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

[Wogsterca]

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

Actually the second one can be okay, providing that someone has sunk a pair of bolts into about 30cm of wet concrete, and then welded a nut on, to the tab, so that someone can't walk off with the whole rack.

[wheel]

We take ours in the store.

+1

[MarkS]

Actually the second one can be okay, providing that someone has sunk a pair of bolts into about 30cm of wet concrete, and then welded a nut on, to the tab, so that someone can't walk off with the whole rack.
Ah, but if they did that, then the people at REI couldn't bring them in for the night.

And no, I don't know if I'm kidding. :)

[Eriol]

I have an interesting question about this. I am in the military and basicially my job is to administer large contracts. With this job comes a lot of travel around town, many of the meetings I attend involve biking 15 or so miles away (i refuse to drive regardless of the funny and rude comments I get, such as dont I get paid enough to buy a car) most of the places i go have no racks and I feel funny about bringing the bike in but I also dont like leaving the bike locked to a lampost all day either.
Anyone else in a simliar situation?

EDIT: I also got kicked out of a local walmart for trying to bring my bike in

[cydisc]

EDIT: I also got kicked out of a local walmart for trying to bring my bike in

Yet another reason why Walmart sucks.

[sggoodri]

I really liked these racks, which I photographed at a mall in Seattle, near a Starbucks in the University area:

http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/parking/urack.jpg
http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/parking/twouracks.jpg

They take up very little space and can be used by two or three bikes each depending on the orientation of the bikes.
-Steve Goodridge

[bobsut]

I don't carry a lock. If I need to stop someplace between home and work, I take my bike inside and lean it against something in the front of the store.

If I were to lock my bike outside unattended, I would fear vandalism and pilferage. It's too easy to take my lights, computer, panniers, bottles, pump, etc. even without tools.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

most of the places i go have no racks and I feel funny about bringing the bike in but I also dont like leaving the bike locked to a lampost all day either.
Anyone else in a simliar situation?
Get over your "dislike" of locking to lampposts and lock your bike to 'em. What's the problem?

[sggoodri]

Get over your "dislike" of locking to lampposts and lock your bike to 'em. What's the problem?

I like to use lamp-posts, If I can find them. Here's my bike at a lamp-post at a shopping center with no bike racks. Check out the sign on the lamp-post; I eventually got the property owner to modify the signs to say "on sidewalks" instead of "on property". Cary now has an ordinance that prohibits commercial property owners from posting signs that prohibit access to a business by bicycle.

http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/parking/arbor0.jpg

http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/parking/arbor4.jpg

[Roody]

As for taking your bike in the store, I don't see the point. The other day a guy left a Bianchi with beautiful commuter gear unlocked in a ghetto Rite-Aid while he shopped in the back of the store. I could have easily taken the bike and gotten 3 miles away before he realized it was gone, and 10 miles away by the time the cops got there to take his report. and believe me, I did think about it for a second. It sure was a sweet ride!

I don't mind locking to a lamp post or whatever. I do hate it when those outdoor eateries act like they own the whole sidewalk and can kick people around just because they serve crappy food on the sidewalk. I would never patronize a business that posted a "no bikes" sign.

[badger_bike]

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

I haven't managed to forget my lock -- it weighs 8.5lbs, I tend to notice when it's missing ;) -- but I have forgotten the key for it (it's a combination u-lock and chain). I made a quick run into a store and got the heaviest padlock I could find as a temporary solution. Worried the hell out of me, though.

When bike racks are unavailable, I lock my bike to signposts, lamposts, columns, benches (the molded metal variety)...whatever is sturdy enough and looks like it can't be dug out of the ground.

[caloso]

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.


I was thinking of doing this the other day when I had to run into the drug store. I had my fixie and I could have loosened the rear axle. Would have been pretty treacherous for any bike thief. But then I didn't want to have someone fall off and mess up the new bar tape I'd just put on. So I just walked it inside with me. No one said anything about it.

[sgtsmile]

To the OP question "what do you do when there is no bike rack?"

First thing that popped to mind is.....


Stuff the mountain bike in the back seat or trunk for the drive to the trails...... and then I looked at the thread ;p

[CsHoSi]

I work at the Sprint Campus, they have racks in some of the garages (3 away from my building), but they are hardly secured to the ground. Two 1/2" bolts in the concrete, regular nuts on top. They must break when tapped by a car because one was completely free and the bolt sheered off one side of another. I'm assuming just accidents. I chain mine to the railing, where they have cement posts to keep cars away. Some people keep their U-locks there. If I brought it inside my environment, it would likely be tampered with nightly. Out-of-site, out-of-mind.

I did take my bike inside the DMV when I went to renew my license. There was a lightpole right outside but I didn't have a lock then, I just wheeled it in and leaned it against the wall out of the way. On the way out someone in line even insisted on holding the door for me.

[genec]

Local Home Depot just remodeled a bit... and a bike rack that was well hiden is now proudly out front.

It's not bolted down but the size would make it somewhat difficult for someone to haul it off.

[bentstrider]

One thing I've done is find a pile of junk metal and throw my folder into it.
From normal view, it looks like a busted cycle, so everyone just ignores it.

[Chetti]

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

I have a cable wrapped around the frame of my bike always, and if i forgot my lock or key, Ill just wrap the cable around a post or bike rack, give it the illusion its locked up. also Ill grab a caribeener <spelling?> and attach it to the frame and spokes of the back tire, so that if someone tries to jump on and take off, they run into a little trouble