Bicycle Parking in Commercial Areas        

Bicycle parking in commercial areas is used mostly by shoppers for brief durations of time, but also by business employees for longer durations. Security is very important to both types of users, but convenience is a priority to short-term shoppers while shelter from precipitation is a priority to long-term users.  General guidelines for bicycle parking in commercial areas are as follows:

• Multiple small, minimalist racks distributed throughout the area and located close to individual destinations are preferable to a smaller number of large racks, which may not fit easily into a commercial site plan. Cyclists prefer to park very close to their destinations and will lock the bicycle to anything available unless a rack is immediately nearby.  Multiple cyclists traveling together often lock their bikes together at a small bike rack. Rarely does one see more than two bicycles parked at any single commercial establishment, but at major destinations such as indoor shopping malls and multiplex cinemas a higher concentration of bicycle parking may be needed at entrances.
• Bike Racks should accept both U-Locks and Cables passed through the frame of the bike. The U-lock is the most secure solution but requires a very short distance between the frame and the rack. Old-style parking racks that hold the bike at the front tire are undesirable because the bicycle frame cannot be placed close enough to the rack to use the U-lock without parking the bike sideways and using up the entire rack.
• Bike racks should not hold the bike by the wheel because application of force to the bike can bend the wheel, and because cyclists prefer to lock the frame of the bicycle to the rack. Most bicycles that are worth stealing feature quick-release hubs on the wheels. If the cyclist locks just the front wheel to the rack he or she may return to find only the wheel remaining. Cyclists who frequently park long-term will lock the frame to the bike rack but pass a cable through the wheels or use locking hubs to keep the wheels from being stolen.
• Racks should be in public view with high visibility and good lighting. Avoid placing racks where a thief or vandal could work without fear of being immediately noticed. Experienced cyclists will not park their bicycles out of public view.
• Racks should be close to building entrances to make bicycling more convenient.
• Racks should be covered by building roof overhangs, where possible, in order to protect bicycles from precipitation.
• Bicycles should not block pedestrian ways by jutting out into a sidewalk. Racks should be designed to allow the parked bicycle to be oriented parallel to the walkway and minimize obstruction.
• Parking meters are often used by cyclists with U-locks. Adding a loop of metal to the parking meter allows the use of a cable lock as well. It is important to anchor the parking meter solidly in the ground so a bicycle thief cannot loosen or remove it. A common bicycle-thief technique is to loosen the parking meter ahead of time and wait for an expensive bike to be parked there.
• Ornamental trees can easily be damaged by cyclists who will use them for parking if nothing else is available. A metal guard basket around the tree can protect the tree and also accept a bike lock.
• Bollards, signs and street lamps can be outfitted with loops or holes to accept bike locks and double as bicycle parking. This reduces the total amount of street furniture obstructing the pedestrian way.

Below are photos of secure, simple, compact, inexpensive Class II bike racks that accept both U-locks and cables. These racks are easy to fit into commercial areas near building entrances with minimal impact on pedestrian space.

Figure 1: This single, inverted-hoop bike rack is compact, relatively inexpensive, and accommodates two bicycles.

Figure 2: Single-hoop racks are easy to incorporate into sidewalk spaces where little space is available, and may be distributed throughout shopping centers near building entrances. Bicycles may be locked to hoop racks by a variety of means in a variety of orientations.

Bike racks may be colored to blend in with the other street furniture. Non-scratch and chip-proof coatings are available to protect the appearance of the rack and the bicycle. Bicycle racks can also be built into creative shapes to double as public art.

Parking meters that are securely mounted in the ground work well with standard-size U-locks. U-locks are designed to provide an opening smaller than the head of a parking meter. In order to accommodate cable locks, one or more additional loops may be welded onto the meter pole as illustrated in Figure 3. This provides better bike parking without adding to street clutter.

Figure 3: With one or more loops added, a U-lock friendly parking meter can also accommodate cable locks.

Note that some shopping centers have unfair policies prohibiting bicycles on their property, and are posted with signs to that effect. Read more about "NO Bicycles" signs here.

More information on bicycle parking can be found at

http://www.apbp.org/pdfs/bikepark.pdf