Bike Rack Rant

il_principe

I've encountered some daft bike rack designs whilst out and about, but the ones I was confronted with at the British Museum on Sunday take the biscuit - how's this for hopeless:



So if you've been mad enough to attach something as crazy and unusual as a bidon holder to your frame, this stand becomes totally useless. I was forced to secure my bike to the rack with nothing more than my Krytonite flex, D-Locking the rear wheel to the down tube, so all a thief had to do was cut the cable and then cart the bike off and remove the D-Lock at leisure.

What the hell is wrong with just installing Sheffield stands. They’ll fit basically any bike and are cheap to manufacture. Poor rack design seems endemic in London. The ones at Earls Court are useless, as are the ones provided at my office. I get the impression that an awful lot of bike stands have been designed by people who simply don’t cycle.

Anyway rant over* although I may write to the BM and raise the issue.

*I’m only really angry as I’m stuck in the blimming office and it’s lovely outside.

linsen

You won't want to hear that I am just off on home on two wheels then - the long way.......

downfader

Its like these stupid "curley" ones we used to have in southampton. No bike would fit in them, if you were lucky you could lean the bike on the side and hope it didnt fall or get knocked over. They were removed about 5 years back thankfully.

Bassjunkieuk

Does seem like a rather bad design, my friends work had those ones that basically let you park your wheel into them......like they have at Centre Parks.
Problem then comes from the fact that without 3 or 4 metres of cable you can only secure one wheel! Even after turning the bike round and having a good fiddle I wasn't 100% happy with the security. The only saving grace was that it was in a secure underground car park and it was Sunday.....still poor design tho as all it would take is one dishonest employee with a card key and the bikes a goner!

toontra

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

.. my friends work had those ones that basically let you park your wheel into them......like they have at Centre Parks.
Problem then comes from the fact that without 3 or 4 metres of cable you can only secure one wheel! Even after turning the bike round and having a good fiddle I wasn't 100% happy with the security.

Yes, that sort are worthless, often found in shopping malls and retail parks. They are popular with developers because they are very cheap and take up very little space. Only problem is they're about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

If that's all there is then I lean my bike sideways against it and lock both wheels and the frame to the rack, taking up about 6 spaces! If anyone complains (haven't so far) then I'll tell them where to stuff their useless rack.

tripwire

jashburnham wrote:

I've encountered some daft bike rack designs whilst out and about, but the ones I was confronted with at the British Museum on Sunday take the biscuit...

I used to work at an office which had these stands, and I couldn't use them as designed because I foolishly decided to keep my frame pump down the front of the seattube :roll:

Like toontra, I found the trick was to lean the bike up against the side of the stand (at right angles to the direction you're supposed to use it). That way you can get a D-lock around the seat tube and rear wheel and through the locking loop on the stand.