Does anyone else bring the bike inside the store while shopping?
 

I do this most of the time and only lock up when absolutely necessary and I feel like my bike will be safe. I am always very respectful and very careful never to let my bike get in anyones way usually politely ask if I can bring my bike in. Most places are fine with this but lately I've had a few places refuse to let me bring it in which I can understand unless there is no bike rack or place to lock up outside. This happened the other day at Petco which really upset me because I rode about 12 miles to get there and they don't have a rack and the store clerk was a total jerk about it. I called the corporate office and explained the situation and was told that there is no policy against it and that they would speak to the store. I get a call from the general manager today apologizing and he said my bike is welcome there anytime as long it's on a leash. Just kidding about the leash part but curious as to what the general consensus is from other people. I live in a major U.S. metropolitan city that has a reputation for being very unfriendly towards bikes.

I never brought my bike inside a shop. I think it is not a good idea, Because shops are not usually designed for that. Always i mange to find a pole to lock my bike. But I am not in the USA, so it can be different.

No. Some stores lack bike racks, but I can't recall any store I've visited since going car-free that had nothing to which I could secure my bike.

There was a Sobey's grocery store in my area and I used to shop there at 0100 t0 0300 hours. When the cashier was ringing in my purchases she let me bring the bicycle in and load my saddlebags directly from the checkout.

I don't think it's a good idea to allow bicycles inside the store where the groceries are kept though. Imagine what it'd be like if five, ten or more bicylces were in any store. That's even moreso with bicycles without kickstands. How do you hold your bike, get the groceries and carry them at the same time?

Cheers

even find anyone who buy weekly groceries with bicycle is rare in my place

When I resumed cycling last year I considered a folding bike for grocery shopping. It could fold up into most carts. But the stores I use have places to lock the bike right in front where there's enough foot traffic, and a security guard, to discourage theft.

Still, a folder could be useful for grocery stores. The pedals can be flipped closed to minimize the risk of bonking another customer's ankles. A folder wouldn't take up any more aisle room than a grocery buggy.

I have done this, Fold my Bike Friday Tikit and put it in the shopping cart on several occasions in Walmart. Most people don't even notice. (sorta like riding a bike). The few comments I got were always positive.

On rare occasion when I didn't have a folder or lock I have taken my regular bike inside the front entry area and parked it. I got hassled by security at the license branch for this. But he let me do it any way because I was nice about it.

I wouldn't walk a bike thru a store though.

Bike shops have always let me bring my bike in.

I would bring my bike in a porta-john (portable toilet, not sure what they call them all over the world)...or at least stick the rear tire into the porta-john and leave the door partially open...so it goes without saying that yes, I would bring it into any store that I needed to go into.

"Does anyone else bring the bike inside the store while shopping?"

Yes. Home Depot, B & H Electronics, Pathmark supermarket, Lowe's,
A & P supermarket, plenty of small bodegas/delis, MetroPCS, CVS drugstore,
Sears, Aldi's grocery, small hardware stores, etc.

https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7458/2...03ac29d758.jpgGoing Green at the Grocery by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

I own and operate a small business and I welcome customers to bring their bikes inside and they always do.

Where I Live, the Panniers go in and come out with Groceries in them .
there is a Bike Rack Or at least a Lamp Post.

But my Brompton has a spot inside my favorite Pub .

I dont live in NYC or Houston Texas, That helps..

I have brought my bike inside and I have seen it done many times by others.
At the grocery store, I lock up outside as there is a bike rack near the cart pen.
At Cafes, convenience stores, and restaurants is where I will consider bringing my bike inside. In those cases I prefer to have eyes on my bike. It is generally not an issue.

Never thought of bringing my bike in. But I feel like here in California, big shopping centers have had bike racks as long as I can remember. As for on the main street type commercial areas? They generally have bike racks, but honestly many of the stores in my neighborhood would not have room for a bike at all. Bike parking exists on most commercial streets and many are getting bike corrals.

When the best option is to bring the bike in and there is an out of way place to stash, yes I bring the bike in.

Was in a less than stellar area of town recently, owner of store came from behind building and asked if I wanted to bring the bike in!

If no bike rack, I bring it in the store with the plan to talk about them needing a bike rack if they complain. No one has complained so far.

I do whenever possible. Oddly the stores you'd expect to be pro-bike like Whole Foods & Trader Joe require me to use a bike rack. I avoid them where possible.
Walgreens doesn't allow bikes so I go to CVS, which sometimes allows bikes. Home Depot & Sears are bike friendly so I go to both as well.

I live in a small town, but there is a lot of bike-theft. I have a good lock to put on my bike I'm getting tomorrow, but I don't plan to leave my bike outside when I am downtown. People are getting so desperate, they will steal. Maybe it's been that way in other places for a long time, but I hear about everything in this town, and it's just better to either take my truck if I have to shop.

I am hoping to get so used to my bike that I just give up the vehicle. The costs are so high, and it's getting to be just another ball and chain to weigh me down. I will keep this bike indoors with me in my apt. but in the past (places I lived) I would just hook it up out in the garage etc.

Grocery Store, Bank, Hardware Store..Yep

I'm not on the "road" yet, but I just realized that when a person is, and if they are on their own, they have no choice but to lock it all up, or take it inside. Sorry bout that, I'm just in training is all, day rides etc. Not even that until I get used to my bike's saddle;) 1 to two miles a day, maybe I'll push it a little knowing me, LOL!

I now have an adult tricycle (worksman Adaptable) so I really can't bring it inside. Before with my old Trek I had at a local grocery store...but they have a rack now. If they have a rack I have no problem, and use more than one locking mechanism anyway to make it more difficult to steal.

Actually it is quite easy, I just hang the basket from the handlebar.

I want to start shopping on my bike too as eventually, I want to go "car-free". I will have to get a basket to carry a few things at a time. I hate to grocery shop for a lot at once anyway, so a little at a time is better for me. I have a good padlock, but need the chain still.

I have rolled my bike into Walgreen's and Lowe's a couple of times, either when I couldn't find a place to lock up (seriously, there is NO PLACE to lock up outside Walgreen's) or I didn't have my lock with me. One time I rolled it up in Walmart, and the greeter said I couldn't bring it in. I was thinking, what's the problem, people roll bikes around when they buy a new bike from the Sporting Goods area. So I went back out, walked down to the Garden Center entrance, went inside with my bike and got what I needed and left. Part of me wanted to go "neener neener" to the greeter as I walked out, but I refrained. :P

:roflmao2:I get that "neener neener" impulse too, somebody hold me back:D

No, never even considered it as a possibility. Does seem like it would be an annoyance and in the way. I've never had a problem finding something to lock it to even if its across the parking lot or down the street a little. I try to be careful bringing it into my storage area. I've clipped the edge of the doorway a few times with the pedals or leave tire marks on the doors.

If someone tried to bring one into the library I dont think i would be the first person to say hey what are you doing just because i think others would beat me to it. We have a bike rack outside. There has been the occasional llama in the building and if there was a bike show or something that would be different. We even have a bike lock people can borrow while they're here.