I live in Hamburg, Germany. I always tried to use the bicycle for any regular work route under 20km.
I use to use my bicycle for a job where I lived outside and the company was in some inner part in Hamburg. 18km.
I also used it when I lived in some inner part and was working in some part of the harbour. 16km. There was a Fitness center near the office, I was a member of that chain of fitness centers. I was using the bicycle to get to that fitness center and have a shower there. Then I walked to the office.
I would expect that it is important to take a shower before walking into office. It's just a matter of planning. Really good companies have showers for their employees. For example many of the larger companies have some kind of sports facilities.
Additional to taking a shower, one also needs some fresh clothes. Also you need a save place for the bicycle.
It takes some planning and organization, but once you use your bicycle three or more times per week to get to work and back it pays back.
The excellent fitness is what you get in return.
Currently I live in a suburb. The whole area is reduced to 30km/h for cars. I use my bicycle a lot. Bus station is 50 meters away. The bus comes every 20 minutes. The bus takes me in 5 or 10 minutes to two local city centers. The next local train is 15 minutes walking or 5 minutes by bus. That local train gets you in 18 minutes into Hamburg City. So, public transport is sufficient for me. Though there is also a Autobahn nearby. Generally connectivity is great.
In the inner city of Hamburg one can now rent bicycles and a lot of planning is now done to improve the whole bicycle co system. Even the port authority of the Hamburg port, one of the largest in the world, thinks about using bicycles - they are working on a 'master plan' for using bicycles in the harbour region:
http://www.hamburg-port-authority.de/presse-und-aktuelles/ne...