I'm thinking about taking a job a short bike ride from the California Ave Caltrain station, and I live in SF. I won't have to commute every day, probably 2-3 days a week after the first couple months, but probably more than that to start.

I've commuted by bike on BART before, and the thing I found painful was having to worry about my bike during my commute. I just want to be left alone and relax. I seem to be good at sleeping on trains.

I'm aware that Caltrain has bike cars and that bringing a bike onboard will be a bit less stressful than BART, but I've seen online that there is a "Caltrain Bikehub" or "Bike Station" in Palo Alto where you can leave your bike overnight. So I was thinking I might just leave a bike there and bike the extra distance (looks like an extra 10 mins or so each way). Then on the SF side I'm free to walk or bike or do whatever.

The website for the Palo Alto Bike Station says you can leave your bike up to 72 hours, and you're then charged an additional dollar a day after that. It also says abandoned bikes may be immobilized or impounded. If I'm only working 2-3 days a week, or if I work from home for a full week, will I risk the bike getting impounded? Is there a hard limit?

The office is closer to the California Ave station, so if the Palo Alto Bike Station idea doesn't work I would actually have a shorter bike ride.

Any advice on the commute?