Ballston – showers and secure bike parking?

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  • July 25, 2017 at 2:03 pm #919578
    hoppy
    Participant

    Hello, I’m considering taking a job in Ballston, in an office building a block from the Metro. Unfortunately this building doesn’t have a parking garage where I can lock my bike securely, or a shower. This is making me appreciate my current workplace that has both.

    I’m wary of parking my bike on the street, and I don’t want to downgrade my bike to a beater, so I’m wondering if there are any options near there for secure bike parking and a place where I can take a shower in the morning after biking in. I’d rather not pay a monthly gym fee if I can find something more reasonably priced.

    Before posting, I searched past threads and there were a couple but they were from 2014 and 2011 and I was wondering if there is any new finds out there.

    Thanks for any tips.

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Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)
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  • July 25, 2017 at 2:14 pm #1073707
    baiskeli
    Participant

    Can’t help you with the non-gym shower, but two things about secure parking – there are bike lockers at the Va. Square Metro a short distance away, and there are plans to reconstruct the area around the Ballston Metro that might include more secure bike parking in a few years.

    July 25, 2017 at 3:09 pm #1073712
    Guus
    Participant

    The Ballston parking garage has a small parking area for bikes, on the Glebe Road entrance. It’s not in a locked cage, but pretty safe as far as I can tell. I’ve parked there for several years and haven’t had any issues (fingers crossed).

    July 25, 2017 at 4:10 pm #1073720
    bobco85
    Participant

    There was this recent thread that might help: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?12114-Fitness-Center-Bike-Cages-at-4301-or-4401-Wilson-Boulevard-(Ballston)

    I work in Ballston (parking my bike on same rack as Guus) and unfortunately think the only way you’ll be able to shower would be to eat the gym fees.

    Regarding the Ballston parking garage bike racks, I’ll say this: in the 5 years since my bike was stolen from those racks, they are much more secure than before (they improved the lighting and added that area to the security guard patrol route). I still use the racks, but I remove any and all lights/cameras/etc.

    That said, don’t ever park your bike outside near the Ballston Metro.

    July 25, 2017 at 4:54 pm #1073724
    qnelson
    Participant

    Agreed with Guus and boboco85. When I worked in Ballston, before they fixed the bike rack in my company’s parking garage, I parked there as well. For showers I just ended up using the gym in the mall. If the building your new job would be in doesn’t have a shower there aren’t any other options I’m aware of in that area. You could also birdbath it with wet-wipes, I did that for a year or so and while not as great as a shower it kept me from smelling up the office.

    July 25, 2017 at 4:56 pm #1073725
    KLizotte
    Participant

    Yes, lots of thefts at the Ballston metro bike racks. Amazing given the ped traffic around there. Also, there has been an on-going problem of bike thefts in general along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor so I wouldn’t lock up a really nice bike for long periods of time there, even in a garage. Is there anyway you could bring the bike into your building? You may want to ask your potential employer; just explain that you are a bike commuter and are looking at your options. Hotels often have unadvertised gym memberships available; they build gyms in order to attract guests but no one ever uses them so they give out memberships to the locals.

    July 25, 2017 at 5:58 pm #1073728
    chris_s
    Participant

    @baiskeli 163211 wrote:

    Can’t help you with the non-gym shower, but two things about secure parking – there are bike lockers at the Va. Square Metro a short distance away, and there are plans to reconstruct the area around the Ballston Metro that might include more secure bike parking in a few years.

    Ballston Metro will definitely have semi-secure bike parking once the plaza is reconstructed. You’ll have to register your Smart Trip card to act as a key to the cage and key in and out, but anyone will be able to register their SmartTrip card in order to do so.

    Current estimated construction start: 2018 (it was delayed due to SafeTrack).

    July 25, 2017 at 6:08 pm #1073730
    dasgeh
    Participant

    @chris_s 163233 wrote:

    Ballston Metro will definitely have semi-secure bike parking once the plaza is reconstructed. You’ll have to register your Smart Trip card to act as a key to the cage and key in and out, but anyone will be able to register their SmartTrip card in order to do so.

    Current estimated construction start: 2018 (it was delayed due to SafeTrack).

    Project page: https://projects.arlingtonva.us/projects/ballston-station-multimodal/

    July 25, 2017 at 6:44 pm #1073735
    baiskeli
    Participant
    chris_s;163233 wrote:
    ballston metro will definitely have semi-secure bike parking once the plaza is reconstructed. You’ll have to register your smart trip card to act as a key to the cage and key in and out, but anyone will be able to register their smarttrip card in order to do so.

    Current estimated construction start: 2018 (it was delayed due to safetrack).

    10q

    July 25, 2017 at 6:46 pm #1073736
    baiskeli
    Participant

    @KLizotte 163230 wrote:

    Yes, lots of thefts at the Ballston metro bike racks. Amazing given the ped traffic around there. Also, there has been an on-going problem of bike thefts in general along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor so I wouldn’t lock up a really nice bike for long periods of time there, even in a garage. Is there anyway you could bring the bike into your building? You may want to ask your potential employer; just explain that you are a bike commuter and are looking at your options. Hotels often have unadvertised gym memberships available; they build gyms in order to attract guests but no one ever uses them so they give out memberships to the locals.

    I had one stolen there in daylight. The ONE day I forgot my u-lock and used a cable lock.

    July 26, 2017 at 3:27 pm #1073773
    hoppy
    Participant

    Thank you all for the tips, this is very helpful, thanks!

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