Bike Parking at Work

[Trakentoo]

Hi

I've been given the task of looking at options for bike parking at our companies new office. It needs to fit around 20 bikes. Anybody got any suggestions of what I should be looking for regarding bike stands, security measures etc. A covered shelter is one of the options open to us.
The area is on part of a car park, only one entrance/exit although not that well overlooked by the offices.

Any advice would be muchus muchus appreciated.

 

[marinyork]

Funnily enough we were discussing this on another thread and this that someone else supplied http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/businessandpartners/Workplace-Cycle-Parking-Guide.pdf is as good as any of the cycle parking documents I've got.

Basically no wheelbenders, no butterflies. As regards installing sheffield stands you want to make it very clear to them that if they install sheffield stands make sure there's 30cm clearance for wheels between it and wall/whatever and 1m between sheffield stands. Otherwise what happens is that you're wasting space not being able to get 2 bikes on a sheffield stand. You sometimes see stands that are built for 8 or 10 bikes having something ridiculous like 20 stands in (which can only fit 5-10 bikes in). I'll see if I can dig out one of my photos.

 

[Eddie]

Something like this, with a bright security light pointed at it and a decent CCTV camera would be good.
http://www.bikedocksolutions.com/product/46.aspx

You want a sheffield stand to attach the bike to.

Avoid the following types, they're ****:

http://www.bikedocksolutions.com/product/174.aspx
http://www.bikedocksolutions.com/product/161.aspx
http://www.bikedocksolutions.com/product/164.aspx

Basically you need to be able to use a U-lock and put it through the frame and the back wheel of the bike. The metal used on the rack should be too big to fit bolt cutters around.

 

[marinyork]

Something like this, with a bright security light pointed at it and a decent CCTV camera would be good.
http://www.bikedocks...product/46.aspx

The only problem with that is that sheffield stands done in racks like that tend to be a bit too close to each other. Some are usable, others not. That said that shelter in that photo is a lot bigger than a lot of the others that companies construct. I've just seen too many examples of companies trying to cram 20 cycle spaces into what should be 8 or 10.

 

[marinyork]

http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/c04_cycle_parking.pdf particularly page 8 which explains how to install sheffield stands, spacings etc although that's in a public environment. You want to employ similar principles, if you try and have sheffield stands 40-50cm apart it won't work.

 

[fossyant]

We have something very similar to that bike doc shelter, but it's completely covered, with a keypad controlled entrance and has 10 sheffield stands inside at angles and takes 20 bikes.

 

[summerdays]

I second the comments about racks not too close together or the rear of the shelter. I've been known to attach mine sidewards across 2 stands in a protest against them in that situation.

Another point about the toast rack ones is that it can be difficult depending on the wheel base gap - that's probably more of a gripe with stands installed in schools - but they often fit adult bike racks which then cause problems when you want to lock a smaller bike to them, with one wheel having to rest on the rack making it more unstable. Or the ones at my main office base where the Sheffield stands are attached to what looks like railway sleepers.

Is the area of the car park (that isn't overlooked by offices), very easily seen from the road.

Also think about the prevailing wind direction - at one place its a 2 covered row of stands facing each other with a gap inbetween. If the weather is nice, then the bike is lock up on the side where isn't visible from the road, if its wet then its on the side where it will stay drier.

Make sure the end stands aren't too close to the actual shelter so that both sides are usable.

 

[Moodyman]

You might want to consider communal bike insurance.

 

[Trakentoo]

cheers folks, I knew somebody on here would have a better idea than me plugging something into Google.

Summerdays - the car park is enclosed on 3 sides by the building, the forth side being a 30ft drop to road level, so the only way in for a potential theif is via the one entrance from the road. The bike area probably will not be visable from the main road.

 

[rosscbrown]

I really like the "locker" type of storage, however they can cost as much as £1000 so unless your employer is loaded and willing they rarely get installed.

Failing that, Sheffield stand, built into the ground (as opposed to bolted on) is pretty good :-)

Finally, at my former workplace, we had a bike shed cum smoking shed. Smokers were allowed to use the area provided nothing untoward happened to the bikes. While the bikes were largely unharmed, as a non-smoker it wasn't the nicest place to be. I'd avoid such "shared use" facilities.

 

[Jezston]

http://www.bikedocksolutions.com/product/174.aspx

Heh, they have a few of these types outside my GPs offices (big community health center type place). Spent about 5 minutes trying to find a way to secure my bike to it which couldn't be easily circumvented by a theif simply quick-releasing the wheel. In the end I rested my bike against it sideways and put my dlock through the frame and wheel!

Of course when I came out it had falled over.

Whats the point?

Particularly like these two
http://www.bikedocksolutions.com/product/161.aspx
http://www.bikedocksolutions.com/product/164.aspx

Tired of having to remove several locks to steal a set of bicycles? Now you can just pick them up and steal them all in one go!

We have wheelbenders at work, although fortunately there's no need to lock them as it's in a very secure part of the complex with CCTV.

 

[Number14]

For getting lots of bikes in a smallish space try a Josta two level system. Each bike holder has several places to lock the bike to and, if you park your bike on the top tier, a tea-leaf will have a bit more trouble trying to nick it.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!

I too have now been given the chance to have an input on the type of stands we shall be using, the facility will be inside, covered and secure in an underground car park which only a list of registered compnay users will have access to.

So....

I'm thinking Sheffield Stands fitted to the specs/space outlined in that leaflet may be best?

I don't have a budget yet sorry.

 

[Number14]

Success after 18 months of trying. Six lovely bike lockers and all allocated within a day.

Now for the next six ......