Originally Posted by
rnorris
Depends also on what sort of "rack" they install. A number of years ago, a condo complex that I was renting a unit in enacted a rule that all bikes had to be stored in the communal storage area. They built a rack, all right- out of 2X4s screwed together. I hope the rack they're planning on in your case is something decent.
Never would I leave my bike for hours at a time on something like that.
@ The OP:
If your bike is too long to get onto the porch (I'm assuming these are the uber narrow porches that are typical of apartments), is there any place else in your apartment suite that you could put your bike after each use? Also, if you got your front wheel set up with a quick release system (or even just unbolted the wheel - inconvenient, I know), would that enable to to be put away more easily?
Also, while the idea of creating a winch system may have been suggested in jest, it may not actually be a bad idea, especially if you or someone you know has a bit of DIY retrofitting savvy. Conceivably, you could get a remote control electric winch that could lower down a harness that clips onto your bike and hoists it up to the porch (of course, you would need to find a way of adequately securing the winch system so that it doesn't fall off the porch). With the remote control, it could be a one person job (not requiring you to leave your bike outside unlocked while you run upstairs to activate the winch). This approach may be rather unorthodox, but a cycling lifestyle by its very nature often requires one to be creative and think outside of the box.