freckles

My workplace is super lacking in long term bicycle storage- we have less than 30 of the individual "wedge/pie" shaped lockers and should have at least 100 spaces.


I got a notice that a new community bicycle locker was being created and after being kicked out of my previous parking spot- was super excited for it to open up.


Well its nearly finished and its CRAPpy! the man in charge of this project has never locked a bicycle anywhere as an adult. he picked tiny little old fashioned "wheelbenders" that are so low to the ground (only goes up about 10") with a narrow space for a skinny tire to fit and the space between each bicycle is about 8". only kindergarten bicycles with narrow tires would fit.


Luckily, i ran into the BOSS MAN, he came over when he saw me trying to take photos thru the locked chain link entrance.... He let me in and i pointed out the issues- tiny ass wheelbenders, lack of safe direct access into the parking lot via bicycle, plus the current bicycle storage ordinance, showed him another ideal spot to add more bicycle parking and we took a look at the short term bicycle locking stands too.


He agreed the stands are deficient and with the other issues and asked for my input and ideas!!!!!!


The new community locker is located in the corner on the ground floor covered parking structure with chain link on 2 walls, 3rd is welded wire over half wall ( exterior wall with landscaping on the other side) and 4th is a full wall. about 20 by 10 roughly- i will take more accurate measurements. currently has about 10-15 wheelbender spots. keypad entrance.


wants/needs

1) lockers to store locks/panniers/helmet etc

2) bike stand and pump

3) security cameras inside

4) well lighted

5) single 2 point contact locking bicycle stand- inverted U, circular AND/OR/MIX with

6) double tier locks with gas struts and 3 locking points- front and rear tire and center frame with locking bar (for D lock)

7) keypad plus ID coded access pad ( each ID is coded to allow access/restrictions to departments/floors)


security is the biggest issue- work in an urban area with lots of homeless persons and bicycle theft is rampant. homeless encampments are common. plus we have theive at work- people (employees) steal stuff- clothes, shoes, money, food, equipment etc


please provide suggestions, ideas, experience with great or terrible bicycle storage lockers????


thanks!

General Geoff

What's wrong with putting in more of those individual bike lockers? You could fit probably ten of them in a rectangular gang the size of a single car parking spot, so to reach 100 spaces, you'd only need to give up ten car spots.

KraneXL

First, Powerpoint. Second, "one picture is worth a thousand words." Find an organization or facility that already supplies the setup that you want. Collect data: specifically about those that use or would use the facility if and when it is in place.

Finally, write a paper about it. Something that shows interest and appreciation and that you can share with the community here. Even if its only a one page flyer with a single paragraph of someone pleased to have it in place. Take photos/video. Good luck.

fietsbob

As I recall in Eugene, LCC downtown had a vertical Bike storage enclosure under an overhanging roof.
every bike had its own triangular space , with a door you locked with your U lock.
bike hung vertically, from a front wheel
using chain link fencing and steel poles set in the concrete..

a /\/\/\/\/\/ kind of floor plan , accessible from both sides.





....

Happy Feet

I would add a panic button in the structure that sounds a loud alarm/flashing light when activated. Good if a rider feels cornered inside.

freckles

employer demolished 1700+ parking spaces while adding capacity, meaning hundreds more employers with less places to car park.

there is no way they are going to get rid of any more car spaces... this has been the main consistent complaint since the new building opened.

i see small open spaces to throw in some more individual lockers and maybe some smaller cages like these- https://www.cyclehoop.com/product/sh...es/bikehangar/

Troul 

Bicycle hanger pulley system. Hooks to the wheel & enables an attachment point of a fixed steel hoop to allow the bicyclist to cable lock the frame to the steel hoop. Once locked in place, the hanger outputs a pin number for you to use later on & pulls the bicycle up off the ground bringing down the next unoccupied hanger.
To retrieve your bicycle, you enter in your pin number for the hanger to rotate down your bicycle. You detach it as you need to then off you go.

700

I see it. Modify one of these.
Except you use your company badge to store and retrieve.

Troul 

Bicycle carousel is the idea.

freckles

is this really a thing?

gregf83 

We have a few indoor bike parkades near transit stations. They require a transit card to access but seem secure enough.

freckles

here is the proposal, made for a supervisor that is head of the property management and facilities but does not know alot about bicycle storage needs and current Los Angeles bicycle ordinance

this is my first proposal ever, so please let me know if its written correctly??? also, the points changed from abc to 123 when i pasted it and it bolded everything.


Opportunities and Benefits to Improving Long Term Bicycle Parking at xxxx

Parking at xxxx is a big deal.

1479 parking spaces were permanently removed when (employer) built the current campus (per Zone Variance request Case No.in 2000), this shortage has been a daily stressful complaint from clients and employees ever since.

It’s challenging to come to work on time, physically and mentally ready to work if we are distracted and stressed out from looking for parking at the start of every work day.

(employer) is well known for their (green/healthy) campaign. Actively promoting and supporting a bike-to-work campaign helps (employer) while simultaneously addressing the car parking shortage.

Bike-to-work produces many (green/healthy) benefits - reduced health care costs, decreased absenteeism, increased productivity, reduced parking costs, is a great PR boost for increasing social and environmental benefits for the community at large, bicycling LEEDs to points and plus bike riding is just fun!

These are many ways for (employer) to support employees to bike-to-work but they all require secure Long Term Bicycle Parking (parking for 2 or more hours) to (green/healthy). Knowing that our bicycle will be safe, secure, protected and whole as we left it is a significant factor for bike-to-work to (green/healthy).

1. Make it Easy and Accessible.
   1. Provide secure parking inside (the campus) on each floor
   2. Provide secure parking inside the garage closest to the pedestrian entrance of the parking garage
   3. Racks should support the whole bike (not just the front wheel) and provide multiple locking points for a U style lock and cable
   4. Racks should be usable by different sized and types of bicycles
   5. Install plenty of different long term bicycle parking options- individual lockers, two tiered racks, vertical racks and single racks
   6. Install wall lockers to securely store helmets, locks, panniers, commuting essentials and keep the area neat and reduce chance of theft
   7. Install a repair stand and pump for quick/emergency repairs

2) Make it Secure

1. Individual lockers- standard “wedge” and rectangle for larger/longer/wider bicycles
2. Enclosed lockable cage for multiple bicycles made of industrial grade expanded metal or welded wire mesh (prison fence) with hollow metal door
3. Located in a visible areas with good lighting inside and outside
4. Security cameras inside and outside
5. ID scan access door
6. Racks should be securely anchored to the ground/wall

3) Promote and Support It

1. Promote first/last mile, multimodal use- transit, bicycle, scooter, walking on the (employer) website and banners throughout (the campus)
2. Publicize the long term bicycle/scooter parking options and locations throughout the campus and health/financial benefits on the (employer) website, banners, newsletters, flyers- department boards, during new hire orientation and promoted in partnership with respective unions
3. Provide clear signage for all short and long term bicycle parking sites
4. Offer parking cash-out to bike-to-work- car parking is provided for free, (employer) should provide a financial incentive for employees to walk, cycle, scooter or take transit. “Parking cash-out allows employers to offer their employees the option of receiving taxable cash in lieu of a parking subsidy” per the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
5. Promote WageWorks bike-to-work program
6. Guaranteed Ride Home- stuff happens and the fear of being stranded if their bike is unrideable may deter some to bike-to-work. Such emergencies are rare but providing a guarantee of a bus ticket/taxi ride home is a win for both (employer) and employee.

According to WGI Parking Structure Cost Outlook 2018, https://wginc.com/wp-content/uploads...5x11-Pages.pdf , it cost over $23,0000, not including the soft costs (add 15-20% more) to build one above gound parking space in Los Angeles. Below ground parking costs even more.


At minimum, 6 bicycles can park in 1 car parking space and more if its double tiered. Though it will cost more to build with quality materials- secure walls, lockers and racks, construction of long term bicycle parking for multiple bicycles is still much cheaper than constructing a single car parking space.


There are many companies that produce bicycle racks and lockers. The ones listed below also provide design and layout options to optimize use of space and each has an excellent option for creating a great long-term bicycle storage locker room. In addition, each link provides photos showing the products in use.


I think providing a mix of vertical (wall mounted), single (ground) mounted racks and double tiered racks in the communal locker will provide the most density and options in addition to increasing the number of assigned keyed individual bicycle lockers.


1) Ground Control Systems https://www.groundcontrolsystems.com - provides layout and design options and the Varsity Bike Dock Campus Bike Parking Rack is ideal for ground mounted racks and is 1 of 2 models installed at Davis California.


2) Cycle Works ltd Josta® 2-tier with Gas-Assisted Lifting | Cycle-Works Limited | Bike Lockers | Bike Storage | Bike Sheds - Josta 2- tier with Gas-Assisted Lifting- made in Germany, considered the best designed, robust system, is used worldwide and one of the few with the ability to lock the frame. Many do not offer frame locking or only lock the back wheel.


3) Cyclehoop https://www.cyclehoop.com/product/sh...es/bikehangar/ - the Bikehanger is a locking semicircle that can hold 6 bikes in less than one car parking space and this model or similar would be ideal to provide secure parking in smaller areas.


4) SCH Enterprise SCH Enterprises LLC • Bike Racks • Leaning Bike Racks, LBR Series, Bicycle Rack - Lightning Bolt LR series is another great option for ground mounted racks and is 1 of 2 models installed at Davis California.


5) Dero https://www.dero.com/product/ultra-space-saver-single/ - the ultra space saver single provides an individual wall mounted vertical rack with abilty to lock frame and wheel securely.

Troul 

hope it goes over well & something comes to fruition.

dahoneezz

dahoneezz

freckles

made some edits and just emailed the proposal. hope something good comes of it

rollagain

Don't forget the other HPVs: recumbents, trikes, and maybe velos. Some commuters may have bikes/trikes with electric assist, too. So some kind of floor storage should be allotted for rides that can't be racked.

Machka 

You don't know what "super lacking" is.

I work in a 10-storey building full of people, many of whom cycle, and guess how much bicycle storage we have ....

Go on ... guess!!

Troul 

Honestly, if someone is commuting to work on a bicycle, the most I'd accommodate as a business are the E-Bikes that are no larger than a fat tire bike. Set the storage capability to afford a two wheeled cycle that is within reason for size. Cannot satisfy everyone's personal preferences. If a business were to do such, the they'd put in place other zoning areas, such as; handicapped assessable cycle, hybrid, rideshare...

freckles

zero? if so that's terrible!

we do have an bicycle parking ordinance in my city and for a 1 million square foot building we should have at least 100 long term bicycle parking spots.

freckles

i don't think its too much to ask.

we have thousands of car parking spaces for all sized vehicles from super subcompact to super duty pick up trucks and suvs. if they are too wide then they take up extra space- they make sure they are accommodated.

this year, they turned 6 prime (ground floor near entrance) car parking spots into e charging stations- that cost many thousands of dollars. so electric car drivers not only get free parking, they get a prime spot and free charging too.

yet bike riding is the cleanest greenest most efficient way to travel, way cleaner than electric cars- so asking for long term bicycle parking that can accommodate different sized bikes isn't too much to ask.

Troul 

as long as cows dont start riding bicycles, the clean efficiency will remain...

Machka 

Yep ... zero.


They gave us a cage for a few bicycles and rubbish bins which was open and accessible to everyone walking past. We didn't like that and asked for something more secure, also it filled up, and people were locking their bicycles to the exterior of the cage, which building management didn't like.


So they gave us a room further down the back alleyway and installed some bicycle racks on which we could hang our bicycles. Only the person who installed the racks had never seen a bicycle before and put them too close together. We could only use every other one which meant there were only about 10-15 spots.


And then they tore down the building next to our bicycle room and have started building a hotel on that site, and since all that construction has started, we haven't had access to that room.


For a little while they opened a room in a building 2 blocks away, but I think that building is undergoing construction too, so I don't think that's an option anymore. I heard it was only temporary.


We were told we could use the public bicycle parking, in parking garage, about 1 km away. Or the racks in front of the public hospital about 3 blocks away.


I think a few people have gone back to using the rubbish bin cage, but most of us don't even entertain the idea of cycling to work anymore.


Oct 17 is bicycle to work day. I could do that ... but I'd have to turn around and cycle home, then catch the bus in.

freckles

wow! that is terrible

I don't understand why employers don't add bicycle parking- its the cheapest parking to create with the most benefit for everyone including the environment! its such a small investment for outstanding returns.