It's always worth asking for a bike rack!
This store just opened up a few months back, and they had zero bike parking.
I emailed their head office, saying that I was planning to shop there, but not until they added a bike rack.
Went to check last night, and boom! Bike rack!
If you can, send a reply saying thanks or something. It helps get more added at other locations.
I did :) I thanked the head office (where my request was originally sent to) and asked them to pass on my thanks to the store manager.
This particular chain of stores is actually pretty good with bike racks at other locations. But this newly opened store had nothing.
The biggest offender around here is our Shoppers Drug Mart chain. I don't think I've seen a single one of their stores with a bike rack! And they serve as a drop-off/pick up center for Canada Post, so shame on them for not being accessible. I've complained to them for years, so until they add bike racks, I'll just keep walking my bike into the store! 😀
Sadly, this is the second worst bike rack design though. A lot of ebikes have wider tires. And the way it’s positioned, the bikes would block the sidewalk. A bunch of “staple” racks parallel to the road are good. Or a set of the Parisian coils taking over one car spot is best.
I do agree that this is NOT an ideal design for a bike rack (the bike I'd use to get groceries would NOT (edited) work with the rack as designed), but I do appreciate the effort. This would get me to shop at that store, where it wasn't even an option before.
As for blocking the sidewalk, it's a non-issue at this specific location because there's no reason for pedestrians to actually walk across that section (the loading dock is back there, and the parking lot and entrance behind the camera view).
I have been to other stores where the bike racks are 100% in the way of pedestrians, when they need not be. Poorly planned or ignorance by the owner/planner... who knows?
It's already at the end of the sidewalk though, so it's not really blocking anything in this case
Lived at an apartment complex with a huge bike rack once, lots of people locked their bikes up to it. One night someone came with a flatbed and just stole the whole thing.
Yeah, loose bike-racks are not ideal. If used, they should be chained to something solid, or bolted to the ground.
My city has been installing bike racks that consist of a loop of thick steel tube. Just barely thin enough to get a U-lock round it, concreted into the ground. Those ain't going anywhere.
That's good, never hurts to ask. Is this the normal rack style in your area?
Is this the normal rack style in your area?
No, and it's my least favorite, for a number of reasons.
But, it's better than not being able to take my bike to the store.
But, it’s better than not being able to take my bike to the store.
You can always take your bike to the store. If there's nowhere to park it, just pretend it's a stroller or cart and bring it inside! 🤪
It's a very old design, it was popular in the 80's when theft wasn't much of an issue. Mainly just to keep the bikes upright and out of the way.
That makes sense. Can lock the front tire but not much of the frame. We had one of these installed near me and most people locked to the side of it until the business replaced them.
I like the effort but man that looks to close to the wall. I like doing what I have heard as chicago style which sounds a bit wierd when you are in chicago but it involves putting the front tire over so its on the rear of the rack mostly but using the slat for a bit to be in the fron and then putting a ulock such that it is around the frame near the fork plus the front tire and the rack. Its a great quick lock if your not gone long since the rear wheel is not secure, but its real fast to do. Did a quick google search but can't find a good picture of someone doing it but it only makes sense on certain type of bike racks like the old kind like this.
These racks are called "wheelbenders" for a reason, and I don't particularly like them. I much prefer to have access to lock my bike, so the anchor point is in the middle of my bike, rather than only on one wheel.
Since I do use two locks, as long as I can get my frame and one wheel locked, then my U-lock can secure the other wheel to the frame.
I get why bike racks are used when there are a lot of bikes, as you can pack them closer together. If at all possible I’d rather not store my nice bike in one, too easy to damage the bike. Especially the way this is placed, with bikes blocking much of the sidewalk.
Why not just park your bike along the wall?
Theft?