Utility Cycling - Bringing your bike into stores

What do you guys do when you don't have the option of locking your bike up outside?

The reason I ask is that I make a few trips to stores that are pretty far away and have to travel up some big hills, so I'll take my (expensive) geared road bike instead of my fixed gear commuter bike, and don't feel comfortable locking it outside, where there really aren't bike racks anyways.

When I use my fixed gear bike I usually find something to lock up to outside, but only because it isn't worth too much. But my geared road bike is another story.

I have been bringing it inside when I do use it, but I get the strange looks, and finding a place inside to lock up is also a chore. Its just a matter of time before I get someone from the store telling me I can't keep my bike there. Is there anything I can say that won't make me 'disruptive customer' and will convince the store employee to leave me, and my bike, alone?

For some reason people get weird about bringing a bicycle inside a store. I can see why they'd be mad if it was covered with grime and mud, but they just seem to have a conceptual problem with it. Even if it's clean. I've wanted to bring it in several times, esp. when I only need to grab one thing and it will only take a few seconds. I do bring it into the LBS, of course. But otherwise I haven't tried to buck the system. They'll let me bring a 52" rifle into the store, but not the bicycle LOL

I've never tried it. So many people here seem to be so hostile toward cyclists that I would probably just end up looking like an idiot to everyone in the store. :rolleyes:

I tried to take my bike into a sub shop one day here in Indy, and the lady screamed at me, "SIR, YOU BEST BE TAKIN' THAT BIKE OUTSIDE!!" I just laughed and left, telling them I was going to Subway, where they have always let me bring my bike in and set it between between booths. In fact, the guy at this Subway, always asks me where I'm riding and how far I've gone.

What do you guys do when you don't have the option of locking your bike up outside?



I've only had the problem when I forget the lock. Last time I brought it in and the security guard told me to get it out but then he promised to watch it so I trusted him. According to the security guards in the buildings downtown, the street vendors will watch stuff for you for a small fee. Maybe they'd watch your bike. I just use a big lock for my expensive bike. There is always something to lock it to.

I do it all the time. If they have a problem, tell them that there's no place to lock it etc... it's certainly no dirtier than anyone's shoes, if they're concerned with the floors. Just do it and over time they'll get to know you and like you, if you're friendly about it and not running into things...

I just take it in, and keep on walking, just like it belongs there.
At LOWE's where thereis no bike rack ( I'm working on that one) I just tell whomever asks me about it, that I am looking for a tool to work on it( a lie).
At the doctor's office, I tell them that it is part of my medical problem.

I just tanke it in, and keep on walking, just like it belongs there.

This has always worked for me.

The copy shop / internet bar I work at, we have no problem with it even though we have a prvided rack outside of course it is usually full with employee's bikes. Our shop probably sees 5 bikes a day inside and requires no additional cleaning because of the bikes comming in. I personally don't bring my bike into other buisness unless invited to, which happens occasionally, places that I am unable to secure the bike outside just don't get my buisness nothing personal but I just won't risk losing one of my precious bikes, I have thought about buying a used POS just to take to places that can't secure to anything but with two bikes and one on layaway I don't see that I have room for a fourth.

At the doctor's office, I tell them that it is part of my medical problem.

It's the solution to some medical problems you've avoided, more likely.

I've been thrown out of WallyWorld for bringing my bike inside. I used to have permission from one of the managers to lock my bike to the corral that holds the shopping carts. One day when I was locking my bike up another manager had a fit. I told her I had asked permission, no avail. I went outside and tried to use the chain-link fence around the plants, got run off run off from there too, she cited liability reasons and that bikes are not welcome. Haven't been back.

In my town however, we have no bike lanes and I know of only one bike rack. Currently all non-motorized vehicles are banned from downtown as well (keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district, and bicycles impeded traffic and endanger pedestrians). It's not very bike friendly.

I never take it into a store, even a bike store. I bring a lock, lock it up outside and that is that.

AllenG- sounds like you need to run for local government and get that crazy place straightened out!

I never take it into a store, even a bike store. I bring a lock, lock it up outside and that is that.
I was much the same way until last week when I attended a conference at a hotel. There was no bike rack, so I chained it to a tree. I asked at the front desk if it would be ok to leave it there all day and they offered to keep it behind the desk for the day.

But... I agree. It might be time for the OP to invest in a cheaper, geared bike along with a good u-lock. If they let the clientele in the door with their bikes, next thing they'll be driving their Hummers through the aisles. :)

I took mine into a 7-11 to grab a drink and I didn't have a bike lock. Only at the cash the lady told me I shouldn't have brought it in. At some other places I've been told to take it outside right away. Its unfortunate.

Even my LBS, no one else seems to bring their bike inside. In fact, I think most people there don't even ride their bikes to the store. I am the only person who leaves it inside.

I take my bike in at the grocery store...I put the groceries in my trunk bag and panniers as I shop, so it's like a shopping cart but safer (it has brakes, heh).

Wal-Mart was alot more friendly than I expected...none of the employees said a thing until I exited, then one of the greeters said (in a very friendly manner) that she would have been happy to watch it at the front for me. I explained I had used it as a shopping cart and she thought that was pretty cool. That's usually the reaction at the grocery store too.

I've taken it inside a few times at the discount tobacco store and they don't have a problem either, even though they have pretty nice wood flooring.

I've only tried 1 drive thru so far, a Del Taco, and they had no problem serving me.

Haven't tried a 7-11 yet, but the employees at the 7-11s around here don't seem too friendly and I imagine I'd get yelled at (which is probably why I haven't tried it, that and I don't go to 7-11 very often).

In my town however, we have no bike lanes and I know of only one bike rack. Currently all non-motorized vehicles are banned from downtown as well (keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district, and bicycles impeded traffic and endanger pedestrians). It's not very bike friendly.
Allen, does Georgia law allows cities and towns to do this? :eek:

In my town however, we have no bike lanes and I know of only one bike rack. Currently all non-motorized vehicles are banned from downtown as well (keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district, and bicycles impeded traffic and endanger pedestrians). It's not very bike friendly.


WTF :eek:

This is the same situation I find myself in... I only have one bike, and it's a brand new '07 Specialized Tricross Comp, but I use it for everything including commuting. I plan on commuting to my classes this semester, and I will not lock it up outside because I don't want anyone laying a finger on my bike when I'm not there (there's only 1 bike rack on campus anyways). I asked the head of the campus police and also the maintenance head for special permission to bring my bike into class (as long as the professor would allow it... I was going to drive the first day and talk to them after class), but he was telling me that if I brought my bike into class, then more people were going to try that, too (LAME).

Although, the head of maintenance referred me to the head of the PE dpt, and they're going to give me a room to park it where the door will remain locked (possibly the AC or electrical room?)

More on-topic, though... when going to a store/getting food/goin to the gym I've just parked my bike outside the door where I can see it and pop inside and ask someone if it's okay for me to bring it in and put it somewhere out of everyone's way. People around here aren't really that used to nice bikes, so most of them have no problem letting me do this

If it is just my bike, I am willing to bring the bike in. Provided I am not going to inconvenience anybody else doing it. So going into a large store, picking up a couple of things and being on my way with no fuss or muss, no problem.
If I have the trailer, I lock up outside. No questions. If I have large shopping run, I lock up outside and sort out my load outside before leaving.

Allen, does Georgia law allows cities and towns to do this? :eek:

Comm. Code 86-9
About a month or so ago these (see below) grew on every light post in downtown. Bicycling is still allowed in the area, but not in the historic downtown, the outlying strip mall areas are not effected. It's a push by the Chamber of Commerce to revitalize downtown. Such ordinances can be enacted by a vote of the the city counsel and mayoral approval, much like making pedestrian only areas in the historic districts of large cities.
(keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district, and bicycles impeded traffic and endanger pedestrians).
^^^^
This is how the reasoning of the ordnance was explained to me when I went to city hall and questioned it. I was also told that being an adult I would not be cited for bicycling downtown, but I'm still not allowed to lock my bike to anything on the sidewalks, and would risk having my bike confiscated by the city if I did.

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Downtown.jpg

I would love to run for city council but I live a half mile outside of the city limits so I'm not eligible; also being a democrat in the reddest of red states is rather daunting.

We have more draconian things that need to be taken care of first however. One better pay your rent here. Landlords still have the right to remove the front door and cast your belongings into the street for failure to pay. Such behavior is not common, but it's also not rare.

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Draco1.jpghttp://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Draco2.jpg

I love my hometown, it really is beautiful, but my current views of its leaders are best left unsaid, they are not polite.

Wow, I didn't know towns like that exsisted.

If I ever move, I better do some research so I don't move to a place like that.

I have a Xootr kick scooter which folds up nicely for taking into stores, on the subway, or on buses.

Some folding bikes will fold down small and light, and unfold quickly.

Ok, I'm not airing my hometown's dirty laundry any more. I just went to check my mail and found THIS (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=331757) in the mailbox.

I always take my bikes in. I have never had a problem with formal restaurants or Wal-Mart.

All the formal restaurants (the ones with servers) will find a place inside that is out of the way to accommodate me, and I make a point to tip liberally. (That is, tip like a conservative: 20% or more!)

At Wal-Mart I park it with the greeter.

About 1/3 of the fast food joints have had a cow about it, much to my amusement. I have had the same joint let me keep my bike with me some of the time, and kick me out about it other times! I am likelier to be disallowed when there are few customers than when they are busy!

I am ready for them now. I say, "Why not?" They always reply; "It is against the rules."

So I ask; "What other things are paying customers not allowed to bring in? Is there a list? Can I see it so that I don't inadvertently bring in another banned item?"

After I give them a hard time for making up rules to keep paying customers from brining their bikes in, I ask them where the bike rack is outside. There never is any.

I always leave after I give them this statement: "You have a wonderful business here! How well it must be doing that you can turn paying customers away at the door! It's OK though, (competitors restaurant) always allows me to bring in my bike."

I always do this in a cheerful tone. I wonder about folks that put obstacles in my when when I try to give them money.

My SO and I were out on a long road ride on a hot summer day and we wanted to get something to eat. We stopped at a mexican fast food place called Pancheros. They have a outside eating place but it was not shaded. We thought we'd get it to-go and ride to a shady area. When I went in to order I noticed a table by the door with room behind it along the window. I asked the folks there if we could tuck our road bikes in behind there while we ate. The manager came out and said that us and our bikes were welcome there anytime. We have not taken our bikes inside there again, but have always gotten good service.

I take my bike into Bank of Colorado and US Bank, right up to the teller window with me. I have also taken my bike into Home Depot with no problems. I took a bike into a Safeway grocery store once and no one had a problem and even the checkout guy made a few jokes about it.

I shop often at an Albertson's grocery store a block away although I have never taken my bike in. Many of the clerk there know who I am and probably would not have a problem. I have seen one other person in there with his road bike.

This is a fairly bike friendly town.

In my town however, we have no bike lanes and I know of only one bike rack. Currently all non-motorized vehicles are banned from downtown as well (keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district, and bicycles impeded traffic and endanger pedestrians). It's not very bike friendly.

I thought it was cars that impeded traffic and endangered pedestrians :p

I thought it was cars that impeded traffic and endangered pedestrians :p
Not in North America, Sianelle. :rolleyes:

With a decent lock , I don't feel too worried. There are better locks to choose from. Depends upon the store. With increasing numbers of cyclists, I expect more stores to provide bike racks. I have been in situations were there was nothing available to secure my bike to. I just did not go into the store in certain instances.

Ok, I'm not airing my hometown's dirty laundry any more.
Being the Northerner that I am, I'm all for them being as publicly embarassed as possible... :mad:

I usually don't bring my bike inside, but I have a mental list of bike-friendly and unfriendly businesses, and shop accordingly. Whenever the issue comes up, I politely ask to talk to the manager or owner. Managers usually have a lot of discretion, and owners want happy customers. As long as I'm not blocking an aisle or a display, or otherwise impacting their sales, it's not a problem. Except for the occasional uptight bike-hater.

AllenG,
My town bans bikes on the sidewalks downtown, which I support. But if they banned us form the streets too, I would certainly be organizing some protest rides!

As for bringing the bike in stores, I don't do it. I just don't feel comfortable doing it. Also, I don't see why it would deter theft. If I was a bike thief, I would have no qualms about riding a nice bike out of the local Rite-aid. So I lock outside ... and yes, I have had a locked bike stolen.

When I had a Job at Walmart, I bought a folding bike to ride around. Basically, my policy was that if there was a bike rack, use it. Canadian tire (which sells gobs of bikes) had a tiny one, but it was still a rack, so I used it. The library had a rack, so I used it. I tried bringing my bike into a 7-11 and I was immediately told to bring it back out, so I said "Very well. I'll go elsewhere". Safeway didn't even bat an eye at my bike (although they did have wider aisles). The lady at the dollar store allowed me to bring it in, but had me set it aside where she could keep an eye on it. Whenever possible, I would lock it up outside, because I do feel awkward bringing a bike into a store. But when I couldn't (such as when I went to Home-hardware), I marched right in with my bike as though it belonged there, and nobody said a thing.

The nice thing about it being a folder is that if a store with shopping carts made an issue about me bringing my bike it, I could just fold it up and stick it in a cart. Then if they made a stink, I could cry "discrimination!" Although that never happened.

AllenG,
My town bans bikes on the sidewalks downtown, which I support. But if they banned us form the streets too, I would certainly be organizing some protest rides!


I agree, even the kids should stay off the sidewalks that have a large amount of foot traffic. But I think saying that I can't even lock my bike up to a pole while I go into a store is excessive. It'll change sooner or later, government and fashion are equally fickle. And if my bike gets taken by the city I guess I'll come out of pocket for a lawyer and go fight.

Other than the hardware store or the bike shop I have never taken my bike in the store. To me it is a bit on the awkward side to do so. I guess it might not be if the store has those mondo automatic doors though. FWIW I did drive my old Honda Civic 1200 thru a set one time:eek::D I carry two types of locks and find secure things to attach them too. My typical shopping trips are fairly quick and I avoid the stop and robs anyway.
Another issue that may come to head in the future would be too many bikes in the store at once could prove to be an issue, from a safety stand point. I have enough problem getting around in the grocery store because people leave carts partially blocking the aisles when they shop...now add bicycles to the mix? Not every one is considerate of others.

Aaron:)

A reason to ride 650 tires, wheelchair tires are 650's, so you can have non-marking tires for riding your bike inside the store.

I've only had the problem when I forget the lock. Last time I brought it in and the security guard told me to get it out but then he promised to watch it so I trusted him. According to the security guards in the buildings downtown, the street vendors will watch stuff for you for a small fee. Maybe they'd watch your bike. I just use a big lock for my expensive bike. There is always something to lock it to.

hehe, your street vendors and Vancouver BC's street vendors are very different. Here they will "watch your bike" allright, more like YOU watch your bike as it gets ridden away to be sold for $5 for their next crack hit....

For the most part, we've got a lot of good, secure bike parking around here. (staple and ribbon racks cemented or lock-bolted into the ground) However, that's not always the case, or the racks are full. I find that their willingness to let you in with your bike is directly proportional to the number of store employees who also ride a bike and to the size of the store itself. My best luck is with coffee shops and grocery stores. REI always lets me in with my bike. Book, yarn, and clothing stores are almost always a no-no. (for good reason) Hardware stores depend - is the owner anti-bike? Same with pet stores. The Macintosh dealer I brought my computer at always lets me bring my bike in. So many of their employees bike commute, there's never room for customer bikes on the racks.

My favorite scenario is when I enter a store with 2 very heavy panniers and get jumped on to take them to the front for them to keep behind the counter. (I guess they think all cyclists are thieves?) Since the places who do that are generally really rude and snarky about it, they're surprised that I'm so happy to hand them over. Then I watch as they nearly throw out their backs/shoulders trying not to drop them. (because I always tell them there's something breakable in them). Yep, I'm evil... :D

If there is a bike rack and I have a lock with me, I lock it up, so long as the rack is clearly visible. Since bolt cutters can cut through a lock in a second, a bike rack situated out of the public eye wouldn't do much good.

If I don't have a lock with me for whatever reason, or if there's nothing appropriate to lock my bike to, I take my bike inside the store.

If the store is too small to take my bike into (like the Quiznos subs near my shop), I first put the bike into 27th gear. Then, I lean it against the window outside in such a place that I can constantly keep an eye on it. Then I eat my food on the other side of the window from the bike, still in full bike gear so that it's pretty obvious to potential bike thieves that I own the bike. No one's touched my bike so far, and if they did, they'd find it rather difficult to make a quick getaway on the bike when it takes me 2 seconds to run out the door and the bike is in 27th gear :P


If there was nothing to lock the bike to and/or the shop was too small to accomodate my bike or the owner wouldn't let me take the bike into the store, and there was no window for me to watch the bike from, then I wouldn't shop in the store in question. No way am I risking my bike.

No one's touched my bike so far, and if they did, they'd find it rather difficult to make a quick getaway on the bike when it takes me 2 seconds to run out the door and the bike is in 27th gear :P

Why not just pop the chain right off the cogs?

I always take my bikes in. I have never had a problem with formal restaurants or Wal-Mart.

All the formal restaurants (the ones with servers) will find a place inside that is out of the way to accommodate me, and I make a point to tip liberally. (That is, tip like a conservative: 20% or more!)

At Wal-Mart I park it with the greeter.

About 1/3 of the fast food joints have had a cow about it, much to my amusement. I have had the same joint let me keep my bike with me some of the time, and kick me out about it other times! I am likelier to be disallowed when there are few customers than when they are busy!

I am ready for them now. I say, "Why not?" They always reply; "It is against the rules."

So I ask; "What other things are paying customers not allowed to bring in? Is there a list? Can I see it so that I don't inadvertently bring in another banned item?"

After I give them a hard time for making up rules to keep paying customers from bringing their bikes in, I ask them where the bike rack is outside. There never is any.

I always leave after I give them this statement: "You have a wonderful business here! How well it must be doing that you can turn paying customers away at the door! It's OK though, (competitors restaurant) always allows me to bring in my bike."

I always do this in a cheerful tone.

I'll take the bike into a bike shop, but that's it. If I'm going into any other business, I'll lock it up outside. If I don't have a lock and I need to run in for just a minute, I'll put the bike in front of a window and I'll watch it the whole time I'm inside. Or I'll hide the bike to keep it out of the eyes of opportunistic thieves.

keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district

While this may be a thing that some shortsighted shopkeepers think is a good idea (I say shortsighted because teenagers greatly influence discretionary expenditures) it is a bad idea. This type of segregation can be expected to bring about antisocial behavior for a number of reasons that I decided not to spend the time typing (yes, I know, the former social worker in me sometimes comes out).

I would say shortsighted is one of many appropriate modifiers that could be used to describe our city council. Most of the ones I would use end in "ing".

The minister of the big Methodist church is a weekend fitness rider. I may be able to persuade him to try to convince the powers that be to provide some bike racks downtown. Nothing says power in the south like the churches. We'll see, next year is an election year and someone is going to want votes.

I'll always lock up outside, and am just as happy with a parking meter or street sign as with a bike rack, as long as there's a secure way to lock the bike without blocking pedestrians. Every now and then I do forget my lock, so I'll humbly ask if I can bring the bike inside. If they say no, I won't hold a grudge, since it was my fault for forgetting the lock...

The one time I do get annoyed, though, is when there's no reasonable place to lock a bike anywhere near the business. A couple local supermarkets are like that now: vast parking lot, but all the streetsigns in the lot have these fat concrete bases that you could never fit a U-lock around. No bike racks, and they even manage to place the shopping cart racks so that you can't lock to them without getting in the way of the carts themselves. I usually try to take my business to smaller, friendlier places...but if I need to grab something in a hurry, and one of these monstrosities is the closest place to get it, I'll bring the bike inside. If someone tells me I can't, the ensuing conversation is actually kind of fun. The key is to delegate the problem to the person who thinks it is a problem.

I stay perfectly friendly and polite, and apologize for not being able to figure out where I was meant to park my bike; I'll gladly lock it up, if they tell me where it's supposed to be. Of course, they can't think of a decent parking place either, but they also know that it's not reasonable to ask me to leave it outside unlocked...so they sort of stammer. "Did you try the cart rack? Oh yeah, it's blocked by those walls. Um...did you...no, that won't work..."

Then when I tell them "It's all right. You really do need to tell your manager to get some decent bike parking, but for today, I don't mind keeping it with me while I shop," they're usually glad to be off the hook: it's no longer their problem to think of a safe place I can park.

The only time this doesn't seem to work is when the employee really is a jerk, rather than a decent person stuck carrying out a stupid policy. And in that case, they clearly identify themselves as a jerk, so I no longer mind ignoring them:7-11 guy: Hey, take that thing outside.

Me: (Usual politely confused query about where to park.)

7-11 guy: We don't have bike parking. Why don't you get a car? (Yeah, he actually said that.) Hey, are you listening to me? I told you to take that thing outside. DO NOT POUR THAT COFFEE. I won't sell it to you while your bike is in the store. STOP DEFYING ME! (Yeah, he actually said that too.)

Me: A buck eighty nine, right? (Sets two dollars on the counter.)

7-11 guy: Do you want me to call the cops?

Me: Just because you owe me eleven cents change? Naw, I won't press charges for that. (Leaves with coffee. It's not very good coffee.)
(By the way, usually at a small place like a 7-11 I don't mind just leaning the bike against the outside window if there's nowhere to lock it...but this was late at night, and the folks hanging around outside the store didn't inspire my confidence.)

I don't usually carry a lock unless I plan on stopping somwhere. I leave a lock on a rack downtown for unplanned stops too. Still, I often find I need to stop somewhere and don't have a lock. In those cases, I just bring the bike in and don't make eye contact with the employees. Most of the time, nobody says anything but there are times they ask me to leave it close to the register where they can keep an eye on it. The downtown library won't let me bring it in and they have a major bike theft problem. Luckily, the one time I didn't have my lock, there was a guard on a smoke break. He watched it while I ran in quickly. One other place turned me away entirely. There was nowhere to lock up even if I had a lock. It went like this:

Her: you can't bring that in.
me: there's noplace to lock up
her: lock it to the payphone
me: my U-lock wont fit
her: I'm sorry, you can't bring it in.
me: if you don't let me bring it in I'll never come back no matter what my mode of transport or ability to lock up
her: sorry to hear that.
me: really?
her: *blank stare*
me: *shrug*

Currently all non-motorized vehicles are banned from downtown as well (keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district, and bicycles impeded traffic and endanger pedestrians). It's not very bike friendly. Wow. Which town is it, so that I never end up accidentally visiting? :eek:

...keeps unaccompanied teenagers out of the business district....

http://www.kidsbegone.com/

They don't need to ban bikes in the business district.

All the formal restaurants (the ones with servers) will find a place inside that is out of the way to accommodate me, and I make a point to tip liberally. Surprised to hear that. Most restaurants I go to don't even have space for a bike inside. Even when they do, the bike will most likely look really out of place in their decor. And anyhow, I believe having bikes inside restaurants here is actually prohibited by law for sanitary reasons.

Anyway, I usually don't have a problem finding a place to lock to in Toronto. If there is truly nowhere to lock a bike near a restaurant... bad luck for the restaurant. We have a lot of restos to choose from, I'll just go to one that has bike racks nearby. Easy enough.

If I'm going into a store very briefly, I'll chain it up outfront. If I'm going to be awhile, or will be in a position where I won't be able to watch my bike, I'll bring it inside.

I did get some problems from a couple of downtown districts that insisted I park my bike in those old front-tire catcher bike racks. Unfortunately, my front rack on my old touring bike wouldn't work in those. After explaining that to people I've only had a problem once.

Supermarkets have never given me a problem. I usually just tell them how much the bike cost me and that I'd rather not leave it outside. Most are more than accomodating after that. Especially since if there is a bike rack offered outside, it imposes liability to the business if your bike is stolen from it.