Secure cycle storage facilities

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Secure cycle storage facilities

Submitted by Nelson01 on 25 August, 2009 - 09:39
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Technical

Hi,

I would like to hear about other people's experience around the country with secure cycle storage facilities - what works, what doesn't?  Is there are particular design out there that is secure, attractive, easy to use and doesn't cost the earth?

I'd also be interested to hear what works from a maintenance point of view.

Thanks.

Submitted by urbanbicycles on 25 August, 2009 - 14:21

I was recently studying full time course at Natcoll which is housed in 6 storey building with lots of other companies just off Kilmore street in central Christchurch.
During the time I was there, the owners of the building spent what must have been a considerable amount of money building a lockable bicycle parking facility.
About 90% of the vehicles in the carpark were cars and at a generous estimate 10% were bicycles -which were mostly parked in 2 traditional 'wheel-bender'racks under the trees - and a few ( like me) chose to lock their bikes inconspicuously under sheltering trees along the fenceline.
When they opened the lockable facilities for use by fee-paying cyclists, they were underwhelmed and I never saw more than a couple of bikes in there.
They could have provided a much better and more popular (free) facility by incrementally (as per demand) removing one or two of the (covered) car-parking spaces that are along the exit path - which are easily visible ( security) by the staff on the ground floor.

Basically the vast majority of (would be)cyclists don't want to pay to park their bike.
Asserting that some do, or that they 'should' is unrealistic and authoritarian.

Secure parking facilities ( especially those that you have to pay to use) are not a prerequisite for cyclists.

Being able to park as close as possible to and preferably within view of where you're going is the priority.

From my 10 years experience in Japan where most cities provide day long bike parking for about $1 per day, the vast majority still choose to take the risk ( of confiscation by the local government) of parking along the side of the street for free.

http://kyotoinkyoto.blogspot.com/

The most important thing is having a fixed stable object to lock your bike onto. Preferably something to lean on but 'disappearable'clips
( http://www.lockitt.com/lockdown.htm )
set into concrete might do. Shelter and high visibility (so as not to provide a discrete working environment for someone with bolt cutters)are also important considerations.

Alan Preston in Mangawhai, Northland.
http://urbanbicycles.googlepages.com/
Promoting urban appropriate utility bicycles and utility cycling in New Zealand

Submitted by Patrick on 25 August, 2009 - 14:48

Have a look at http://can.org.nz/article/cycle-parking for resources, info and links.