Darth Lefty 

Don't care about the variety of the U shape. Just anchor it hard! That one in the first post anchored to bricks looks like a theft waiting to happen, especially for a chain or cable.

There are some pleasantly zany wrought-iron racks here in Folsom and if I ever remember I'll post some photos. It's this kind of stuff https://phillevans.com/art-sculpture-...e-parking-art/

tcs

I'll encourage you to consider the actual objective. It's all too easy for projects like this to gather multiple non-cycling stake holders with different goals for your budget. You can wind up with 'signature' racks that are not actually useful/useable, or make-work for local artists and/or a city council member's brother-in-law's welding shop, or seeing >90% of your budget go to city crews/contractors for 'installation'.

It doesn't have to be hard or expensive to get some functional bike parking deployed on the ground.

retrofit.jpg

Darth Lefty 

^^^ I'm not getting the point of that. How is it better than locking right to the meter? Especially since Kryptonite locks are (supposed to be) exactly the right dimensions for that.

DanBF

Thanks for your replies everybody. I'm going to the board meeting for our Main Street program tonight. I'll refer them to this thread because of all the helpful replies.

One thing that prevents me from using bike racks is that they are usually bare metal and will scratch the finish on my bike so I usually lock it up with a cable to one of the few street trees left in town. (I realize that cables aren't very secure and that a good U lock is much better) So have you ever seen bike racks with rubber covers? I've never seen them but that would encourage me to use a bike rack.

RubeRad

I don't think I've ever seen rubber, but the examples pictured in your OP seem to be powdercoated, which should be relatively benign for a bike finish.

FYI I've ruined decals on my bike by locking to a tree and rubbing on the bark. Fortunately I don't mind that my bike looks 'well used'.

Keipers206

Stick with the U style for low cost and max. versitility.

RunForTheHills

You could put a leather top tube protector on the bike. This one is from V.O.

fuzz2050

If it's not way to late, I'll speak up for this style of bike rack

Not only are they easy to use, they are difficult to use poorly.