bghill1

I bet a cyclist with their bike inside a store would be less of a hazard than the mom (or dad) pushing a shopping cart around the store with 4 sceaming kids hanging off of it.

cyclebee

Lol I bought an old le tour for 100 with 100 in upgrades rides very smooth now for 200 bucks makes a great task bike

daihard 

Agreed. Bikes are a lot narrower than shopping carts, too. Should be more suitable in the grocery store aisles.

rydabent

This thread brings up the question of using drive in lanes at the bank. So far when I have, I get no comment.

However I am prepared to respond if told not to use the drive up. I will say that you have no bike parking, so if I cant use the drive up machines, may I bring my $2200 bike in the bank hallway where I can keep it from being stolen?

rberriz

I have been denied service when riding through drive ups because they say its a liability for them to have people on bikes. (But oddly motorcycles dont get this treatment)
Forgiveness > Permission

danmc

I had a personal experience that taught me a lot about leaving bikes outside: I was at a coffee shop in Rochester in the Park Ave. area, sitting against the window. Outside, directly in front of me, someone had leaned their bike against the window. I watched as someone walked across the parking lot, up to the bike, jumped on it and road off. Immediately someone lept up from behind me in the coffee shop and sprinted outside but they returned a couple of minutes later. They were too late. I have a really light and small coil lock that I would use if leaving it outside in sketchy areas, but still only for a couple of minutes. I admit that in rural areas I'll often stop mid ride for a snack and drink and leave the bike unlocked outside for a couple of minutes, but I'd be shocked if someone jacked it in that small amount of time in those areas.

BTW, it's a pity you have to rub shoulders with those dirty hippies in Whole Foods
'

Dave Horne

I feel compelled to add more information on the 'built in wheel lock' that I mentioned earlier in this thread. Actually they're called ring locks.

The key enters from one side and on the other side of the lock you can if you wish, insert a cable that's made specifically for that lock. You don't have to buy the same make cable as the lock as there are after market cables that fit into the provided slot.

I would think for the few minutes you're in the coffee shop a ring lock, with or without a cable attached, would deter most thieves.

I'll provide a link. Defender*-*axa-stenman

JamesRL

I would think if you don't lock it to an immovable object, a bike thief would grab the bike and throw it in the back of a truck. And before you say that would never happen, I once had a boss who told me of locking his bike up to a freestanding bike rack at University, and someone came along with big white cargo truck and threw the whole rack of bikes in the back. In broad daylight. No one got the plate number, and in a big city, its almost impossible to track without one.

daihard 

I haven't used a drive-thru service on my bike, but if I do and am denied service for whatever reason, I will never go back to that business. Those drive-thru ATMs are nice - they won't complain.

caloso

If you can afford a $7500 bike, you can afford a $30 moka pot.

jade408

I doubt it would fly at my Whole Foods. If everyone brought their bike in, there would be no way for people to leave the store, because all the exits would be blocked. We've got about 70 bike parking spaces outside, and an abundance of poles. They'd tell you to park outside. But you can leave your panniers at customer service.

We have a couple of coffeeshops with indoor bike parking.

I say, get a lock or bring a friend to watch it for you.

Not all stores will have a problem, but better safe than sorry.

fietsbob

You should be able to sit in an Outside Table at the Cafe, and have your bike locked to something, within line of sight by now.

I-Like-To-Bike

Doncha know that most owners of $7500 bikes take them back and forth to the rides or races on a bike rack on their SUV?

danmc

Do riders of $7,500 bikes carry Grey Poupon in their jersey pockets?

I-Like-To-Bike

I wonder if it is OK to take a $7500 bike into Fancy-Dancy jewelry stores in order to shop for appropriate jewelry and/or a watch that matches the bling factor of the bike?

cwar

I often commute to work on my nicer bike or take the long way to work so I bring my nicer bike. Often, if I leave the office to grab lunch and take my bike I'll bring my bike into the restaurant/store, but I think you have to use some common sense. For example, I often order a sandwich to go from a local deli. It's not a nice place, but they have good food. I'll bring my bike in while I grab my sandwich and they don't mind a bit. It just depends on how busy the place is and how nice it is. Personally, I would not bring my bike into Whole Foods. Just my $.02.

daihard 

I doubt many would ride to Whole Foods to begin with. The WF that I used to live near had its parking lot full of nice, expensive cars and SUVs.

Mos6502

What? I thought anybody who doesn't make their world bend to conform to my whims was ignorant and intolerant.

jade408

I know my Whole Foods is a little different than other stores. We've got both fancy cars, normal cars and "hippie" cars. But it opened with about 30 spots, and within a few weeks of opening they had to double the bike parking due to demand. I have never seen the bike parking less than half full. On the weekend it is tough to get a spot in the bike rack.

Trader Joes has about 20-25 spots too. Very popular with trailers and the long tail bikes (the TJs at least). That store has a higher fancy car to normal car ratio.

daihard 

Yeah, it probably depends upon the neighbourhood, too. Now this is a bit off, but when I have a choice, I usually go to TJ's (or PCC) rather than WF. It may just be me, though.

tagaproject6

Neither, it is about how much money they spent on their toys. I nice little humble brag for all the interwebcitizens to ooh and aah.

Dave Cutter

I'd split the difference and get a nice 1200-1600 dollar bike. Then get an easily removable seat post bike rack. When going shopping... add the rack and a lock.

loneviking61

I don't have a fancy bike, but I have a rack. If I have to run to the store I just slide a basket on, or panniers and the New York lock with cable. If there's no bike rack and no place to tie up I wheel the bike in and ask 'is it ok to bring the bike in' or ' do you have a place I can park this? There's no racks outside'.

I haven't been turned down yet.

Orchestra

I had to take my bike into Safeway today, I originally planned to lock it outside but they didn't have a bike rack located in the front of the store and all the poles were too short to lock up to. So I simply strolled it in grabbed what I needed to grab and left. I was prepared to be told to park it outside but other then a few looks no one gave me any issues.

fietsbob

I know one of the guys at Safeway doing the restocking overnight,

they only let him bring is Bike in after he had 1st one stolen while doing his job.