General Cycling Discussion - How can I get stores to let me bring my bike inside?

Yesterday, I was riding, and had to pick up something from my local 7- 11, but I forgot to bring my lock with me, so I couldn't lock up my bike, and the manager wouldn't let me bring it inside for a lousy 2 minutes, what can I do if this happen's again? Also any tips on how to " lock" a bike if I have no lock with me. Thanks CC :beer:

You cannot do anything, best thing just don't patronize this store, I have a very simple motto, I cannot bring my bike inside an establishment, "then you don't get my business" its as simple as that Buddy:D :D :D , but locking your bike, if you have a Four thousand Dollar bike and your willing to see that 4 grand Fly away then by all means lock your bike in a public place, see Toronto has the highest Bike stolen every year.,

If a store provides bike parking facilities, I use them. If they don't, I bring my bike in. If they say anything (rare) I ask them politely to suggest a secure place to lock my bike, since they don't provide one. Sometimes the manager offers the use of his office.

But keep in mind that private businesses are under no obligation to do anything that isn't against the law, and there's no law that says they have to allow bikes inside the store. So while polite discussion can sometimes open their eyes to the existence of an issue they were unaware of, confrontation is usually counter-productive.

But it's fun when they say "you can't bring that bike in here" and you answer "why not?" Listening to them struggle for an answer that doesn't sound stupid is great entertainment.

RichC

Same thing happend to me a few years back. Had to make a visit at the bank on my way home from work. No lock on the bike and only time to go straight to the bank. I had to take the bike with me inside the bank office. People just stared and the bank official smiled when I explained to her that I coulden´t just leave my bike outside unlockt. But non said anything. Usually I try to avoid taking the bike with me at souch errands. Feel a little stupid when bringing my bike along inside a store or bank.

Anders
Sweden

I always park my bike right against the glass in front of the attendant at convience stores.I can pretty well keep an eye on it through out the store.I won't go in any place I can't see my bike myself.But I really really have to need something before I go in to any place.

Originally posted by Anders K
People just stared and the bank official smiled when I explained to her that I coulden´t just leave my bike outside unlockt. But non said anything. Usually I try to avoid taking the bike with me at souch errands. Feel a little stupid when bringing my bike along inside a store or bank.
I think banks, with their vast spaces, are the perfect locations for bringing your bike inside. I did that the other day – also in Sweden :) main office of Föreningssparbanken, Hamngatan, Stockholm. Yes, people stare, but I try to think of my bike as a babycage (or whatever the English word is, I’m too LAZY to look in the dictionary now, but you know what I mean, the one on four wheels with a baby in it... ;) ) and I use the babycage/wheelchair entrance if there are swingdoors (or whatever the correct term is for that!).

Pretty much everywhere I've biked has bike racks--grocery stores, banks, the local zoo....about the only place I've wanted to stop that strangely has NO BIKE RACK is a convenience store called "Trailside" in Pulaski right on the Mountain Bay bike trail! (No Power bars or anything either--clueless owner! The co-op owned Cenex you can see from a few blocks away has a rack, restaurant, Power Bars etc., though)

But if you forgot your lock...well, you can take off all the quick-release parts and carry them into the store with you and hope nobody runs off with your stripped frame....

I always bring a U-lock, and cable for the front wheel, with me in case I have to go in to a store. No one will steal it since very few people are walking around with the tools necessary who also happen to have followed me to the store and are also willing to
break my lock in plain sight of everyone.

Wow.....some of you take your bikes apart.....some of you dont even give the store business if they dont let you bring your bike inside? Geeze....I try to leave mine in front of a window, and if thats impossible I just leave it stood up against something.

At the local video store, there is no where to lock up a bike so I just turn the bike upside down and leave it standing in front of the shop. Not exactly great security but it does take more effort than just running up and riding straight off on a bike leaning against a wall. I can see the bike from inside so this might give me a few seconds head start if someone did try to steal it. Alternately if I am really concerned I will remove the front wheel and take it with me, even unlocked a bike is pretty hard to ride without a front wheel.

CHEERS.

Mark

You know, I really hate it when a store puts in one of those 'wheel killer' bike racks, then gets bent outta shape when I lean my bike up against the wall. My local Starbucks is one of these. I always lean my bike against the window (chained, of course). I had to explain to the head barrista (barrissimo??) that a road bike rim is too fragile for the rack, and that if leaning my bike against the window was a problem, there were several other coffee shops in the neighborhood that didn't have a problem with it.

My non-lock security measure (a topic for a new thread?) is to push the shifters out of gear and clip my helmet strap through the frame and back wheel. You should hear the cursing when I invariably forget to put it back into gear before riding off.

I like the upside down idea, but that'd trash all the stuff mounted on my handlebars.

I have had no problem just taking my bike into the facility and placing it unobtrusively into a corner, or leaving it outside where I can have a clear view. I never ask permission, I just do it. I think if I aked permission they would probably be inclined to say no - an automatic reaction that many folks seem to have to any question out of the ordinary.

Almost all of the bike racks I see are located out of the way in a sort of isolated location. As I have a fair amount of "stuff" on all of my bike (panniers on the mtn bikes, large wedge on the road bike) all with tools, etc., I am quite hesitant to just leave it out in the open. Why do they put those bike racks way out there, anyway??

So far (fingers tightly crossed) no stolen ot bothered bike..

My son's new bike and his friend's bike were stolen many years ago when he went into a store for "just a second" leaving it resting against the store front.

i bring the saddle in with me and slide the chain off.

The two most likely quick-theft scenarios are: 1) someone jumps on your bike and rides off; 2) someone tosses your bike into the bed of a pickup truck and drives off. Taking the front wheel into the store with you takes care of (1), but not (2).

The worst scenario is a store which provides wheel-warper racks and expects you to use the #!@$% things. Alex, they are bad for many mountain bike rims, as well. I proudly note that the newly-refurbished Highway 101 corridor through downtown Encinitas features inverted-U bike racks in front of many shops and restaurants.

Locally, I know my security options on a store-by-store basis, and act accordingly. If I am specifically on a shopping trip, I use a good lock and a bike with a rack.






Swekarl, the English term you were seeking is "baby carriage"/"stroller" (U.S.) or "pram"/"perambulator" (U.K.). (Once again, two countries divided bya common language!) Yuppies prefer "baby joggers," which have lightweight frames and bicycle-style pneumatic tyres.

Originally posted by John E
Swekarl, the English term you were seeking is "baby carriage"/"stroller" (U.S.) or "pram"/"perambulator" (U.K.). (Once again, two countries divided bya common language!) Yuppies prefer "baby joggers," which have lightweight frames and bicycle-style pneumatic tyres.
Haha, I must have thought of baby carriage when I wrote baby cage. How weird it would be to have a baby in a cage!

Oh, at my LBS I always bring my bike inside, I guess you all do.

A cage is the perfect place for some babies :-)