What do you do when there's no Bike Rack?

[oilfreeandhappy]

If there's no rack, I usually park my bicycle in a really conspicuous place. I'll cable it to a lamppost right in front of the establishment. One time, I cabled it to a grocery cart. Benches, fences - you name it, I've probably locked-up to it.

[catherine96821]

We take ours in the store.

[unkchunk]

I look for and lock it around the gas mains.

[Carusoswi]

Unless I am locking to a bike rack in some location where there is almost no other bike activity, I avoid bike racks. I suppose it's better today than in the past, but I have seen many a bike abused in a bike rack by other bikers.

I generally look for something else to which I can lock my bike. Gas mains are great. They are usually down low (convenient for running lock cables through tires and frame) and usually (although not always) located away from areas of high bike/pedestrian traffic.

At shopping centers, parking islands work well. You get your bike up and off the street where cars never go. Often there is a light standard or a tree there around which you can lock your cable.

Bike racks give me the willies. I see too many casual cyclists with auto mentalities who "pull" their bikes into the slots, front tire first. Of course, that creates a swivel point and the bike is free to fall all over the place (and hit/get tangled up with adjacent bikes).

They are fine if there aren't a lot of other bikes around.

Caruso

[Daily Commute]

We take ours in the store.
I've done this. People take in baby strollers that have been pushed through the same grimy parking lot that we ride through. So why not?

[deputyjones]

I look for and lock it around the gas mains.

Good idea, I will have to remember that one. I locked mine up to a handicapped parking sign that was beyond the sidewalk in the grass in front of IHOP this morning.

[Frankenbiker]

If its a store that has shopping carts, I grab one from the parking lot or take one out of the store and lock my bike to the cart. There's no way they would let me bring my supersized bike into stores... Unless I can claim it as my seeing-eye bike :D .

[ken cummings]

Bike racks, Sigh. We see them not bolted to the ground, put outside the business over night. We see them just bolted together. There was one outside of a big box store I was working in. I was told that it was official employee bike parking. I took it apart with the little 6" wrench in my tool bag. We see them in out of the way places where theives have all the time they need to work on them. Given that I like the ones made out of 4" heavy pipe concreted into the ground at both ends. I have used handicapped sign-posts if the sign itself is high off the ground and welded on or held with substantial lock-nuts. My favorite bike shop has the rack inside the store where the register clerk and all the mechanics can see it. If I were desparate enough to use a shopping cart(s) I would want to use two of them, one on each side of the bike, held to the bike with the one U-bolt lock.

[DataJunkie]

Many of the businesses in my area or a nearby business have bike racks. On occasion I have locked to whatever secure place I could find. Ex: other side of railing for stairs, handicapped signs, other signs, etc

[sbhikes]

The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Good idea, I will have to remember that one. I locked mine up to a handicapped parking sign that was beyond the sidewalk in the grass in front of IHOP this morning.
On the funny side, a friend of mine did that in Indianapolis last summer and got a ticket for locking up to a handicapped sign.....apparently the cop thought it was also reserved for handicapped cyclists to do this. The ticket was thrown out, but oh so funny!:D

[genec]

The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!

Couple of things... either bring it in... which I have done.

Or, if you are just going in for a second and have a decent view of the bike, I unlock the QR and throw the shifter all the way to the high gear without actually moving the chain. The result is that if anybody just jumps on the bike, the chain will jam and the wheels go crooked. If they try to throw it into a truck, the wheels fall off.

I have a feeling though that my second solution won't work on a modern bike.... only something ancient like mine with a friction shifer and old fashion dropouts without lawyer lips.

[Wogsterca]

The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!

Gee, I always keep my bike locked, even at home, when I go, I pop the seat post out, put the coiled cable lock around the post and stick it back in, the lock is always with the bike:)

[mlts22]

I've seen people do semi-permanent lockup areas by getting a heavy braided steel, wrapping it around a tree, then securing it with either a heavy lock or cable crimp ons. Then, they just lean the bike on the tree and use a U-lock to secure it to the steel cable.

If its a real emergency, there is always the bike chain, and a prayer that a would-be thief won't find the master link before you get back to the bike...

[JohnBrooking]

Or, if you are just going in for a second and have a decent view of the bike, I unlock the QR and throw the shifter all the way to the high gear without actually moving the chain. The result is that if anybody just jumps on the bike, the chain will jam and the wheels go crooked. If they try to throw it into a truck, the wheels fall off.
That's brilliant! But with my luck, I would forget that I did in the short time I was inside... :o

[catherine96821]

he he. I felt kind of funny at first. I did it at City Mill, the hardware store. Then I started getting brave and we took them into the mall, in Lahaina. Nobody said a word. The trick is don't act guilty!
I had my story ready for the security guard. I was going to say it was a 10 thousand dollar bike.

anyway, thats my new trend, I am starting it. The stroller comment convinced me. Next thing you know, I will be riding slowly, inside.

[powerhouse]

I look for a metal fence, lightpost, or even a sighnpost in which the locked bike can't just be lifted up and over. Right now I'm imagining one of those "No Parking" sighs which has its base buried in five feet of asphalt. What will they do, tow it?

[Flamingmb]

The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!

Oh god how true that is. First you cuss at yourself, then you think "maybe I will just bring it in with me" then you throw away that idea, then you ride home and look for your lock that is no where to be found.



If there is no bike rack I lock my bike to a lamp post, or a man hole cover, or anything else avalible.

[genec]

That's brilliant! But with my luck, I would forget that I did in the short time I was inside... :o

Yup you may.... as I have, then you get to see how effective it is. :o

[MarkS]

Bike racks, Sigh. We see them not bolted to the ground, put outside the business over night. We see them just bolted together. There was one outside of a big box store I was working in. I was told that it was official employee bike parking. I took it apart with the little 6" wrench in my tool bag. The one outside our brand new REI is so chinzy you could probably pull out the bars with your bare hands. I don't get it -- a company spends millions of dollars to put in a SPORTS store that features CYCLES -- but can't spend more than $99 on a decent bike rack?

Where my spouse works they moved the bike rack one day -- with her bike in it! Grrr ....

[fordfasterr]

last week I went to radio shack after visiting a friend at the hospital 3 blocks away.

There were no bike racks at all, only huge posts. The posts were 2 big for me to get my chain around it so I just walked into the store with my bike.

3 seconds after the guy finds the battery I need the female store manager walks out of the back and says " what is that bike doing in my store?" ..

So I started to smart mouth her about it and it was quite funny...

Me " there are no bike racks "
manager: thats not my problem, contact the mall management.
me: i'm not going to leave my $ 3000 bike outside without locking it up properly.
manager: so does that mean that everyone can drive their expensive cars into my store?
me: there are over 100 parking spots outside, but there is not even 1 bike rack, what am I supposed to do?
manager: if someone trips over your bike, i'll get sued.
me: thats not my problem.
manager: you can't bring that bike in here and if I was out here you would not have been allowed to bring it in.
me: where is the sign that says bikes are not allowed?
manager: I make the rules here, I say you can't bring your bike inside.
me: if there is no sign, there is no rule, if there is no rule, then i'm not doing anything wrong..

etc..etc.. etc...
LOL

I paid for my batteries and wished her a good night.

[Crazy Cyclist]

I bring it inside with me. I don't ask, I just bring it inside. Never ask, just do it.

I figure if strollers are allowed in the store, than my bike is fair game as well.

[MarkS]

The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!Then I use the other lock.

[SingingSabre]

On the funny side, a friend of mine did that in Indianapolis last summer and got a ticket for locking up to a handicapped sign.....apparently the cop thought it was also reserved for handicapped cyclists to do this. The ticket was thrown out, but oh so funny!:D

That's mint!

As for me, I either improvise (big fan of gas mains, too) or bring it in with me.

[noisebeam]

I've always asked if I can bring bike it (all private businesses: barber, dentist, x-ray center, etc.) and always have been told its fine.
One time I brought lock to barber and left bike outside self locked (hidden from parking lot, but with view of bike from chair) - they asked me why I didn't bring it it and said I should!
Went to a bar (with food) with some cycling friends and we asked if we could bring bikes in - no problem they said and we left them by the pool tables in the corner (with view from our table) We thanked them and said it was a good reason for us to continue to stop by this bar after a group ride.
Al

[GaryA]

I always bring my bike in with me, if they tell me I can't I leave and shop somewhere else.

[genec]

Where my spouse works they moved the bike rack one day -- with her bike in it! Grrr ....

Had that happen where I used to work... they were not racks, but bike lockers... pretty nice actually. They were all grouped together on one end of the building and then for some reason, they decided to split them up to either end of the very long low building. It was somewhat of a shock to come out of the office and find my locker missing completely.

[genec]

last week I went to radio shack after visiting a friend at the hospital 3 blocks away.

There were no bike racks at all, only huge posts. The posts were 2 big for me to get my chain around it so I just walked into the store with my bike.

3 seconds after the guy finds the battery I need the female store manager walks out of the back and says " what is that bike doing in my store?" ..

So I started to smart mouth her about it and it was quite funny...

Me " there are no bike racks "
manager: thats not my problem, contact the mall management.
me: i'm not going to leave my $ 3000 bike outside without locking it up properly.
manager: so does that mean that everyone can drive their expensive cars into my store?
me: there are over 100 parking spots outside, but there is not even 1 bike rack, what am I supposed to do?
manager: if someone trips over your bike, i'll get sued.
me: thats not my problem.
manager: you can't bring that bike in here and if I was out here you would not have been allowed to bring it in.
me: where is the sign that says bikes are not allowed?
manager: I make the rules here, I say you can't bring your bike inside.
me: if there is no sign, there is no rule, if there is no rule, then i'm not doing anything wrong..

etc..etc.. etc...
LOL

I paid for my batteries and wished her a good night.


You know that issue about "100 parking spaces" always gets to me... why can't just one of those spaces be devoted to bikes and a rack be put in there? They could put some posts and rails around it to prevent auto damage to the bikes. Seems like an easy solution.

Heck more room is devoted to shopping carts at my local market/mall then to bikes... The local super market "lost" it's rack when they remodeled.

[sggoodri]

The first thing I say if anyone of authority asks me not to put or bring my bike somewhere is,

"Hi, where do you suggest I lock my bike?"

This leads them into trying to solve my problem for me, and induces empathy rather than creating a confrontation. The problem is usually solved quickly; sometimes it just means they let me take the bike with me.

[ghettocruiser]

The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!

Not many passersby can figure out a powerlink chain in a short time period.

You'll need to get your gloves dirty though.

[sggoodri]

The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!

In view of the front entrance, "lock" the bike through the rear wheel and around the frame using my bike helmet/straps. Also, thrown the shifter to top gear. Then I keep one eye on the bike while I make my purchase.

[buzzman]

edit- oops should have read the previous post ^ more carefully- great minds think alike I guess:rolleyes:

forgot my lock- If it's going to be out of sight I'd bring it in or simply not leave it. But if it's in sight I use my helmet as a lock. I thread the chin strap through the rear wheel and the frame and if there is something like a fence or sign post slip it around that too.

no bike rack- something solid is usually nearby but I'm careful about locking my bike to street signs and parking meters- I've seen enough bikes knocked over and rolled onto by parking cars. I even had my gorgeous honey brown Brooks seat crushed by the loading platform of a delivery truck that was parking.

The Whole Foods market that I go to virtually daily has a crowded, poorly designed parking lot and a piece of trash of a bike rack shoved into a darkened corner of the lot that is downhill and collects shopping carts that roll down there at a great rate assisted by gravity. I've written to Whole Foods in the past about their lack of bike parking and how it contradicts their "Wholier than thou" philosophy they have plastered all over the walls. It's enough to make me want to shop elsewhere. Especially given I'm helping them by not adding one more car to their already overcrowded lot.:mad:

[Prime Directive]

me: i'm not going to leave my $ 3000 bike outside without locking it up properly.
manager: so does that mean that everyone can drive their expensive cars into my store?
:lol:

---

The only place I've been without a bike rack is a local coin shop with an unused stairwell just inside the exterior door. The gas meter solution sounds great, but I'm not sure why it is favored over other locations: Wouldn't the potential thief just cut through your lock and not worry about the gas pipes?

More importantly: What do you do about those strip mall stores or historic "main street" stores that have nothing but a door, a window, and a couple parking spaces outside the shop? The small size of these stores is also often an impediment to bringing your bike inside, as well. Besides, where would it go? Leaning the bike against a wall or window is very difficult with conventional handlebars....

[genec]

:lol:
More importantly: What do you do about those strip mall stores or historic "main street" stores that have nothing but a door, a window, and a couple parking spaces outside the shop? The small size of these stores is also often an impediment to bringing your bike inside, as well. Besides, where would it go? Leaning the bike against a wall or window is very difficult with conventional handlebars....

Why isn't there a bike rack somewhere along "Main Street" or along the strip at the strip mall? It would be easy enough to do.

[MarkS]

The Whole Foods market that I go to virtually daily has a crowded, poorly designed parking lot and a piece of trash of a bike rack shoved into a darkened corner of the lot that is downhill and collects shopping carts that roll down there at a great rate assisted by gravity. I've written to Whole Foods in the past about their lack of bike parking and how it contradicts their "Wholier than thou" philosophy they have plastered all over the walls. It's enough to make me want to shop elsewhere. Especially given I'm helping them by not adding one more car to their already overcrowded lot.
Wow. Maybe its systemic. Last time I tried to go to Whole (Paycheck) Foods, the biking situation was almost exactly as you described -- 3000 miles away! I guess they figure the Lexus crowd doesn't do utility biking. On the other hand, just up the street the bike rack at Trader Joes today was in overflow condition.

[Wogsterca]

last week I went to radio shack after visiting a friend at the hospital 3 blocks away.

There were no bike racks at all, only huge posts. The posts were 2 big for me to get my chain around it so I just walked into the store with my bike.

3 seconds after the guy finds the battery I need the female store manager walks out of the back and says " what is that bike doing in my store?" ..

So I started to smart mouth her about it and it was quite funny...

Me " there are no bike racks "
manager: thats not my problem, contact the mall management.
me: i'm not going to leave my $ 3000 bike outside without locking it up properly.
manager: so does that mean that everyone can drive their expensive cars into my store?
me: there are over 100 parking spots outside, but there is not even 1 bike rack, what am I supposed to do?
manager: if someone trips over your bike, i'll get sued.
me: thats not my problem.
manager: you can't bring that bike in here and if I was out here you would not have been allowed to bring it in.
me: where is the sign that says bikes are not allowed?
manager: I make the rules here, I say you can't bring your bike inside.
me: if there is no sign, there is no rule, if there is no rule, then i'm not doing anything wrong..

etc..etc.. etc...
LOL

I paid for my batteries and wished her a good night.

I would have simply said OK, and walked out, WITHOUT buying the battery, if a store doesn't want your business, then fine, that is there loss.

[sbhikes]

You'd think someone with a $3000 bicycle would be someone with disposable income that would be welcome in any store, especially Radio Shack.

I really don't get the chintzy bike rack situation. Half the time, even if the bike rack isn't chintzy, you can't even lock a bike to it. The only parts of the rack that works are the two ends. And don't get me started on all the quick release parts that make locking a bike a pain in the ass, plus the cables that are all coiled up so you can't stretch them enough to lock up your bike, and not putting kick-stands on as standard equipment -- that would at least make the middle sections of a typical bike rack partially usable. And definintely don't get me started on trying to lock a recumbent trike up anywhere!

At least with the trike I can leave it by the door and so far nobody has stolen it because it usually attracts a crowd of people curious about it so when I return I end up selling trikes to people.

[donnamb]

I know many of you would almost be happy to have this problem, but I often can't lock my bike at my grocery store because all 22 staple racks are filled to capacity, plus anything else in the parking lot and the sidewalk one can get a bike lock on. Fortunately, it's only a couple blocks from my house, so I go home and walk to the store.

[Prime Directive]

Why isn't there a bike rack somewhere along "Main Street" or along the strip at the strip mall? It would be easy enough to do.
Well, THIS (http://www.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles1029.jpg) is pretty similar to what I'm talking about, except the stores are often 33% narrower.

I assumed this was a common problem for cyclists. Unlike cars or motorcycles we can't (realistically) park in the street, even if one had a kickstand. Locking to the nearest signpost, on the other hand, would likely put your bike out of view of the store you enter and would potentially impede pedestrian traffic.

[JRA]

Is there ever a decent bike rack? I haven't found many. As others have noted, even bike stores seem to have a hard time providing one.

My personal preferences are light standards (because they're usually both sturdy and tall) and iron fences. It's rare to find a decent bike rack. Even when there is one, it's often in a strange, undesireable location. I'd rather lock to a light post in plain sight than a bike rack hidden away somewhere.


The better question is what do you do when you forget your lock!

The better question in my case is, "What if you forget your key?" I usually keep a cable lock wrapped around the seatpost so I usually have my lock but I've been known to forget my key. Depending on the situation I either take my bike inside or ride home laughing all the way at what a dummy I am. Ah, a little extra riding is good for you. :D Actually, I forgot my key just today. Fortunately, I had only gone about a block when I realised it.

Not related to cycling: what if you pick out all the stuff you want to buy and realise you forgot your wallet?


I've always asked if I can bring bike it (all private businesses: barber, dentist, x-ray center, etc.) and always have been told its fine.It's good business. As a co-worker used to say, "courtesy is the cheapest thing in the world; it doesn't cost, it pays."


One time I brought lock to barber and left bike outside self locked (hidden from parking lot, but with view of bike from chair) - they asked me why I didn't bring it it and said I should!
I used to work in a hardware store and any time we found out that someone had left their bike outside, we told them to bring it inside. Some were surprised. Virtually all of them were greatfull. I rode to work and the owner rode a lot, too, and we always encouraged people to bring their bikes inside. As I said, it turned out to be good business.

[MarkS]

Is there ever a decent bike rack? I haven't found many. As others have noted, even bike stores seem to have a hard time providing one.The "U tubes" aren't too bad, except that without exception they're mounted too close to a wall to use.

The better question in my case is, "What if you forget your key?" I usually keep a cable lock wrapped around the seatpost so I usually have my lock but I've been known to forget my key. My key is on the same ring as the gate key and the house key. So I can't have locked the house or unlocked the gate without also having the bike lock key along.

[okpik]

parking meter, railing, lamp post, bench, or freelock it and lean it against the building

hasnt been a problem yet, and most places I goto do not have bike racks, no big deal, no special treatment needed, its just a bike, can put it just about anywhere

[GaryA]

I would have simply said OK, and walked out, WITHOUT buying the battery, if a store doesn't want your business, then fine, that is there loss.


In cases like that I have also asked that one of their sales ASSISTANTS go get the product for me while I wait by the door. It really comes down to how busy they are though and if they really feel like helping.

[sbhikes]

I keep my key in the lock when not in use (most of the time). I only have one lock but I have 3 bikes, which is why I sometimes forget it.

Sometimes I forget and leave the key in the lock and go inside the store or whatever. So far nobody has stolen my bike. I have had a bike stolen while I got a hair cut once, plus I had my bike stolen from inside my locked car once, too. (That's when I learned about the little side windows that didn't lock.)

Having a weird bike that people can't figure out how to ride without some instruction seems to be almost as good a deterrent as having an ugly bike nobody wants.

But yeah, good bike racks are hard to find. I like the posts with the rings best--two bikes per post.

[Roody]

Look down at the ground. If you have a long chain lock, you can thread it through a sewer grate and lock it to your frame. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

[fordfasterr]

I just got a phone call from the radio shack assistant district manager...

He assured me that he will have a talk with the store manager regarding issues like this and about ways to deal with the situation in a more positive manner in the future.

=)

[chephy]

But yeah, good bike racks are hard to find. I like the posts with the rings best--two bikes per post. Toronto-style! :) There are a lot of them in Toronto and they look really good. They really do add to the appearance of the street.

I like them a lot as well. Something like this is good too. Not as pretty as post-and-ring, but functional:

http://www.dumor.com/site-furnishings-images/bike-rack-125-130.jpg

It this kind of stuff that I absolutely hate (fortunately not very common in Toronto):

http://www.doc.missouri.gov/mve/images/metal/examples/specials/Bike%20Rack.jpg

[divergence]

Until recently, I would have said, "I can always find a signpost nearby to lock to." But for some reason, a lot of newly built or renovated stores lately like to place everything from stop signs to lightposts on top of fat cylindrical concrete bases. Chain might fit around them, but a U-lock stands no chance. And a lot of these places have no dedicated bike parking either, which is actually unusual for this town.

I don't normally like to bring my bike inside stores -- to me it feels like an ostentatious "greener than thou" gesture -- but if the store builds a huge parking lot without a single safe place to lock a bike, I take that as their way of indicating they'd rather I bring it inside. When a store employee objects, I'll be very friendly and polite as I ask them where they wanted cyclists to park. Once they have to say "I'm not sure," they kind of lose conversational momentum, so I just tell them, "It's no trouble, then. I know you guys must be working on the parking problem, but until you get it figured out, I don't mind bringing it inside."

Anything else they say after that, I just interpret as their apology that I had to go to the trouble of taking the bike inside, so I reassure them that it's no problem, and that I understand they're working on a better solution. Sooner or later they decide it's not worth the trouble to argue, and hopefully some of them mention to their managers that they need some decent bike parking.

[MarkS]

Toronto-style! :) There are a lot of them in Toronto and they look really good. They really do add to the appearance of the street.

I like them a lot as well. Something like this is good too. Not as pretty as post-and-ring, but functional:

http://www.dumor.com/site-furnishings-images/bike-rack-125-130.jpg

It this kind of stuff that I absolutely hate (fortunately not very common in Toronto):

http://www.doc.missouri.gov/mve/images/metal/examples/specials/Bike%20Rack.jpg
The rack in image #1 is fine -- but around here they tend set them about 1.5 feet from a wall!

There was a rack at REI that looked like #2, but seemed to be a put together kit made from aluminum tubing. Probably could take it apart with my puny little arms.

[ax0n]

The library here has four of those "bollard" style post-ring racks. I like those. My grocery store has a shorter one with 8 loops coming out:

http://www.focushacks.com/photo/snoceries.jpg

I found these for $150:
http://www.theparkcatalog.com/Customkititems.asp?kc=145-1440&iQty=

honestly, if there was a part of town that I freuqently visited, I would be inclined to get together with a local bike federation or club to start writing letters to business owners in the area. After all, if there's a little part of town with lots of shops, every shop doesn't need it's own bike rack.

If that didn't work too well, I'd see if a few other people would be willing to donate the labor to install it, assuming I could clear it with the property owner, or come up with some other method to "go halves" on it with them.