Requesting End-of-Trip Facilities From Your Employer

What are end of trip facilities?

End-of-trip facilities are amenities provided by employers to help their employees freshen up after riding, walking, or running to work. They typically include showers, change rooms, secure bike parking, and other amenities that encourage active travel.

How to ask for End-of-Trip Facilities from Your Employer?

As more people opt to actively commute to work, it’s become increasingly important for workplaces to provide end-of-trip facilities. They can make a significant difference in the daily commute of employees. If you actively commute and your workplace doesn’t have end-of-trip facilities, here are some suggestions on how to ask your employer.

  1. Do your research. Find out what other workplaces in your area offer end-of-trip facilities, and what the benefits are for both employees and the employer. This information can help make your case and demonstrate the importance of these facilities.
  2. Be clear about the benefits when approaching your employer. Not only do end-of-trip facilities make it easier for employees to actively commute to work, they also improve employee health and well-being, reduce carbon emissions, and even save money on parking and transportation costs.
  3. Choose the right time. Choose a time when your employer is likely to be receptive to your request, such as during a review or performance appraisal. Alternatively, you could schedule a meeting with your employer specifically to discuss this topic.
  4. One of the most effective ways to demonstrate the need for end-of-trip facilities is to explain your own experience as an active commuter. Share the challenges you face when arriving at work sweaty and in need of a shower, or when struggling to find a secure place to park your bike.
  5. Provide solutions when asking for end-of-trip facilities. For example, suggest specific facilities that would be most beneficial to you and your colleagues, or offer to help with the implementation of these facilities.
  6. Stay positive. Frame the discussion as an opportunity for your employer to improve the workplace and make it more accommodating for active commuters. Emphasize the benefits for everyone, rather than simply focusing on your own needs.
Benefits of active commuting:
  • Increased staff wellbeing
  • Higher productivity
  • Improved corporate image
  • Reduced demand for car parking

If your workplace doesn’t currently provide end-of-trip facilities, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for them. By doing your research, being clear about the benefits, choosing the right time, explaining your own experience, providing solutions, and staying positive, you can make a convincing case for why these facilities are important and why they should be implemented.

Own your home five years sooner by riding to work

Bicycle Queensland members don’t need convincing about the benefits of bike riding. We’re all getting fitter and having fun while saving the planet by lowering our carbon footprints. According to a 2021 article in The Conversation, riding a bike is 10 times better for the planet than buying an e-vehicle.

But one aspect that isn’t often highlighted, but can be a major factor for people making the switch to riding to work is that: riding a bike is the cheapest time-effective way to travel for distances up to 10km. But what does it cost to ride your bike to work?

We did some maths … but we would be keen to have Bicycle Queensland members check our work. We reckon that if you’re careful, commuting by bike costs less than $20 per week, or less than $900 per year. We’ve based this on buying a commuting bike for $1000, and spending $400 on accessories to make your bike more commute-friendly. And because you’re frugal, you’re keeping this bike for five years, sounds reasonable to us.

Cost of commuting by car versus bike

Compare this with the average cost of transport for households in Brisbane, which is a whopping $458 per week. Yes, you read that right.

So let’s say that 25% of trips made are to work. That’s way too low by the way, but let’s say that. The average weekly cost of car transport in Brisbane is $398 (that’s the total cost of transport, minus public transport fares). So let’s just use a quarter of that cost $99, and take those trips by bike instead. Suddenly we are saving $80 per week.

Let’s consider using the additional $80 per week in a way that could greatly benefit us, such as putting it towards our home loan. An extra $80 per week on the average home loan repayment equates to owning your home five years sooner!

Of course the assumptions in this article can be challenged. But you do your maths and let us know what you might have saved by riding your bike to work?

Our Director of Advocacy has been riding to work for 38 years. On 2022 figures this has saved his household $146,000. He just hopes nobody asks him what he did with this money. It can’t all have gone on Campag hubs and lunches.

Queensland’s Best Post Ride Coffee Shops

As much as we all love riding, it’s well documented that sometimes before we start, we are already thinking about the coffee at the end! For two-wheeled coffee drinkers, the first sip after a long ride is rewarding! We were determined to hunt down Queensland’s top bike-friendly cafes. So we asked our members what their favourite post-ride coffee spots were, and here are the results.

Musette | Bowen Hills
Voted top post ride cafe in Brisbane by our members! This gem is hidden inside CAMS Cycling Collective.

Cheeky Bean | West End
Cracking Colombian coffee and shockingly bad humour, with an ever changing array of naughty snacks! Dog friendly as well!

Cadence Cafe | Nerang
Situated at the back of the bike shop ‘Just Ride’. This cafe has a laid back atmosphere and provides a nice place for a catch up after a bike ride.

Bean Beat | Hervey Bay
A lovely, locally-owned, family-run cafe devoted to serving fantastic, home-made food by the beach side.

Cafe in the Mountains | Mt Nebo
Nestled in the forest with stunning views while you eat, and drink your coffee. 

The Gardens Club | Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
The Gardens Club occupies the heritage listed curator’s cottage in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, hosting a cafe.

Baked at Ancora | Tweed Heads
Where classic Parisian bakery meets cheeky waterside picnics.

Cafe Scooterini | Coolangatta
Enjoy a post ride beverage and meal by the beachside at this cosy cafe.

River City Coffee Roasters | Ormiston
River City Coffee Roasters was born from a desire to create amazing coffee, and share it with the public.

Water Drop Teahouse | Chung Tian Temple Underwood
The Teahouse provides tranquil and comfortable surroundings to relax with light vegetarian meals and refreshments.

Preece’s at the Jetty | Redcliffe 
Modern Australian dishes in a large, long-standing restaurant with pavement seating & bay views.

Lokal + Co | West End
A neighbourhood eatery and bar with a Nordic influence.

Hey Joe Coffee + Co | East Brisbane
An eatery with contemporary Australian cafe service and London-inspired aesthetics.

Drift Coffee Company | Scarborough
Dog friendly, seaside, organic coffee & eats.

Swift espresso | Paddington
A great place to relax and connect in Paddington over great coffee and a flavour-packed menu.

QRoasters | Stafford
Coffee is QRoasters passion and craft! 

The Wired Owl Coffee Co. | Sandgate
Open 7 days a week and pet friendly – there’s great coffee and a tasty menu.

Portside Cafe and Restaurant | Maryborough
Covering coffee, lunch and more from Wednesday through to Sunday.

Scatter Bean Cafe | Taringa
A bit more than a hole in the wall, serving great coffee and treats.

First Coffee Co. | Wellington Point
The go-to 7 days a week for coffee and cafe snacks.

The Latin Shack | Samford Valley
A popular stop on the way to or from The Goat Track, Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious. Great coffee and food to fuel your ride.

Cruise down to your favourite coffee shop and tag Bicycle Queensland, so we can stay up to date with the best cafes in QLD. We are sure there is more great coffee shops out there, so if we have missed your favourite let us know! 

If you haven’t already, join the Bicycle Queensland family here.

Enjoy your riding and COFFEE! 

How to choose the right bike saddle for you

If you want to be comfortable on your bike, one of the most important decisions to consider is choosing the right bike saddle for you. The saddle your bike came with might be adequate for a short ride here and there, but when you start to ride more regularly you’ll start to notice just how important tailoring the right bike saddle for you is.

Saddle selection can affect your health and enjoyment levels on the bike, so it’s important to make an active and well-informed choice.  Why? Because a saddle with a poor ergonomic design that doesn’t suit your anatomy or your intended use (eg. mountain bike vs commute vs road race) can cause loads of problems.  These include:

  • Perineal pain (saddle sores)
  • Impotence / genital pain / numbness
  • Poor spinal posture leading to back and neck pain
  • Even knee pain can result from a poor saddle choice!

A well designed ergonomic saddle will permit a far better position on the bike leading to comfort and performance gains. Just as there are different types of bikes, there are different types of saddles.  At the extremes, the saddle you choose for a town bike is completely different to a time trial bike because your sitting posture is vastly different between bikes, resulting in very different parts of your bony pelvis being in contact with the saddle.

Comfort Saddle
Source: www.bikeexchange.com.au
Ergonomic saddle. Source: www.amazon.com

How do you choose a saddle?  Here are a few things to consider:

  • Saddle width: it needs to be wide enough to support your pelvic bones.  Wider for upright postures and narrow for racing / low postures (where the pelvic bones also narrow).
  • Padding: more for upright bikes, less for race bikes.
  • Shape: a modern ergonomic design with central relief channel and lateral groove to unload sensitive soft tissue areas (see images below).

And most importantly, you will need some test rides to decide if the saddle will work for you or not.

Left (black saddle) is almost completely flat with no ergonomic shape at all and caused the rider perineal pain. On the right (yellow saddle) notice the curved ergonomic shape which alleviates saddle pressures and pains.

Left (black saddle): Notice the direct contact between the front of the pelvis and saddle nose – ouch! Right (yellow saddle): The arrow shows the space available to keep pressure off your soft tissues – comfort!

How to pack all the essentials for a bike ride

Imagine, you’re on the road 10 kilometres from home and you get a flat tyre.

You scramble for a spare tyre, only to realise you didn’t pack one. Avoid this situation by packing all the essentials for a bike ride. Packing the right tools and educating yourself on how to use them will make the job easier and get you back on the bike quicker.

Essentials for a bike ride

  • Small pump or Co2 canisters: Fixed to the frame or in a saddlebag. Co2 canisters are costly and less environmentally friendly but are quick and fuss-free.
  • Puncture repair kit and tyre levers: New versions have glue-less patches that act like a band-aid.
  • Spare tube(s): Rolled up and in the saddlebag or spare bidon (tool carrier)
  • A multi-tool: Fits in your saddlebag and has almost everything for the quick fix mechanical problems
  • Water (bottle or camelback)
  • Nutrition (Snacks): None perishable items are the best and treats for extra motivation work well with the young ones.
  • Cash and phone for emergencies
  • Sun protection
  • Medications
  • Emergency details (ID)

Carry these essentials in your jersey pockets or a small backpack.

If you’re commuting to work, going for a much longer ride, or you just don’t like the feeling of heavy backpacks and/or pockets, you may like to carry your belongings on the bike as opposed to on the person.

On the bike‘ refers to devices that put the weight of your items on the bike, which means that your body is free to move without being weighed down.

Pannier bags stay on your bike in a fixed position whilst frame bags (also called bento bags) are fixed to the frame.

Other handy items

  • Lightweight spray jacket: Packs neatly
  • Bike lights: White on the front, red on the back
  • Spare socks
  • Wet wipes: After you change a flat, put the chain back on or stop for a lunch date.
  • Bike lock

You’ll need to work out what type of riding you will be doing and cater the needs of your pack to that type or riding. Experiment with different methods and talk with other cyclists to get your packing skills just right.

How to wear cycling gear in cold weather

Cold weather is a surprising reason why so many people don’t get on their bikes in winter.

Despite the cold, winter is the prime season for sports like football, Rugby League or AFL. To combat the cold they wear gear like tracksuits or skins before they get their body temperature up during gameplay. The cold weather is no issue for them, and cycling is no different!

In fact, winter is a great time to get out on the bike. If you wear the right gear and keep track of temperature changes throughout the seasons, you’ll be able to cycle in comfort all year round! Keep reading to learn some helpful ways to wear cycling gear in cold weather.

The Basics

An essential trick to keeping yourself warm is layering.  More often than not (especially in QLD), temperatures can quickly change depending on where you are. This is where layering comes in handy. Layering to create warmth gives you the flexibility to peel an outer layer off mid-ride if you get too hot. 

There are examples below of how to layer up for warmth using cycle -specific clothing, as well as how to do it with clothes you already have in your wardrobe (which can be really handy to save some $$ if your kids decide to get into cycling this winter).  The keys are matching the warmth of your gear to how cold the temperature and wind chill actually are.

Start with your base layer

To stay warm, start with a base layer; an undershirt that goes beneath your jersey. In Queensland a short sleeve or singlet is usually adequate. Choose a breathable fabric to wick away sweat. Merino base layers are good for when the temperature drops below 10°C, otherwise a standard polypro works well. If you want to use something already in your wardrobe, grab a singlet or old tight fitting t-shirt.

Add another layer

As it gets cooler, adding a gillet (wind stopper vest) over your jersey adds another layer of warmth for your core and blocks the wind. Still cold? Cover your arms using arm warmers – these are fleece lined lycra tubes you pull up over your base layer that can be pulled off later and stored in your jersey pocket if you get too hot.  For kids a skivvy or long sleeve t-shirt under their jersey works fine, or a sloppy joe over the top.  Once the temperature gets to 16°C or cooler you might want leg or arm warmers.

Protect your toes and fingers

Frozen toes and fingers are definitely something to avoid. Start with toe covers (3mm neoprene covers for the end of your cycle shoes) which will keep your feet toasty warm and only set you back about $15. Dave from Cycle Physio was offered $100 for them at a café on a cold winters morning before! Long finger gloves (fleece lined) are great in Queensland’s winter – there’s nothing worse than having your fingers so frozen that you can’t change gears. 

Cyclist and child demonstrating layering cycling gear for cold weather
Cyclist and child demonstrating layering cycling gear for cold weather

Don’t forget your head!

Since you lose about 1/3 of your body heat through your head, keeping your head warm makes a massive difference. A skull cap or cycle cap works perfectly here. On the cap the tiny brim will also block the rain and not obstruct your vision when riding. If you don’t want to buy one, you can use a thin beanie or bandana on under your helmet. A “buff” (a fabric tube available on our store here) is excellent and can be worn like a scarf to keep your neck warm. It can even be pulled up over the ears, mouth, nose and head (under your helmet) to stay really warm.

Complete your look

Lastly, a winter jacket or rain cape (thin waterproof packable jacket) can be worn as an outer layer for cold early mornings below 10°C, especially if a cold winter westerly is blowing. Once you’re all layered up, you might find that you’re actually sweating a little on your ride whilst your less well-dressed mates are freezing!

Want more cycling resources and education? Start by watching our Bike Basics series here!