They can't do this!

Go to the papers!

+1 if you are only riding for 15 minutes then it can't be that sweaty.

Means nothing without some indication of distance. 15 minutes is plenty of time to get sweaty if you're going fast enough...

I did my ride in 20 mins today, and I was dripping!!!
Fortunately I own the company, and I went to the gym to shower?

I think the gym solution could work, isn't there a virgin gym near Yo Sushi, Farringdon Road?
Sounds like they are being funny feckers to me, especially if it was not an issue last summer?

This seems to me like an unsolvable problem. I am therefore suggesting suicide.

I think the gym solution could work,

I'd be wicked pissed if I was expected to shell out money for a gym just so I could shower if I wasn't going to be working out there. But then, I hate going to the gym.

It sucked that in my work wouldn't accommodate any cyclists at all (except the owner, of course) in helping them find a place to lock their bikes up inside. Especially after mine was stolen from directly out front of work. But then (again), I was able to change, had a locker, had showers & hair dryers if I needed but never did (I'm not smelly, even in the middle of a NYC summer). I worked at a spa.

i think it is probably the changing time in the morning combined with my manager generally being a bit "difficult". i don't smoke, so that is a good point. also we are supposed to have an hour for lunch but we never really get to take it so i could maybe use that.

i think they are worried that other people may start riding to work adding to the stuff in the staffroom. i'll definitely use the health benefit thing you mentioned crazyjames

no chance of a key for a while yet, and i don't really want one either, it would be literally millions of pounds worth of stock i'd be responsible for. we'll see what they say. not really up for the gym thing as it negates the time/money saved by riding.

Buy that Rapha suit Teddy posted recently, and ride to work in that.

note to myself.. get boss to pay £3,000 for me to ride in a bespoke Rapha suit, i like it.. i will suggest that in my next staff appraisal..

http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=312

My one line email this morning...

"I asked you today to sort out the laundry situation under your desk yet I notice that this has not been done this evening. Please sort this out as a matter of urgency tomorrow."

Ive been doing it for 2 years! haha!

Union union union. Also (dont know if this has been said but) take a note of what he said, when it was and if there was any one else present.

Your boss can't tell you how to commute to work, and if he/she tries anything you'll have evidence if it gets to that. If anything they should be accommodating you choice.

Reminds me of this case when a big transport consultants told their staff that they could not ride to work as it was too dangerous. Story here.

Tell them that the slaves who dig out diamonds do not smell of roses either.

Doesn't your employer have to give you a locker at least for personal items in the staffroom? I'm sure we have to build them into our shops (or maybe we're just nice).

Work late every night.
Rub old prawns/shrimp/fish into any clothes your boss leaves around.
Speak to coworkers about your concern for his/her health due to their obvious sweatyness whilst they are merely sitting down doing nothing physical.
Suggest that the boss starts an exercise program to work on their fitness. Perhaps suggest they try cycling to work.

Given that magpies are famous for flying off with shiny things, getting the keys sounds unlikely ;)

Have you tried telling your boss to HTFU?

Seriously though, as well as the health benefits, cyclists are more punctual - we aren't held up by the delays in getting to work that those on public transport often face and when we do get there we are brighter and more alert because the ride in has woken us up. It sounds to me like your boss doesn't want to get in any earlier so you can change, I can't see any other reason s/he'd be anti-cycling.

we didn't have showers here, and some of us wanted to ride in to work (45min 12mile cycle for me), so we asked our bosses if we could have showers installed. they said yeah that's fine. 4months later on and we've now got showers at work and ride in/run/swim during lunch occasionally, shower gets used on average 3 times a week. everyone's happy - we can cycle in happily, leave our suits here overnight, leave bikes in the office, whatever. the employer is happy that we're happy. the OP's employer is frankly shit, and a bully, and i'm guessing retail.

If your employer is part of a larger business then you can insist on fair treatment and complain that forbidding you to cycle is unreasonable behaviour. It may even be against their green policy etc.
If your employer is a very small business (seems likely) then you have far fewer rights but if you insist on riding in they cannot sack you for it without risking facing an employement tribunal for unfair dismissal. You should mention to your boss that cycling to work is really important to you (why else would you be here!) and ask him/her to suggest a compromise as their suggestion that you give up cycling is unfair..

This seems to me like an unsolvable problem. I am therefore suggesting suicide.

+1

i used to cycle to school.
but have been told not to as it is too dangerous, i may end up sweating and i cycle in trainers.
wtf!
and they say they want uk's school kids to keep fit.
ppssshhh!

What school told you that? Let us know so that we can name them and shame them.

how sweaty can someone get on a 15 minute ride?

(meaning your boss's shape, not you)

To be fair some people, mainly blokes, can get a right old sweat on after 5 minutes, especially in summer. NOT ME THOUGH nervous smile

Fujiboy, I used to cycle to school. It was at the top of a very large hill so I always used to get pretty sweaty. On hotter days I just cycled in my shorts. Stroll into the classroom wearing nothing but a small pair of shorts, queue unimpressed comment from the teacher, "Its hot!" as my excuse, pull dry t-shirt out of bag. Sweat problem solved.

tell us where you work and we'll come round and demonstrate outside the office with menaces

I used to cycle to school, in sixth form I got spds and started turning up in the shoes when our dress code was smart shoes/trousers/shirt/tie. Kept getting told to sort shoes out, kept telling them I couldn't cycle in on my pedals without special shoes, ended up keeping a smart pair in my locker but continually flouting the rules. Had an arse of a deputy head who kept trying to pick me up on it but generally got away with it.

What does it matter if you sweat a bit fuijboy? Can you keep normal shoes at school and change when you get there?

I'm proud of my sweat.
but thats because i insist on wearing a windproof ski jacket even in summer, as its held up to so many crashes where i should have road rash all over my body and instead ended up with nothing.

What school told you that? Let us know so that we can name them and shame them.

charlie - the Headmistress at my childrens junior school (they no longer go there) refused to provide cycle storage facilities (eg a 'bike shed') reasoning that to do so would 'encourage children to cycle to school and therefore putting the children at risk from the dangers of the road' - words to that effect. I kid you not. Weird because she was an excellent almost 'progressive' Headmistress and the school has an excellent educational reputation.