Full Bike Sheds

[domd1979]

Bike shed at work was full today for the first time since I can't remember when. Which is nice to see. Shame its not like that every day really!!! Then I could pay our parking dude a visit who insists we need more parking and tell him he's right, we do, for more bikes not more sodding cars.

Good job I was in early as usual to reserve my spot at the end which avoids the need to use the ridiculous butterfly stands!!

 

[MERV]

Tried to get a 5am turn for tommorow as the fair weather cyclists are driving me looney.

 

[palinurus]

Where I work we don't have fairweather cyclists, same three or four all year round. Doesn't change at all when the weather is nice.

 

[Tynan]

down to two in the winter, me and one other, now I have to take a slot right at the other end, maybe an extra dozen bikes suddenly

there should be some sort of merit system so real cyclists don't have to lock up at the uphill end where the bushes hangover

 

[goo_mason]

Same at my place - suddenly there are bikes everywhere now that the weather has picked up. Nice to see, but still those cyclists think that I must be mad cycling all year round. Most give up in September and only get back on again now.

Their excuse for being fair-weather cyclists is always, "Oh, but you've got all the gear for winter...". Gear ? Some lights, 2 pairs of bib longs, two winter tops, a £6 hi-viz/reflective waistcoat and a hi-viz / reflective rucksack cover are all I have collected over the two years I've cycled through winter - and I didn't even have all of those until the 2nd winter !

I'm OK for bike space as I'm always in at about 6.30 when no-one else is around, but I've noticed more and more people cycle in one day and leave the bike for a few days before cycling it home again, which is starting to use up the available bike-parking....

 

[Tynan]

crushed after a day locked up wouldn't you say?

 

[catwoman]

There is a very large bike shed where I work but I'm not a morning person so I rarely benefit from the under cover parking it offers. At first I was very impressed with the high occupation of the bike shed but I quickly realsied it's full of hibernating bikes. At least half of it is used up by bikes that never seem to be used at all! I know this because although I'm often one of the last ones in in the morning I'm also often one of the last ones to leave at night and the bike shed is usually still about three quarters occupied when I leave.
The joint to my left pedal is rusting-up because when it rains that part of the bike is exposed to the elements because I can't get it under cover as all the space is used up. Also the design of the bikeshed is not very good in that space is very limited between the racks.
I suppose people buy their bikes with all good intentions but have difficulty with space for parking them at home so they just leave them at work.

 

[gbb]

With a large immigrant workforce, our racks are always well used anyway...and i NEVER park my bikes in there....
Ive seen two or three bikes lumped together and bikes knocked over, no way in the world are my bikes going in there.
Luckily, i have 'access to all areas' and lock mine away 'out of the way'.

Cant say ive seen any converts yet...

 

[HLaB]

We don't get fair weather commuters in our office, I think its because Bike parking is limited . There only tends to be 2 other bikes at most and one the bike belongs to a bloke who doesn't use it as much in Summer preferring to use his Motorbike, preferring the bicycle in Winter.

 

[Maz]

A bike rack would be a great idea... At the moment it's a case of finding any spare railing.

 

[palinurus]

It isn't the lack of parking at our place, they even pay us to cycle. Hasn't made any difference to the number of cyclists at all.

Pays for my tyres'n'tubes tho'.

 

[palinurus]

down to two in the winter, me and one other, now I have to take a slot right at the other end, maybe an extra dozen bikes suddenly

there should be some sort of merit system so real cyclists don't have to lock up at the uphill end where the bushes hangover

Like if you cycle all winter you get a guaranteed good parking spot.

Or you could hold an annual TT and the winner gets to pick their spot first, and so on.

Longest commute: best spot?

Bike inspection, Bonj as consultant?

 

[mootaineer]

Bike shed at work was full today for the first time since I can't remember when. Which is nice to see. Shame its not like that every day really!!! Then I could pay our parking dude a visit who insists we need more parking and tell him he's right, we do, for more bikes not more sodding cars.

Good job I was in early as usual to reserve my spot at the end which avoids the need to use the ridiculous butterfly stands!!

The number of bikes locked to the stands has maybe tripled/quadrupled since the rainy/cold days (and that's just indoors...outdoors it's worse!).

I have to get in reasonably early to ensure I get a parking space.
How are you meant to use butterfly stands?
"The regulars" use them so that the wheel goes either side of the butterfly "wings". The fairweather riders put their wheel between the butterfly wings (which takes up 2 slots so annoys us regulars).
Are we right? Are the wheels meant to go either side of the butterfly wings :?:

It's nice to see an increased number of cyclists but more etiquette would be nice.
Not parking your bike infront of mine at the red lights when I'm clearly riding at a faster pace, etc.

Oh well...the fine weather makes up for any grievances I may have

 

[fossyant]

I hope we get our new bike sheds - promised by September, but it's just been announced that because we can't get planning permission for a new building on our out of town campus, it's being closed and new buildings built upon the edge of the main campus - in Hulme - lovely..... blooming need guarded stands there ! Oh well 3 years before that happens.

 

[Plax]

Got a few fair weather cyclists where I am. All year round cyclists so far is only myself and another guy. There are now at least 5 additional cyclists. I try to stick my bike at the far end with the rear mech facing the side of the hut, otherwise you get some numpty parking his bike on top of you and I've had my back mudguard knocked off before now.
What really gets on my nerves though are the motorbikes who park in the bike shed. There's one cheeky sod who will even park in the cycle rack between the cycles!