Unhygenic bikes

On the weekend I popped into a small 'convenience store' version of one of the supermarket chains.

I was after, ideally, a ginger beer but since that was sadly lacking I settled for another drink and something to nibble.

As this was an unplanned stop, I took my bike in with me (who'm I kidding, she'd have come in anyway, she's a Brompton, but she didn't get folded as this was a short in/out trip). I don't carry a lock and even if I had there was nowhere to lock her to.

Anyway, back to my point.

When I was paying for my drink & snack (i.e. by this point I was leaving the shop) someone came out from the back to tell me to take the bike outside please.

This because it was a food shop and the bike was unnhygenic.

Can anyone confirm whether this is a genuine health hazard? She's an on-road only bike and it's not like they make you take your shoes off at the door and dip your feet in a solution of bleach before they let you in! Especially since all the food comes in sealed plastic packets ANYWAY.... I don't think there's anything worse on her tyres than there would be on my feet if I'd walked there. I can sort of understand that a bike might 'drip stuff' on the floor (perhaps a muddy mountain bike or an enthusiastically oiled bike) but it's not like anyone eats off the floor...? :wacko:

[If they had said 'fire hazard' or so on I might have felt a bit more sympathetic].


New Member
West Midlands
I took my bike into Maplin recently and got funny looks.... OK, not a food store I know... :wacko:

I don't know - I wouldn't be unhappy to see someone wheeling a bike around a supermarket. It can't be any more unhygienic than a trolley that some idiot lets their shitty-shoed kid stand in?


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe
I regularly take a Brommie round a supermarket in a trolley.
It's not like anything in supermarkets isn't wrapped up, usually in three impenetrable layers of plastic and one of cardboard.
Come to think of it, most humans are pretty unhygienic anyway. Ever read that story about parts of the human body which are most often contaminated with faeces? Not what you might expect. Quite an eye-opener. Literally, I believe....:wacko::eek:
Some people just seem to have an urge to stop people doing something that they think is odd. The problem is that these people seem to work their way into a position of minor authority and read lots of health and safety crap and office manuals to back up their petty view of right and wrong.

They need to be sent to France for a year! Things like the mens urinal in the passage way leading to the womens loos would open their eyes a bit.

Night Train

Maker of Things
I've never had any problems wheeling my bike around at B&Q with one of their baskets hung on the bars.

I think I would tell them they are overreacting and point out that the bike is no dirtier then shoes, shopping trollies, baby buggies, kids, etc. and then ask them to show me the rule book and to give me the name and number of the area manager.


Quite dreadful
lost somewhere
Over The Hill said:
The French have a lot going for them when it comes to a healthy attitude towards risk. A few years ago there was a TV documentary after some UK food scare. It compared the UK with France, and showed open jugs of fresh cream being sold in hot French open markets. The UK food hygienist was appalled. The French counterpart just gave a wonderful Gallic shrug and said.....

" You like safety....we like good food..." Magnifique!


Well-Known Member
I always half fold my Brompton then rest a supermarket basket on top. This turns it into a trolley/bike hybrid and so probably totally confuses the little Hitlers as I've never had any bother.
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