interceptor

skydive.....

just curious, is your avatar a picture of you?

DerekU2

It depends. Did they insist on leaving their doors unlocked with the keys in the ignition? By not carrying a lock with you, that's what you're doing. So if you want to make insane analogies, at least make them fair.

I don't see a problem with you bringing your bike into the store really, but it's their discretion, of course. Why not just make it easy on yourself and leave a lock at work for the times when you want to run errands at lunch? If it's really a quick errand with the bike in view, a good cable lock will do... even on $3K bike.

pedex

Define serious cyclist LOL?Sheesh, your attitude is precious.Just keep in mind, your idea of serious wont jive with everyone else's, do you ride for a living?

To the original poster, get a $35 u-lock and put it in your back pocket, with a $3k road bike you can afford it, and if security is that much of an issue over it, get a different bike or walk.

jim-bob

You people crack me up. Is it really that difficult to lock a bike?

khuon

I carry one of these. It's a lightweight retractable 3' long cable-lock. It's not going to stop a someone with a bolt cutter but it's a good enough deterrant for the casual thief. And it's good enough for quick stops in a store in a low-crime area as long as you're smart about bike placement. It's small enough to fit into a pocket. I keep mine in my seatbag.

Kryptonite Gear Gripper

al-wagner

I think that he should SUE the store because he could bring his bike inside... That way when he won he could throw out tha cheap $3000 bike and get a 12,000 and buy a 15.00 lock

ehammarlund

I think my response to taht argument (if I were a clerk) would be LOT less polite; 'give your damn bike to a person in a wheelchair and THEY can bring it in' or the like.

Ride somewhere else to buy food, or carry a lock. Or bring in your front wheel (they'd probably allow taht). Or watch the bike through the window. Or just carry a foot long piece of Kevlar cord and tie your front wheel to your frame (works like a cable lock but much lighter--can be cut only with difficulty and prevents jump-on rideaways).

"Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part" and all that. Stop whining.

Dchiefransom

I like the reasoning being used here about not bringing a bike into a store. I guess if a mother with a child had a stroller, and the kid wasn't in it, the clerk should direct her to not bring the stroller into the store?

blown cue

No.

It may be your bike. But it ain't the clerk's store.

Yes, liability. You slip on the floor...or you lose your hold on the bike and it falls and hurts another customer. Or crap from the tire gets on the floor and somebody slips. Go ask the store owner what they pay for commerical insurance.

No, the clerk won't risk their job if he or she don't know the policy on your request.

What do I do when I stop in the Circle K? I lean it against the damn window, and I watch it while inside the store.

And there ain't no damn reason why you couldn't bungee a bloody U-lock on a bike rack mounted to the rear of your bike. Correction: your $3000 bike. And if you don't want to lug a heavy manganese chain...well....sell it and buy two $1500 bikes. Or six $500 bikes. You'd have five left if one got stolen.

Do people carry their cars inside the store?

Please.

blown cue

And by the way, you weren't thrown out of the store. The clerk gave you a choice. You chose to leave.

Monument Man

honestly i understand that it's a pain in the AZZ to carry a lock

still why would you assume that you could enter somebody's business with a bike

if somebody came into your house with a $3000 hairy dog, would you let them in? What about a bike? I doubt that everybody is a bike lover, and I bet that the owners are worried that your bike bothers other customers.

catatonic

Catatonic's Rules for riders:

1) carry a lock, you never know when you'll need it

2) never ride anything that you can't afford to replace

3) never assume anything...people tend to be quite rude and arrogant as the norm anymore.

4) park where you can, if you cannot find a reasonable spot...don't stop and go on.

qmsdc15

Get a krypto (onguard) lock and bring it in with you and your bike. Wave the ulock around menacingly, and if they disrespect you, start smashing up stuff wih your lock. Never go anywhere without your lock!

womble

Bravo!

cyclezealot

I always carry a lock...On rare ocassions I have taken a bike into a store..In high traffic areas, I feel nervous about locking up expensive bike even with a lock on it...
But, just I have seen certain grocery stores,in particular, where young riders have taken bikes in the store and it seems pretty common...Sometimes cafes where there is nothing available to hitch your bike to, where spaces were set aside for bikes.

Daily Commute

Why? From a safety perspective, what's the difference between a bike and a baby stroller? How is it more inconsiderate than pushing a baby stroller? I agree that store owners have a legal right to bar cyclists, I'm just questioning whether it makes sense.

If I need to take my bike somewhere, I just do. Unless there's a sign saying "No Bikes", just take it in. Don't ask for permission if the answer might be "no." As cyclezealot found out, you probably won't be stopped (although a clerk might stop you from time to time).

Edit: Since you have a good business relationship with the Subway people, ask that manager to talk to the Chevron manager. The Subway manager can talk manager to manager and say, "please let my customer get to my store."

Juha

My 0,02 euros: it seems Sawtooth had been allowed to the store before with his bike, so he had a good reason to expect to be allowed this time as well. I would have been annoyed too.

Bringing a bike inside a shop is definitely not the norm around here, so I carry a lock and park my bike outside, without exception.

--J

Hawkear

I'll lock up my bike if the store provides a place to lock it. Otherwise, it's going in with me, whether they like it or not.

Alloy Addict

I think a bike is much less in the way than these new Humvee baby strollers people bring in to stores and leave right in the middle of the aisle. I'm not talking about the baby jogger ones, just the ones that have the "offroad" look, yet never leave the suburb. They are wide, long, and usually loaded down with far more stuff than you need to have with a baby for an afternoon.

Alloy Addict

I can't understand why people are getting so freaking heated in their replies to this question. I doubt many of you are that belligerent in your daily lives or you would be friendless and missing several teeth.

People need to stop being keyboard tough guys and learn some decorum.

KrisPistofferson

A few points:
1. Either buy an expensive lock, to go with the expensive bike, or buy an inexpensive bike to go to work on. Riding to and from work, and taking lunch breaks takes you out of ultra-light Discovery team jersey territory and puts you smack dab in commuter territory. Plan accordingly.
2. I assume bikes are not allowed in some stores for the same reason that most doors open outwards and there are emergency fire exits, because if everyone were in a rush to leave, it would be a serious tripping hazard. Your bike can weigh 2 pounds, and it will still be an unweildy tripping hazard.
3. Has anyone ever worked in a restaraunt at lunch time? Yes bikes are in the way. Take it from a waiter who's dealt with more wheelchairs, strollers and unrestrained kids than I ever want to again. (Where these analogies fail, of course, is where we realise that Mr. Sawtooth is not a baby, juvenile or handicapped, hate to burst anyones' bubble.)
4. Which brings me to analogies. The BMW one was inaccurate because they are all sold with locks, and you Still can't bring them in a restaraunt. The **** one is inexcusable, and you should be ashamed for being so melodramatic.
5. While I don't know if this does qualify as sociopathic behavior, as Sawtooth pointed out, I do think it's reflective of some severe cognitive dissonance, to expect such exceptional treatment.
6. For those that have tried to hijack this into a dependance-on-foreign-oil diatribe or anti-car rant, shame on you. It's much the same as when Serge tries to turn a "Do you like Barney"-thread into an anti bike lanes VC thread, which is to say completely irrelevant.
To sum up; either buy a cheap bike or an expensive bike lock, and try not to be so obtuse when folks who probably can't afford $3000 bikes are trying to do their ****ing job.

blown cue

Yeah Paul, well I am this aggressive in real life, and I have all my teeth, and I am friendless, so you get half credit.

Now go shoot up some alloy.

More solutions:

Bring lunch to the office.
Fax your order in ahead of time.
Call out for delivery.
Buy a junker and keep it in the office for lunch runs.
Open up your own diner.
Drive-through window!
Start sleeping with food service people.
Organize a mass lunch run for area commuters. When they see the business, they'll bend the rules.

Map tester

I have a lock with me, but many places don't have anything you can lock your bike to. In an effort to have some sort of 'clean' design, a lot of the new stores or shopping centers have huge columns (>8 ft. around), no sign poles, and no bike rack. There is a CVS and a Home Depot I sometimes shop at that is like that; I usually just bring the bike in with me and go about my business--no one has ever hassled me yet (most of the time someone makes a good comment about my bike). I have thought about what to say if someone stops me and tells me I can't bring my bike in: "I would be happy to lock my bike outside if there was anything to lock it to." And yes, I have just locked my bike up via a cable lock through the wheels, but only if I am going to be in view of the bike; most of these same stores have no windows to see my bike and I really don't want someone tossing my bike in the back of a truck and driving off.

I usually operate under the 'it is easier to be forgiven than to get permission' rule. If you are considerate and act like you know what you are doing, for the most part there is no problem, mon'. (insert reggae music here)

wildjim

I understand completely as I trust no one and no lock. I believe you were subjected to the bicycles are childrens toys mentallity. Perhaps the store manager may understand if asked in a nice manner?

I take my bicycle with into the Super Market as it is no larger than any shopping cart. It seems to be allowed to date.

The exception I would consider is if the bicycle was dirty; thereby tracking mud on the floor or in a people crowded, congested environment.

So I think if you are sensible and considerate it should be allowed.

pedex

A $3000 road bike IS A TOY.What is so difficult about locking up a bike?When used as transportation a bike is no different than a car, act accordingly.I see replies above about nowhere to lock it up, freelock it and lean it against the building.Its safer than many think.Trust me, you ride around using a bike as transportation you will run into more than just people that wont let you bring your bike inside........you'll also be often times asked to leave your bag at the front door, and watched by security the whole time your there.Ive had grocery stores and gas stations ask me to check my bag at the door, no biggie, I hand it to them and go about my business.Its just business, and they are protecting theirs.Face it, in american society especially, bikes used as transportation puts you in a serious minority to begin with, its very very rare in many places to see it, and with many of the above replies few that ride even do it at all LOL, get used to it, its the way things are.It doesnt take long to learn how to deal with it, and look at it this way, there's no more looking for a parking spot, you get on the curb parking in front of the store everywhere you go.Just be careful at some malls and dept stores, some of them get their panties in a twist over freelocking a bike and leaving it out front, but they cant do squat about locking it to a street sign.I understand the "but my bike is my baby" mentality, but it isnt alive, its a tool, a cold heartless piece of metal, so lock it up and move on or hide from the facts of life.