I think it's pretty unacceptable that they aren't building one into the design in the new place. If they plan to do one in six months time, why not do it straight away? If they then use the space for something else, how are you going to get them to move that out and install a shower there?

You have to get in there early or it might not happen ever. Have a word with the boss.

 

[LizardEye]

I think it's pretty unacceptable that they aren't building one into the design in the new place. If they plan to do one in six months time, why not do it straight away? If they then use the space for something else, how are you going to get them to move that out and install a shower there?

You have to get in there early or it might not happen ever. Have a word with the boss.

You're right. I will!

 

[CorsairC]

I leave a sports bag with everything I need left in work. I wait 10 mins to cool down. Then grab the bag and go to wheelchair loo, which no one uses and has lots of room for the bad and hang up clothes. Sponge, soap and towel and you can have a good scrub in the sink. I have a pannier for bringing stuff in and out dirty/clean clothes. We have a shower at the end of the building but you've got to get a key and all the messing around can add 15 mins to your change. Using the sink is a 5 mins job.

 

[jonny jeez]

You're right. I will!

good luck.

I design and construct commerical office space.
Showers are fast becoming a luxury for my clients as they carry a surprisingly high premium of many thousands of pounds (a decent multi sex shower and changing room can easily reach £30k and can start at around £15k just for a single shower room). When staff are being laid off and jobs are insecure, a £30k expense is often seen by struggling colleagues as an extravagance. Add to that the huge cost per square foot of floorspace and the fact that your employer will be obliged to strip the whole lot out at the end of the lease. It is not a surprising state of affairs

Smaller offices (10 to 20 staff) can often include a small shower for a fraction of that cost by altering one area of an existing wash room. But a larger company (50 staff plus) will find this solution unacceptable.

The trouble is compounded by the fact that cheap shoddy showers are never used ( as they are generally a bit crap) and are therefore an even greater waste of cash, so the only way to do it is to do it properly (or expensively)

I once installed an executive wash room for a client in the city that included a dry room, private locker area, heated floors, wet room, (ie large shower...for ahem..two), a steam room and all manner of luxurious fittings including hands free taps, piped music and sealed plasmas for the dry room (buried into the wall and behind a glass front). The total cost was over £150k ...for one guy! and you can bet your life he didnt cycle in

 

[LizardEye]

The company's been pretty good so far.

They used to subsidise membership of a gym opposite, but the gym closed down a couple of years ago,
so they put in the shower by converting a disabled toilet, so that people who wanted a run on a lunchtime could
change afterwards.

We've shrunk a bit over the last year and are now giving up the lease on the half of the building where
the shower is.

The original plan was to move it to another location but with things the way they are, I think they're finding
it hard to justify the cost.

The boss cycles occasionally so is sympathetic, and I think something will be done, just not right now.
So I don't want to moan too much and lose the goodwill that's there.

The ironic thing is that I've just handed over a donation to the companies nominated charity that
I raised on a bike ride!!

Off to Costco to stock up on babywipes. I think.

 

[g00se]

Bugger. As a previous poster said - if they still have a disabled toilet, maybe you could get the unofficial OK to use it as a washroom?

 

[400bhp]

If you build up a fair sweat, then you will smell. Wet wipes may be enough, but I'd want a shower.

Absolutely.

Some local council run leisure centres only charge £1 to use the shower.

 

[Arch]

No shower would be a deal breaker for me. even with a sink wash and baby wipes I amd uncomfortable and get sore well hmmmm 'parts'

In terms of solution
1. try and get a shower installed
2, join the local gym/leisure centre and use their showwe maybe.

How does a shower cure sore 'parts'?

I think people are obsessed with showers. I don't believe a shower removes sweat anymore efficiently than a sink wash with a flannel. I think a lot of people like showers, and tell themselves that they are essential.

Me and the boss ride to the office (him 5 miles each way, me between 3 and 10 depending on how energetic I feel). We don't shower, and I don't notice any problem. We don't race in, just ride at our comfortable pace, and we're rarely sweaty when we get in.

At the other job of course, any sweaty smell is the least of our worries, compared to the recycling boxes. Sweat is fragrant, compared to week old Carling-mixed-with-off-milk.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Did you have showers at your previous offices?

If you are getting that sweaty, then either you are wearing the wrong clothes or are pushing it too hard.

Apparently a good diet affects your BO. Like you say - find someone that will tell you what it really smells like.

Like a few others say - showers aren't the holy grail - if anything I hate a hot(ish) shower if I am sweaty, doesn't help, and I hate cold showers (makes me gasp etc). If you learn to wash properly, ie. Military style, you'll come out better than a silly shower

Baby wipes.

If you work in IT and have access to the server room, you'd be amazed at the cooling power of a decent a/c unit after a hot ride. I'm not sure how much the servers love it, but it sure takes the edge off the heat.

And using the heat from the rack to dry your clothes

 

[- Baz -]

How does a shower cure sore 'parts'?

I think people are obsessed with showers. I don't believe a shower removes sweat anymore efficiently than a sink wash with a flannel. I think a lot of people like showers, and tell themselves that they are essential...

+1. We have a shower at work, but I never use it. It's too much faff - and I'm not getting showered twice in two hours! I just have a 10 min cool down at my desk and use the disabled loo to change - much more space than the normal loos. I take a soap and flannel and have a quick stand up wash followed by a go with the deordorant. As good as a shower and much quicker. I work in a large organisation and no-one has complained yet...

I've also learned that taking it easy on the way in and avoiding dripping perspiration helps a lot.

 

[MJN]

Come on guys... you need to think outside the box!

One of these suitable located should sort you...

(Actually, whilst I've never used a 'camping shower' I'm pretty damn sure you would not have face like that on if you had to use one!)

Mathew

 

[LizardEye]

Well, I've sent off a nice polite email expressing my disappointment, and my hope that the current
situation is just a temporary one.

Thanks for all the advice - I feel a lot better now about it.

Just hope you're right about the smell ( lack of)

 

[CorsairC]

Roughing it is part of the attraction tbh.

 

[MickL]

Roughing it is part of the attraction tbh.

Yup