Bragging about bike parking.
#1
Thread Starter
ride for a change
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis, MN
Bikes: Surly Cross-check & Moonlander, Pivot Mach 429, Ted Wojcik Sof-Trac, Ridley Orion. Santa Cruz Stigmata
Bragging about bike parking.
In honor of the official "bike to work" day here in Minneapolis I thought I'd share this.
My company employs about 25 people and more than half of us ride to work at least some days, on average about a third ride in every day and a few of us year round. We just expanded our offices and we insisted on adding a dedicated bike parking area. It's warm, secure, has it's own entrances. No shower yet, that's phase 2 if there is enough demand.
So this is me officially bragging - I'm proud that we made it happen, the employees that cycle love it and the ones that don't love showing it off. attached photo
Bike Parking..jpg
My company employs about 25 people and more than half of us ride to work at least some days, on average about a third ride in every day and a few of us year round. We just expanded our offices and we insisted on adding a dedicated bike parking area. It's warm, secure, has it's own entrances. No shower yet, that's phase 2 if there is enough demand.
So this is me officially bragging - I'm proud that we made it happen, the employees that cycle love it and the ones that don't love showing it off. attached photo
Bike Parking..jpg
#4
Thread Starter
ride for a change
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis, MN
Bikes: Surly Cross-check & Moonlander, Pivot Mach 429, Ted Wojcik Sof-Trac, Ridley Orion. Santa Cruz Stigmata
Space is a resource too, so we figured we'd try to be as efficient with it as possible. We have more space for overflow, and honestly we have no rules against parking them anywhere you want, but this is the dedicated space, it makes it automatic, easy, and convenient. So everyone uses it. We've even got sweet old schwinn speedster in the lobby for anyone to use for local errands.
And "they" is me, I'm a cyclist and I'm one of the owners.
And "they" is me, I'm a cyclist and I'm one of the owners.
#5
#6
Pedal faster not harder.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 576
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From: Thunder Bay
Bikes: Ummmm...Cannondale F4000..Ummmmm...Yeti ARC-X Cyclocross..Ummmm...Rocky Mountain Vertex TO with a BionX PL350 Electric Conversion...Ummmmm..Rocky Mountain Cardiac..Ummmm..thats it for now I think. I'd have to go look in the basement to be sure.
What about in winter? The top bikes will drip brown goodness on the bottom bikes.
#7
Slogging along
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,148
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From: San Fernando Valley, SoCal
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse '06, Mongoose titanium road bike '00--my commuter. Yes, Mongoose once made a decent ti road bike.
My employer provides us with dedicated bike lockers with excellent security locks.
#11
Aluminum Convert
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From: Aurora/Centennial Co
Bikes: Bianchi Via Nirone 7.
We have several cyclist where I work with my commute being the longest at 13.6 miles. We had a bike rack in a nice area at one end of our building right oputside the securty office. One night about a year ago while the officer was making his rounds someone drove up and stole the rack. lol Now we have a nice storage area inside the building at the other end. The boss is considering a 3 sided enclosure with a roof at the original spot because the strorage area is starting to get full as more people here are riding to work.
#12
Thread Starter
ride for a change
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis, MN
Bikes: Surly Cross-check & Moonlander, Pivot Mach 429, Ted Wojcik Sof-Trac, Ridley Orion. Santa Cruz Stigmata
Yeah, I know what you mean, and we thought about that but at this point there is only about 3 of us that ride through the winter. Of course I'd love to see those numbers go up but it's a tough sell. So the upper "berths" will be mostly empty.
#13
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
From: Somerville, MA
In my building they provide 5 bike racks in the basement of the parking garage. From late spring to mid-fall it can be difficult to find a spot to lock up if you get in after 9 or so. There is definitely some heavy bicycle usage at my workplace. Granted, in the winter the racks are basically empty.
#14
the college I teach at had pretty poor bike parking and I complained my first two years there only to be promised, "we're working on it." Turns out they were! We now have a 50 bike capacity bike room with #'d reserved parking, video surveillance, a card swipe entrance, heated, well lit and with benches to sit on while you get yourself organized before or after your commute- no showers yet but there are places at the school I could easily shower if I wanted.
The only thing is they only clean the floor at the end of the school year- but I love this because my bike parking spot is easily spotted by the pile of sand and salt since I'm the only dedicated full year round no-matter-the-weather commuter.
The only thing is they only clean the floor at the end of the school year- but I love this because my bike parking spot is easily spotted by the pile of sand and salt since I'm the only dedicated full year round no-matter-the-weather commuter.
#15
Fat Guy Rolling
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,434
Likes: 1
From: Louisville Kentucky
Bikes: Bacchetta Agio, 80s Raleigh Record single-speed, Surly Big Dummy
What does your place do?In all seriousness, I have been talking to my wife about moving to Minneapolis for a couple of months now. It'll probably be a few years though.
#18
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: White Bear Lake Mn
Bikes: 88 Schwin Voyageur, 84 Schwinn World Sport, 85 Univega Alpina Uno, 85 Fuji Espree, 09 Novara Strada, 06 Jamis Durango, 03 Specialized Expediton Sport, 09 Surly LHT, 12 Novara Gotham
We have nice bike lockers at the entrance door to our company fitness center..
#19
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 332
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From: Castle Rock, CO
Bikes: '09 Gary Fisher "Kaitai, '09 Raleigh Team", '91 Trek 8700, '97 Cannondale SR500, '12 Raleigh Twin Six
I am the only bike-to-work person at my office that I know of. I try to put it out of the way in a corner, but there is plenty of space to park my bike.....and I don't even need lock it up because it's a secure area. I get to park next to these guys:
Piaggio P180 Avanti. This one belongs to my client. I should see if I can get a photo with my bike leaning against it

This was just a temporary tennant last week, but was worth a photo:

This week there is a B-17 a parked at the hanger next door, but that's not my garage, so no photo. There are usually 2-5 aircraft in the hanger at any given time. I have my own locker and a shower.
Piaggio P180 Avanti. This one belongs to my client. I should see if I can get a photo with my bike leaning against it


This was just a temporary tennant last week, but was worth a photo:

This week there is a B-17 a parked at the hanger next door, but that's not my garage, so no photo. There are usually 2-5 aircraft in the hanger at any given time. I have my own locker and a shower.
#20
You gonna eat that?
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,917
Likes: 543
From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS
My building is in the middle of a secure parking lot with two guarded entrances. I heard there about 2000 people in the building but only a handful of ride to work with any regularity- maybe 5 on a good day. We lock our bikes up although I doubt we need to. Next to the office building is a small shower/locker room building with bike parking adjacent to it. Not bad.
#21
At the last place I worked, 50% of the employees commuted by bike.
The other guy drove an SUV.
The other guy drove an SUV.
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"He who serves all, best serves himself" Jack London
#22
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 452
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I've got a sweet situation currently - an outside door that leads right into our office space, with a corner where I can stash my bike, and a locker to put clothes.
Not concerned about security, as I work in a police station.
Not concerned about security, as I work in a police station.
#23
I work in a hospital and have access to scrub suits I can wear (appropriately) during the day, and a loker room with a shower and a towel supply.
#25
Most people I know worry about their bike when parked at work. Security is always a concern. I ride to work, and my parking place is covered for bad weather. I have showers and a locker for my clothes. Security with machine guns are standing about 50ft from my bike all shift (seriously, I work in a nuclear plant).






