We just installed vertical bike racks to alleviate a bike parking problem in the stairwells...I like em!

Before-http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=216573 After-http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=216574 Better shot of rack-http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=216575

I don't see the big deal about having to hang a bike at work. I hang mine up when I get home every day.

I don't have any dedicated bike parking at work(Not even an out door bike rack), but I've been allowed to use the IT storage room for it. Biggest problem I have is occasionally someone knocks my mirror out of place.

On a related note, I hang mine from the rear wheel at home. Is that problematic?

Hey, at least they are providing a place to park the bike for free.

The vertical racks were probably chosen based on space considerations. That type of stuff happens when bike parking is thought of after the fact.

Not saying vertical racking of bikes is the preferred solution, just that it isn't a bad solution.

It's like my coworker that complains he has to pay for two parking spaces because his lifted souped up truck takes up two spots. The parking lot was designed with certain space considerations.

Excellent use of space! Looks clean and orderly.

Security is contracted by the employer but I don't know who's pot it goes into. Fine starts at $55 for first offense IIRC.

Yeah, the old "it's free and you'd better like it" analogy, and your co-worker may have to pay extra, but at least they still got the type of parking suited for their vehicle's needs.

Personally, if it wasn't for the fact of your employer had installed bike lockers, I wouldn't have even dropped off an a employment app if I had your above quoted tid bit of info beforehand.

It was the first offer out of I don't know how many interviews. This one took three interviews. I kinda figured I'd rather be employed than not. I did not know about the parking and bicycle situation. Initially my plan was to use public transit but that didn't work out too well.

I wish that parking subsidy was counted as taxable income. At $100/year for employees when market rate is $14/day or $275/mo for general public in the same lot, that's a subsidy of over $3000/year. Even public transit users don't get that that much, maximum is $230/mo per IRS regulations IIRC.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...5&d=1314633310

How do you lock your bikes on this rack? I wouldn't trust leaving my bike unlocked in a place that others can easily access. I'm always hearing about someones bike being stolen from a "storage room".

Also, I'm sure the public vertical racks must be different than this and offer locking. I hope anyway? Just curious what that looks like? Is theft prevention sacrificed for space convenience? How could it be more secure than thick tube racks anchored in cement?

And vertical racks are suitable for bike parking. They don't damage the bikes.

Now those wheel bender racks... those should be destroyed.

Edit: Of course, the vertical racks are fine provided there is suitable location for locking. The kind listed in the previous post don't really look to be particularly secure.

I think cyclists can expect to have suitable and secure bike parking. I wouldn't particularly expect for indoor parking, though it is nice. I personally find vertical racks to be suitable, provided they have something to secure your back to.

This is where cities can come into play and develop standards for bike racks and minimum requirements for spaces, much like they already have in the zoning code for car spaces.

My current commuter with all it's racks, panniers, accessories, and a frame/wheel set being being durable enough to handle heavy cargo loads, tips the scales at 55 lbs empty, and is definitely not something I wish to lift on and off a vertical rack every workday.

Before the case is made in getting a lighter bike, the co-worker with the "monster truck" didn't have to give up his vehicle, and start driving a compact car.

He probably doesn't actually 'fit' in his space, either.

I keep waiting to use the 'you don't have to push your car' argument when someone yells at me for rolling through a stop sign or such; drivers don't 'push' their 4000 lbs vehicles, but I 'push' my 50 lbs bike everywhere.

At the end of the day, though, cyclists remain a pretty tiny minority of most company's work-force. As such, it is nice to see that they are doing something that seems reasonable, sensible and efficient, even if not perfect. I'm sure drivers who own BMWs or Porsches would prefer spaces that were wide enough to avoid door dings, but they probably don't get them right? Few solutions to any problem are perfect. And to paraphrase someone wiser than I am 'the search for the perfect is often the enemy of the good'. I get to roll my bike into my office, but that requires 'lifting' it in the elevator; should I try to get the building management to install larger elevators? No -- because they'd tell me to park it outside.

As noted in an earlier post, the co-worker large truck does not fit into one parking spot, and has the opportunity to pay for an extra one, which BMW, Porsche owners could possibly do as well if they wish avoid door dings.

Now on your elevator, your term "lifting" is that referring to actually picking the complete bike off the ground or just rolling the bike onto it's back wheel, since there is a considerable weight difference between the two.

What kind of standard should racks be designed for? It'd be difficult to design a rack for all bicycles. Every bicycle is significantly different. Yes, the ideal would be a rack that doesn't require lifting and has no limitations to the length of the bicycle. Not every workplace has space for this.

Vertical racks are suitable for the vast majority of bicycles and cyclists. Recumbents probably wouldn't work, nor would extended length bicycles such as the Big Dummy. As you said, heavy bikes wouldn't work so well either. Personally, I wouldn't expect a workplace to design bicycle parking to accept those types of bikes. They are rare.

Maybe some weight lifting would do you some good?

:roflmao2:

I was going to make some comical employer quotes in an earlier posts, but you beat me to the punch line.

My bike parking facility uses vertical racks that have an extra loop that you can lock your bike to. Looks something like
this and works well.

To those who are concerned about stressing your wheel or fork from hanging, you could use a bungee cord to take some of the weight off the front end.