Living Car Free - Fit Jerks

A friend of mine got an offer in the mail from her gym (Fit Works) to bring a friend in for a 30 day free trial.
She called me up, we drove to the gym and waded through the packed parking lot. I went through the sales pitch, took the tour and had a brief workout.
The next day I put my gym clothes in my bag and rode my bike to the gym. When I arrived I noticed the parking lot was again full and there was nothing to lock my bike to, no rack, no posts, not even a mailbox.
I walked into the gym with my bike and asked if I could bring it in and park it next to the vending machines near the door.
The manager said, "No".
I asked, "Why not"
"It's a liability issue. Someone could get hurt."
I looked around the gym and noticed several people using equipment that could cause way more injury than an Al bike parked next to a vending machine.
I free locked my bike outside the door, worked out, and as I was leaving one of the sales people asked if I was still considering becoming a member.

Good one.

I hope you replied with a resounding "NO!"

Why is it that people have to drive somewhere to workout? I've never been unable to understand that.

Because most people in North America are now born and brought up with a mindset that everyone must drive everywhere. They consider it an integral part of their lives. They would feel handicapped even at the thought of not being able to drive a mile to the gym.

I had a similar experience at 1 of my local grocers. A HUGE parking lot barely 20% full and not 1 single bike rack. I began locking my bike up to 1 of the shopping cart corrals and a manager looked at me, shook his head in a disapproving manner mumbling something as he walked by. The manner that I was locking it up would have caused no one any harm or difficulty. I finished locking up my bike, walked passed him and simply stated, "you guys need bike racks." He looked at me, said nothing & continued his business. I'll continue to shop there but the moment anyone tells me I can't lock up to something that will be in no ones way I will take my business elsewhere.

That parking lot can accommodate a couple of hundred vehicles and not 1 single bike. :mad: Perhaps I will talk to them in hopes of having a proper rack installed but I doubt it will happen. :rolleyes:

Seems to me most people wouldn't need to pay $40/mo if they rode/walked.
Can you imagine driving to a gym so you can walk on a treadmill for an hour?
OK, Ohio has crappy weather but it was 70 deg F and sunny, yet the lot was full and every treadmill was occupied.

Seems to me most people wouldn't need to pay $40/mo if they rode/walked.
Can you imagine driving to a gym so you can walk on a treadmill for an hour?
OK, Ohio has crappy weather but it was 70 deg F and sunny, yet the lot was full and every treadmill was occupied.



Umm, I go to the gym all the time and I'd never touch a treadmill. You are mistakenly assuming that every person who goes to a gym is fat, and that cardio exercise is all anyone ever needs to do. Both are wrong on so many accounts that I won't even go into it.

Suffice to say that many of us lift weights and go to the gym even after we're already in shape.

Perhaps I will talk to them in hopes of having a proper rack installed but I doubt it will happen.

Be careful of what you ask a car person for. You might get his idea of secure bike parking. If you have a place near the door, just use it and keep your mouth shut.

The Giant chain of grocery stores put bike racks out in the parking lots in this area. Soon the racks were mangled by people running into them with their cars. Who would lock their bike to a smashed up rack out in a parking lot when there are convenient undercover railings right near the door?

Another place put the bike rack way out of sight in a parking garage where there is no foot traffic and out of sight of the attendant, and you had to lug your groceries accross the entrance ramp to get to the bike racks. The mall manager tried to enforce that bikers use that rack even though the grocery store manager didn't mind letting bikers lock to the grocery cart rack near his door.

My closest grocery store has a railing I can lock to where I can see my bike while shopping. Not in anyone's way. Did they think to install their new bike racks there? No. They had to install them around the corner where you can't see you bike at all while shopping. I still use the railing. I know it doesn't make much difference but I like being able to glance out and see my bike.

Umm, I go to the gym all the time and I'd never touch a treadmill. You are mistakenly assuming that every person who goes to a gym is fat, and that cardio exercise is all anyone ever needs to do. Both are wrong on so many accounts that I won't even go into it.

Suffice to say that many of us lift weights and go to the gym even after we're already in shape.

I am a body builder.
I made no assumptions.
I stated an observation.

I am a body builder.
I made no assumptions.
I stated an observation.

Is that a picture of Mao Tse-Tung
in your Avatar? Are you a Maoist,
Bodybuilder, bicyclist?:)

Just curious?

There might have been an issue because the equipment is theirs, and you're insured because they've signed you under a 30 day trial. However, the bike is YOURS, so maybe that's why it's a liability

People are strange. I ride my bike to the gym here in San Francisco and usually there are about 5 or 6 bikes locked up outside and maybe 50-100 people in the gym. The climate here is incredibly mild, yet all these people are walking indoors on treadmills! That's weird. I get bored out of my skull in less than 5 minutes on a treadmill or exercise bike. And what the heck is up with "spinning class"? Don't these people realize that they can ride a bike across the freaking Golden Gate Bridge and go for hours in much nicer scenery? Like I said, people are strange. (For the record, I don't think just riding a bike is enough exercise so I go to the gym and lift weights).

And what the heck is up with "spinning class"? Don't these people realize that they can ride a bike across the freaking Golden Gate Bridge and go for hours in much nicer scenery? Like I said, people are strange.

Have you ever tried spinning? Don't knock it till you do. I use spinning classes when the weather is bad, or when I don't have time or daylight to do a long outdoor ride - it's a tough workout in a short period of time. I can kill myself on the sprints/climbs and not worry about bonking 30 miles from nowhere. It's not a perfect substitute, but it's nothing to scoff at.

So what happens when 2 other cyclists show up and want to bring their bikes inside? 5? 20? 100?This is why the manager said no. Unless you live in the part of Ohio where there are no other cyclists but yourself, and there are no such thing as stop signs, railing, chainlink fences, street signs, etcetera, etcetera, ad infinitum you could lock your bike to, then you are NOT the car-free Ghandi, and you should not expect special accomodation. The victim-mentality on this forum sometimes makes me ill.

The world hasn't caught up with us yet, therefore, no bike rack and/or can't take bike inside is not the end of the world. Melodramatic speeches and exits will fall on deaf ears and give us all a bad name, and people will find threads like this on the internet and think we're all a bunch of whiny ******s.

If you ride in rain or shine, love it, and don't complain about minor setbacks that are really nothing personal, people will have respect for your lifestyle. I have had employers and fellow employees tell me how much they admire me for this, and I have influenced them to give cycling a shot more than once. I suppose if I was antagonistic/pedantic/whiny it would somewhat neutralize this effect. Stop sniveling, people.

I got the same runaround at my local Best Buy. No bike racks, and actually had the little door greeter arguing when I brought my bike inside that it was "not allowed". I asked for a manager who overrode the dufus at the door, and then proceeded to lecture me on how he would allow me to lock it up inside the door, but they have had bikes stolen before locked up, and they would not be responsible. I started to lock up my bike, and the more I thought about it, the more pissed I became. I just decided that I would walk out, and find my item elsewhere. I got home, and emailed their customer service team. Here's the reply I got back which really reads to me like "Hi thanks for writing, blah blah blah, we care, blah blah blah. Thanks for writing, come again. We don't really give a ***** about your issue. Thanks for shopping here.

Thank you for contacting Best Buy about your experience with our Santa
Clarita store. I'm Kris with Customer Care.

We apologize if the level of service and the parking options that you
experienced when you visited our store did not meet your expectations.
Best Buy strives to provide our customers with the highest level of
service, convenience and selection. We value receiving your comments so
we may use this feedback to improve the shopping and service experience
for all our customers.

Thank you for sharing your comments with Best Buy. Please do not
hesitate to contact us with additional questions or concerns.


Best Wishes from Best Buy,

Not a single mention of how they might want to possibly actually install something we can lock our bikes too. Why am I surprised?

What you are discussing (with for example Best Buy) has really to do with how chain stores do business.

Chain stores make their money by selling lots of stuff cheaply. If you like what they have, and their prices, you buy, if not, you don't. Their business model is about volume - at the lowest cost to themselves.

A bike rack represents a cost - and they of course are going to think (if they do) - how many NEW people will come because we put a bike rack up - and what if some kids falls on the bike rack - does it represent a liability for us?

A personally owned store might well decide to put out a bike rack for many reasons - but probably the most important is that they know that customer loyalty to them is how they compete against a chain store.

If you want the cheapness of a chain - you have to go with works for them. If you want the personal attention of a owner owned store - well, you often have to pay a little more. Your choice of course.

Our marketing course for the day is over...

Be careful of what you ask a car person for. You might get his idea of secure bike parking. If you have a place near the door, just use it and keep your mouth shut.
Another place put the bike rack way out of sight in a parking garage where there is no foot traffic and out of sight of the attendant, and you had to lug your groceries accross the entrance ramp to get to the bike racks. The mall manager tried to enforce that bikers use that rack even though the grocery store manager didn't mind letting bikers lock to the grocery cart rack near his door.

My closest grocery store has a railing I can lock to where I can see my bike while shopping. Not in anyone's way. Did they think to install their new bike racks there? No. They had to install them around the corner where you can't see you bike at all while shopping. I still use the railing. I know it doesn't make much difference but I like being able to glance out and see my bike.

Agreed.

I don't like bike racks because that is where a huge amount of bike theft happens. The gym where I live has a bike rack and one of the bikes was stolen. No one uses the rack as a result of this and now everyone drives.

The local mall around my way has a bike rack that's situated in a dark and empty area. I haven't seen a soul park their bike there in ages.

Years ago I won a free membership to a gym for a couple of years. I used to ride my bike for a couple hours and go in for a swim. Then sit in the hot tub for a while.

Afterwards I rode my bike the 2 miles home for a nice end to the day.

I did use some of the machines a couple of times, but I never understood treadmills and indoor cycling on a nice day. I'd rather stick red hot forks in my eyes.

Az

I did use some of the machines a couple of times, but I never understood treadmills and indoor cycling on a nice day. I'd rather stick red hot forks in my eyes.

Az

Heh, I bet you wouldn't. ;)

[So what happens when 2 other cyclists show up and want to bring their bikes inside? 5? 20? 100?This is why the manager said no. Unless you live in the part of Ohio where there are no other cyclists but yourself, and there are no such thing as stop signs, railing, chainlink fences, street signs, etcetera, etcetera, ad infinitum you could lock your bike to, then you are NOT the car-free Ghandi, and you should not expect special accomodation. The victim-mentality on this forum sometimes makes me ill.]

Umm...Most of us don't whine in public, and that's why these forums were set up; i.e.: so that we can whine TO EACH OTHER and seek the support that we don't necessarily get out in the world. Well, at least, I thought that was one of the purposes of this forum. I could be wrong :D

[The world hasn't caught up with us yet, therefore, no bike rack and/or can't take bike inside is not the end of the world. Melodramatic speeches and exits will fall on deaf ears and give us all a bad name, and people will find threads like this on the internet and think we're all a bunch of whiny ******s.]

Now, in terms of having a bad name: do you think most non-cyclist care? Puh-lease. If we were to obey every law and play by the rules, they will still hate us. We should obey the rules because of safety and health, not because we are trying to set some example. However, if people change their attitudes because of that, fine. However, I am not going to waste my time TRYING to set a good example. Frankly, I don't care what drivers think.

[If you ride in rain or shine, love it, and don't complain about minor setbacks that are really nothing personal, people will have respect for your lifestyle. I have had employers and fellow employees tell me how much they admire me for this, and I have influenced them to give cycling a shot more than once. I suppose if I was antagonistic/pedantic/whiny it would somewhat neutralize this effect. Stop sniveling, people.]

Finally, there is absolutely nothing wrong with complaining, it is to whom you complain that is the issue. My complaining to a fellow passenger/commuter about a messed up bus stop is not going to do anything, necessarily. If I, however, take up the issue with my local transit authority customer service supervisor or the chief (if I have access to him or her) that would be more effective. Complaining becomes ineffective when that is ALL that the complainer does. However, it's a great way to start thinking about an issue. Many issues have been addressed and solutions to problems found through/by complaining. :D

The squeaky wheel gets oiled.

As both a member and staff at several gyms, I've witnessed the same thing that Thor29 has seen in San Francisco. I've always had a private chuckle at the people who spent half an hour on the the treadmill or stationary bikes staring out the huge window at the joggers and cyclists riding outdoors on a gorgeous path that runs right along the river. Well, at least they used to look out the window until the gym installed new personal televisions that sit six inches from your face on every treadmill. :( What's worse is that winter is harsh here, so it makes even less sense to me why people would want to spend the nicest months indoors. I guess it's supposedly too hot, humid, windy, rainy, etc for some people to exercise outdoors.

The way I see things, I can commute by bike to the gym in the same amount of time that it takes most people to drive, about half an hour. I bike to the gym, do half an hour of weights, and bike back home. For a total time of an hour and a half, I've gotten an hour of cardio and half an hour of weights. Those who drive spend two hours total: an hour commuting, half an hour doing cardio and half an hour doing weights.

My gym has a Valet Service for people who don't even want to bother walking from the parking lot.

Yeah, it seems pretty strange that they wouldn't have anything you could lock your bike to. That sux.

I don't really see the need to join a gym other than for access to strength training equipment. I have a set of adjustable dumbells and a bar (with a variety of weights) I got from St Vincent De Paul - all for about $30. With the bar and dumbells I can do all the weight lifting excercises I need. I get all the cardio excercise I need using my bike, and if the weather is too wet, I just go for a light job for about 45 minutes.

I'd much rather excercise outside than in a stuffy gym.

That's one good thing about my gym-- they encourage you to bring your bike in and the front counter people keep watch over them while you workout.

A bike rack represents a cost...

While I agree with you on most points, and am generally no fan of large chain stores, I have to disagree here. Installing a bike rack actually represents a reduction of cost. This may not work out in Costa Rica, but in the US a rectangle of asphalt to accomodate a car costs an average of around $2000. Thats $2000 for 1 customer, or perhaps 1.3 customers when adjusted for the times when more than one person per car arrives. Now let's say they put a bike rack in just one of those spaces, and let's also say that rack costs $1000 (it wouldn't, but we'll go with that figure). Now that same parking space has cost them $3000. However, it can now allow 20 vehicles to park in it. Which means it costs only $150 per customer if used to capacity. You may say, "now come on AC, the bike rack isn't going to be used to capacity, we all know that." You are right, it isn't, but then neither is the parking lot, and if the parking lot isn't used to capacity the difference between the cost of bike parking and car parking becomes even greater.

It's a chicken and egg issue. People don't want to ride to stores because there is no where to park, businesses don't want to provide bike parking because no one rides. If retail businesses would start thinking just a tad more long term, then they would realize that they can reduce their real estate expenses eventually if they provide incentive to their customers to ride.


you should not expect special accomodation
I've looked through this thread several times and have yet to see where anyone is asking for special accomodations. Secure vehicle parking. It's not as though anyone is asking for indoor, climate controlled, glass enclosed parking with an attendant to massage Proofide into their Brooks saddle. Secure vehicle parking. It's a given for cars, it is unnacceptable to provide less than the equivalent for cyclists. It might even be considered special if the cost was greater per customer, but it isn't, so it's not special accomodation.


So what happens when 2 other cyclists show up and want to bring their bikes inside? 5? 20? 100?
What happens is the manager should get fired for being a dumb@$$ and not being more atuned to the needs of his customer base by having already installed a rack.

Notice that the OP did not say "there was a cloud in the sky and I didn't want my baby to get wet, so I asked to park inside," nor did they say "the bike rack was ALL THE WAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT, and I just couldn't leave my bike over there, so I asked to park inside." No, they said that no secure parking, nor even any makeshift parking, was available, even though it had been provide for the cars. Now this is what is know as "making those whose actions you would like to change aware that a change is desired." It may also be called "standing up for what's right." It is even know by a teeny tiny number of people with teeny tiny minds as "whining." It is, however, the only way to effect change, to motiviate the "world to catch up with us." Just exactly how to you expect the "world to catch up with us?" Osmosis? ESP? While the actions of the OP may not effect any change, they would definitely NOT have effected any change by locking up their bike to a stop sign six blocks away or returning in their car and asking (ala Oliver Twist) "please mister gym manager, I want to ride my bike to your esablishment, won't you provide a rack for me?"


...nothing to lock my bike to, no rack, no posts, not even a mailbox
Unless you live in the part of Ohio where there are ... ... no such thing as stop signs, railing, chainlink fences, street signs, etcetera
Did everyone commenting on the original post actually read the original post?


If you ride in rain or shine, love it, and don't complain about minor setbacks that are really nothing personal, people will have respect for your lifestyle. I have had employers and fellow employees tell me how much they admire me for this, and I have influenced them to give cycling a shot more than once.
So you ride your bike to work every day...
"15 pieces of flair is the minimum. You don't only want to do the minimum, do you? Brian, over there, is wearing 37 pieces of flair. 15 is the minimum, but some people choose to wear more, and we encourage that. Mmmkay?"

Mmmkay?


The victim-mentality on this forum ...
"No definitions were found for "victim mentality""
"The word or phrase you've entered isn't in the dictionary. Click on a spelling suggestion below or try again using the search box to the right."

Psychobabble BS. There are people who want to be perceived as victims who are not. There are people being treated as victims who are not. There are victims who are in the unfortunate postion of not being recognized for what they are. There are victims.

The actions of the OP do nothing to place them in any of those categories. They acted, and then they posted to a forum of MOSTLY like minded people about their actions. Perhaps if they had done nothing and then posted "You know what I should have done!? I should have..."

Victim mentality. Reminds me of a tale I heard about crab fishing. Apparently the crabs could just climb out the top of the cage that catches them, but they believe that they can't, so they don't. Also, supposedly, if one does try to climb out, the others are so distraght by this abberant behavior that the pull the potential escapee back down and kill it. Is that really true of crabs? Not a lot of crab fishing in Indiana so I wouldn't know. Seems to be true of a lot of humans though.


...sometimes makes me ill.
What makes ME ill is self-aggrandizing ****** who spout vitriol and treat someone like an errant child or a buffoon for doing something that they were right to do.

It's not as though they grabbed their bike, jumped up on the counter and started chanting "ATTICA! ATTICA! ATTICA!" with it raised over their head.
Perhaps THAT would have been inappropriate, funny, but inappropriate.

I had a similar experience at 1 of my local grocers. A HUGE parking lot barely 20% full and not 1 single bike rack. I began locking my bike up to 1 of the shopping cart corrals and a manager looked at me, shook his head in a disapproving manner mumbling something as he walked by. but the moment anyone tells me I can't lock up to something that will be in no ones way I will take my business elsewhere.

That parking lot can accommodate a couple of hundred vehicles and not 1 single bike. :mad: Perhaps I will talk to them in hopes of having a proper rack installed but I doubt it will happen. :rolleyes:
I'd talk to the store's manager or even higer up if necessary. Biker's money is just a green as those in cars. I call it discrimination.

So what happens when 2 other cyclists show up and want to bring their bikes inside? 5? 20? 100? [blah blah blah chest-puffing blah................................]

The ones who can't fit are out of luck. Oh well. What earthly concern is that of the manager's, or of yours?

LOL, you guys are whiners. Dismiss the idea that any cyclist, especially on this forum, could ever percieve themselves as a victim inordinately, but yet there is no problem whatsoever imagining the Gold's Gym in the middle of the Void, with absolutely nothing to lock to. Well, last time I was in Ohio it was a developed nation, and I'm sure something could have been found to lock to. So yeah, I read the OP, I just didn't believe there was no possible way to lock up the bike to anything, as some of the folks on this forum like to get indignant more than use common sense.

In this town, there is one single bike rack I can think of, not counting elementary schools. You know why I don't post on here about how I am a two-wheeled Rosa Parks and everybody else is part of the Cager/Nazi/Death culture? Because I don't care! I've never used a bike rack to lock to, therefore I don't expect one, and I certainly don't play the blame game with those who are just trying to do their job!

This isn't "chest puffing," it's just NOT WHINING and being a grown adult about certain facets of life. And just so I don't get accused of "psychobabble" for a simple turn of phrase by Mr. "I Can Use Google!" up there^ how's this? You're a ****ing pathetic whiner. Your lock basically works with anything longer than it is wide. You don't need a bike rack to lock up your bike. Ask you mother to let you out of the house more and you'll see. Seriously, if I could only wrap my sensitive little lock around a warm, inviting bike rack, I could only go to the pizza joint downtown, the rest of the time I'd have to just sit in front of a computer. Oh, now I see what's wrong with you people. ;) I'm sorry, I was wrong. You guys ARE victims, of your own self-righteous BS.

If you need me, I'll be the one out riding his bike, not kvetching on a computer about my own martyrdom.
http://hjem.get2net.dk/tst/weird/t2bike.jpg

Oh, and here's a blast from the past http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=120745&highlight=dunkin+donuts

If you need me, I'll be the one out riding his bike, not kvetching on a computer about my own martyrdom.

So you have a wi-fi computer bolted to your handlebars so you can kvetch about somebody else's martyrdom?

So you have a wi-fi computer bolted to your handlebars so you can kvetch about somebody else's martyrdom?I refuse to buy a Wi Fi because no one that sells them has a bike rack, nor will they let me bring my bike inside. Everybody hates me, but you're my fellow "car-free" friend, right? :)

Wow, interesting posts. I actually own and operate a gym. Many of these stories sound familiar to me. I often see members circling the parking lot several times for a space close to the building. Once they find one, they then tie up a treadmill for an hour...Interesting phenomenon. I taught Spinning for years before ever riding a bike outdoors (at least since childhood). I now ride my bike to work (8 miles roundtrip) plus another ten or more if I have time during the week.

Maybe they responded like this because you're cutting in on their business. You're supposed to ride a bike *at* the gym, not *to* the gym. How are they going to stay in business if everyone starts riding to the gym? The considerate thing to do would be to lock your bike up around the block, where the other customers won't see you and get the wrong idea.

I refuse to buy a Wi Fi because no one that sells them has a bike rack, nor will they let me bring my bike inside. Everybody hates me, but you're my fellow "car-free" friend, right? :)
Yeah I guess...But I do like bike racks and sometimes I kvetch to store managers who don't have them. People hate shopping with me because I'm always finding something to ***** about.

Maybe they responded like this because you're cutting in on their business. You're supposed to ride a bike *at* the gym, not *to* the gym. How are they going to stay in business if everyone starts riding to the gym?


Because everyone needs to get fit YOUR WAY..oh bruther

LOL, you guys are whiners. Dismiss the idea that any cyclist, especially on this forum, could ever percieve themselves as a victim inordinately, but yet there is no problem whatsoever imagining the Gold's Gym in the middle of the Void, with absolutely nothing to lock to. Well, last time I was in Ohio it was a developed nation, and I'm sure something could have been found to lock to. So yeah, I read the OP, I just didn't believe there was no possible way to lock up the bike to anything, as some of the folks on this forum like to get indignant more than use common sense.

In this town, there is one single bike rack I can think of, not counting elementary schools. You know why I don't post on here about how I am a two-wheeled Rosa Parks and everybody else is part of the Cager/Nazi/Death culture? Because I don't care! [blah blah blah blabbity eleventy hundred more words blabbity blah]

Lotta typing for somebody who doesn't care. Just sayin'.

CHAPTER 2
I went back to the gym last night fully aware that I would have to lock my bike a block away.
I secure the bike, walk to the strip plaza where the gym is and I see two people on bikes in front of the entrance.
I ask them "Do you ride here often?"
"Yea, everyday"
"Where do you lock your bike?"
"We don't. We take it inside"
"Really, last time I rode here they said I couldn't bring my bike in"
"Oh, well we work here"
"Got it"
I walk in the building and I hear "Have a great workout"

Good one...............

Lotta typing for somebody who doesn't care. Just sayin'.I'm actually going to go to my Tai Ji class downtown tonight, and I'm gonna use the only bike rack in Chattanooga in honor of YOU, my fellow car-free soldier. :beer:

this thread is just begging for this pic:

http://www.duder.net/pics/misc/funny/24fitness.jpg

Holy crap.

I carry a bike down stairs in between escelators at my bus depot 4 times that distance. Considering that the bike weighs almost 30 lbs by itself and including my pannier maybe 40 total.
That and after riding 15 miles. Wimps

But we should remember that some people go to gyms for physical therapy. These are usually elderly or handicapped people, and many would be unable to handle the stairs shown in the picture.

A friend of mine got an offer in the mail from her gym (Fit Works) to bring a friend in for a 30 day free trial.
She called me up, we drove to the gym and waded through the packed parking lot. I went through the sales pitch, took the tour and had a brief workout.
The next day I put my gym clothes in my bag and rode my bike to the gym. When I arrived I noticed the parking lot was again full and there was nothing to lock my bike to, no rack, no posts, not even a mailbox.
I walked into the gym with my bike and asked if I could bring it in and park it next to the vending machines near the door.
The manager said, "No".
I asked, "Why not"
"It's a liability issue. Someone could get hurt."
I looked around the gym and noticed several people using equipment that could cause way more injury than an Al bike parked next to a vending machine.
I free locked my bike outside the door, worked out, and as I was leaving one of the sales people asked if I was still considering becoming a member.



Good one.

Troll!

People are strange. I ride my bike to the gym here in San Francisco and usually there are about 5 or 6 bikes locked up outside and maybe 50-100 people in the gym. The climate here is incredibly mild, yet all these people are walking indoors on treadmills! That's weird. I get bored out of my skull in less than 5 minutes on a treadmill or exercise bike. And what the heck is up with "spinning class"? Don't these people realize that they can ride a bike across the freaking Golden Gate Bridge and go for hours in much nicer scenery? Like I said, people are strange. (For the record, I don't think just riding a bike is enough exercise so I go to the gym and lift weights).

I love SF and riding around the city or around the Presidio is enough to give anyone a cardio workout, but I still do a spinning class once a week. For me it's a good way to get sustained time at or near my threshold. That's hard to do on the road and by myself. (On the other hand, the very, very slow cadence, high resistance out of the saddle stuff seems potentially knee threatening to me, and something I never have had to do on the road anyway, so I just don't do it.)

this thread is just begging for this pic:


This is really funny. Where is it?

For a dozen years, I took care of the exercise equipment and added building features at a large fitness club. It was near our local university and about 60% of the members were students or faculty. I convinced the club owners that we needed more bike parking facilities and we put in a nice double row of racks in what had previously been an auto space. However, about half the time, the only bike parked there was mine and the racks were never more than 1/3 full. There were many members who lived less than 1/4-mile away, who would drive, rather than walk or ride a bike. These people were mostly in very good shape and worked out hard and regularly, but even so, they couldn't break away from their habit of driving everywhere. I can understand this mentality, as I was the same way for about 10 years, during and after college. However, when I moved into my "bicycle phase", which has continued ever since, it seemed the most natural and sensible thing to do.

In spite of all the success I've had in giving coaching and advice in fitness training, I'm frustrated in not knowing how to convince others to rely more on bicycle transportation. Perhaps, high fuel prices and shortages will change this, but I haven't seen many more bikes yet. During the next week, the annual rush on bike shops by incoming students will begin. It will hopefully see many more of them shifting over to non-motorized transportation. I hope it doesn't also cause any more increase in bicycle theft. We have been one of the most active bicycling communities and have also been near the top regarding theft.
I never park my two best bikes away from either my home or in the garages of friends. I have two low-cost bikes for shopping trips or any excursion where I have to lock them up and leave them. By not operating any motor vehicles, I'm able to afford the expense of having these extra bikes to fit any occasion.

On an encouraging note, three of my close friends have become more and more active in bike-riding in recent years, although they all still drive cars. One of them even uses a bike to go shopping and I'd like to think the example I've set may have had some influence. Perhaps the best way to change things over a long period, is to just keep riding and eventually others will notice and follow suit.

Welcome, Steve McDonald :)

Maybe the best way to convince fit people to ride or walk more is to talk about the time factor. If you commute and exercise at the same time, you're killing two birds with one stone. For example, my 7 mile round-trip commute to work takes me about 30 minutes by bike and 20 minutes by car. By spending only 10 additional minutes, I am getting the 30 minutes of daily vigorous exercise recommended by health experts. Also talk about the motivation factor. If you don't have a car, you are "forced" to get that exercise every single day--and none of your excuses will work!

Believe it or not, these are the very reasons why I decided to dump my car--to gain time and motivation for daily exercise before I died of diabetes and heart disease.

LOL, you guys are whiners. Dismiss the idea that any cyclist, especially on this forum, could ever percieve themselves as a victim inordinately, but yet there is no problem whatsoever imagining the Gold's Gym in the middle of the Void, with absolutely nothing to lock to. Well, last time I was in Ohio it was a developed nation, and I'm sure something could have been found to lock to. So yeah, I read the OP, I just didn't believe there was no possible way to lock up the bike to anything, as some of the folks on this forum like to get indignant more than use common sense.

In this town, there is one single bike rack I can think of, not counting elementary schools. You know why I don't post on here about how I am a two-wheeled Rosa Parks and everybody else is part of the Cager/Nazi/Death culture? Because I don't care! I've never used a bike rack to lock to, therefore I don't expect one, and I certainly don't play the blame game with those who are just trying to do their job!

This isn't "chest puffing," it's just NOT WHINING and being a grown adult about certain facets of life. And just so I don't get accused of "psychobabble" for a simple turn of phrase by Mr. "I Can Use Google!" up there^ how's this? You're a ****ing pathetic whiner. Your lock basically works with anything longer than it is wide. You don't need a bike rack to lock up your bike. Ask you mother to let you out of the house more and you'll see. Seriously, if I could only wrap my sensitive little lock around a warm, inviting bike rack, I could only go to the pizza joint downtown, the rest of the time I'd have to just sit in front of a computer. Oh, now I see what's wrong with you people. ;) I'm sorry, I was wrong. You guys ARE victims, of your own self-righteous BS.

If you need me, I'll be the one out riding his bike, not kvetching on a computer about my own martyrdom.

Oh, and here's a blast from the past http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=120745&highlight=dunkin+donuts

No offense to my car-free brethren - I don't wish to take sides on this, but I tend to agree with Kris here.

Again, I wouldn't ever state things quite as brazenly as he does and I wouldn't characterize the whole subforum as "you guys." I don't like making enemies except with people whom I consider inherently vituperative.

It's a world where you have to lock your bike up wherever you can. Find a place - don't blame the world for not accommodating you. Objects to lock your bike exist, even if they aren't immediately outside the place you need to go. Even when I was at the Bunyapan waterfall in Thailand - with no infrastructure around anywhere - I was able to lock my bike to a tree even though I didn't need to. Same goes with many places in Iceland. Same goes with places in Russia. Maybe I'm naive, but as a world traveler and someone who's been around small towns, big cities, and in between in the US and elsewhere, I've always been able to find a place to at least temporarily secure my bike, and the only questionable thing about it has always been the lock itself, not the thing to which I locked my beloved mode of transport. I would never expect a business to automatically let me take the bike inside though - certainly I wouldn't feel entitled to it even if I did.

I agree that racks are rarely needed but there are some exceptions. And as more people start riding, there will be more exceptions, that is more places where racks are "needed." Two problems in my city:


1. The "coolest" block in the city, with several good restaurants, alternative book store, coffee shops, bar with good music, etc. This block attracts so many riders that often every lamppost, paperbox, signpost, tree cage, etc. is chock full of bikes. There have been times when I had to decide whether to park a couple blocks away, or just keep riding to some other restaurant or coffee shop.

2. K-Mart. The only place to lock up is the large columns that support the arcade. You need a chain lock at least 3 feet long to tie up to these big columns. I happen to have one, so I do shop there when I want the discount store experience without riding out to the suburbs.

I'm just saying--there are some places where we really do need racks. Also, I appreciate when merchants make the effort to please us, even though I often choose not to even use the damn rack.

But if you're going to be a utilitarian rider, it does pay off to learn about the different types of locks, chains and u=bolts, etc. Also learn about the impromptu parking facilities, and learn how to lean your bike by the pedal so it doesn't want to fall down all the time.

For a dozen years, I took care of the exercise equipment and added building features at a large fitness club. It was near our local university and about 60% of the members were students or faculty. I convinced the club owners that we needed more bike parking facilities and we put in a nice double row of racks in what had previously been an auto space. However, about half the time, the only bike parked there was mine and the racks were never more than 1/3 full. There were many members who lived less than 1/4-mile away, who would drive, rather than walk or ride a bike. These people were mostly in very good shape and worked out hard and regularly, but even so, they couldn't break away from their habit of driving everywhere. I can understand this mentality, as I was the same way for about 10 years, during and after college. However, when I moved into my "bicycle phase", which has continued ever since, it seemed the most natural and sensible thing to do.

In spite of all the success I've had in giving coaching and advice in fitness training, I'm frustrated in not knowing how to convince others to rely more on bicycle transportation. Perhaps, high fuel prices and shortages will change this, but I haven't seen many more bikes yet. During the next week, the annual rush on bike shops by incoming students will begin. It will hopefully see many more of them shifting over to non-motorized transportation. I hope it doesn't also cause any more increase in bicycle theft. We have been one of the most active bicycling communities and have also been near the top regarding theft.
I never park my two best bikes away from either my home or in the garages of friends. I have two low-cost bikes for shopping trips or any excursion where I have to lock them up and leave them. By not operating any motor vehicles, I'm able to afford the expense of having these extra bikes to fit any occasion.

On an encouraging note, three of my close friends have become more and more active in bike-riding in recent years, although they all still drive cars. One of them even uses a bike to go shopping and I'd like to think the example I've set may have had some influence. Perhaps the best way to change things over a long period, is to just keep riding and eventually others will notice and follow suit.

great post...i kind of have a similar story...adults who can make major lifestyle changes are extremely rare..i don't bother talking about bicycles or trying to convince anybody over the age of 25 or so....yeah i just ride for the joy and freedom of riding...yeah, i want more people to ride but we need to start the education about how we use energy in grade school and high school...what if we had to wait until 21 to get a driver's license, would that necessarily have a bad impact, not sure

That parking lot can accommodate a couple of hundred vehicles and not 1 single bike. :mad:


my local grocery store has a small bike rack... prolly weighs about 20-25 lbs... it is not anchored to anything... i could pick it up and carry it away on my bike if i wanted to... needless to say I roll my bike right into the store where I can keep an eye on it

I was staying in a hotel once where I saw someone take the elevator up one floor, to get to the exercise room. I understand some people need to because they are too old for the stairs - it didn't apply here, it's just a funny story.

Personally, I love to ride by the YMCA (where I once had a membership), on my big weekend ride. I always say to myself, "Hey, if I still had a membership, I could start my workout now". Makes me laugh every time.

Don't like the security options? Get a folder, and put it in your locker at the gym, or your shopping cart while you tool around the Best Buy. I can't see how it's in Best Buy's interest to put up a bike rack. They want you to buy a widescreen T.V. and only have the DVD's to get you in the door. Not to many are going to cart the T.V. home on their bike, I dunno, maybe they offer free shipping...