I send a whingeing email and am surprised by the response

inkj

TL;DR cliffs
I wrote an email, and got a response.

Or the long version:

I wonder if others have had a hard time locking up their bikes. I guess many of you don’t lock them up as you never leave them unattended?

But it seems so many places have put out inadequate facilities. It’s almost as if they have designed the ‘cycle stands’ in a way to make it impossible to lock your bikes.

I suspect that is because MTB have very different frames to what the ‘cycle stands’ were meant to cater to [commuter bikes]

At Brighton station the bays were so awkward. It took me half an hour to lock up. Even then I had one wheel not secured. But most the bikes I noticed were either locked in a worse way [just the wheels], or with very cheap thin chain type lock [which could connect but were easy to ‘crack’ open], and many were not locked at all [with panniers left on too]… when did Brighton become such a low crime area… hmm

Is this just my concern? Or is this something other people with U locks [and MTB] found? That other than the ubiquitous [in London] cycle stand hoop, it’s hard to lock up in almost any other design of cycle bays?

Anyway – at Surrey Quay cinema they had the worst bays I have ever seen. I really mean the worse. I wish I had a way to up load a photo to show you all. They are totally impossible to lock any bike to, except maybe the front wheel.

The bays look like they belong outside a library sometime between the Great and the Second World War.

I wrote an email to the company that owns/runs the centre… and presumed I would never hear back from them… as if their cycle bays are from the 1930’s, I doubt they have the internet yet….

I was amazed when they did respond.

I was amazed by the response.

MY EMAIL

Hi,

I live nearby [3 miles away] and was hoping to make use of the cinema/bowling and restaurants

But I cycle

When I got to the Odeon [yesterday/Thursday] – the bike ‘locking up’ area was not at all satisfactory. It looked like what people used to lock their bikes in the 1950’s.

In fact I would only be able to lock my wheel… and would lose the bike. As the small V shaped design wouldn't allow me to lock my bike frame. But as nobody else had dare use this area – then my bike would stand out even more, so I may as well have just given my bike away.

I looked around the area – and the same old style docking areas – were in all the other areas too.

Do you have any safe places to lock bikes?

I did try and ask, but there was no one in the kiosk at Surrey Quay Leisure Park

In the end I had to go to the tube station and walk back… just to be able to lock my bike.

Unfortunately – having to lock my bike so far away – means that I’m unlikely to use your facilities often.

Can you advise me of any better places directly in the vicinity for locking bikes? As the ‘v’ shaped, old school bike ‘docking areas’ – are not a safe place to leave a bike. And I am shocked that you have them even as an option for people to use.

Thanks for any help

THEIR RESPONSE

Afternoon,

Thank you for your e-mail and apologies for not responding to you sooner; your point is well made and I just needed a little time to agree a course of action before responding.

I have ordered 3 of the “P” shaped cycle stands which allows cyclists to lock their bicycles at 3 different points. These stands should be fitted in the next fortnight and will allow 6 bicycles to be secured.

Once installed I will ask the security team to monitor their use, and obtain feedback, with a view to installing further stands when budgets allow and if demand warrants.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact me and I hope that you will approve of the new cycle stands if you return to the Leisure Park; these will be located close to the Odeon Cinema.

Best regards,

Centre Manager
Surrey Quays Centre

To be clear I was surprised to even get a response

And I was surprised to get such a good response

x

bobsyeruncle

Great response.
Wasn't expecting that.

gomezz

I called into the new Sherwood Forest visitor center at Edwinstowe yesterday, they do have plenty of bike stands to lock up to. But!! they are a weird lozenge shaped thing made from uncoated 15mm steel plate? not at all bike friendly to your paint work. A case of design over function.

steve_sordy

Good response, but you don't get if you don't ask.
I wonder how many other cyclists shared your view but did nothing? Well done you.

fenix

Great response there ! Wonder if they cycle too ?

fenix

Oh are these the bike stands ? I see the problem.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.49589 ... 2!1b1!2i48

My strategy would be U lock around seattube and rear wheel and you could take off the front wheel too and put the ulock through that as well if there was space.

tangled_metal

Different matter but I made my first complaint about a bus driver and got a really positive (but possibly} fob off from the assistant operations manager the the depot. A bit of waffle but they traced the driver and his supervisor will have words. At least it was logged.

As far as I'm concerned any reply is at least positive. Your reply is above positive, it's got a result. A big win but even the small wins are worth getting. Drip feed of improvements with the odd big step forward because someone like the op just decided to highlight an issue.

It's irrelevant what the outcome that's expected. It's about getting information related to cycling issues to someone who should know about it. If they act positively on it that's the goal but even if not the result the act of highlighting the Issue should still be made.

Well done! I hope you use it as soon as it's in place.

tangled_metal

Fenix wrote:

Oh are these the bike stands ? I see the problem.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.49589 ... 2!1b1!2i48

My strategy would be U lock around seattube and rear wheel and you could take off the front wheel too and put the ulock through that as well if there was space.

You know in Holland and France those racks are very common. Plus cyclists use them a lot without an issue. I wonder why the Dutch don't find them an issue? Could it be the frame locks, associated cable accessory, bike stands, use of utility bikes, increased bike use for day to day travel, etc?

Personally I find them an issue but only because I find they are not called "wheel-benders" for no good reason, I have qr wheels so cannot secure the bike whilst using them and have no bike stand.

Perhaps I should change my commuter bike, get secure wheels, stronger wheels, include a stand, get a frame lock with cable and move to Holland.

Still for UK reality it's best to get the better stands in place.

The Rookie

My Doctors surgery has the stupid V-shaped stands, 2 of them, one is broken anyway.

I never take any bike there but my hack bike, even then it uses a thick cable through the frame, still not much use as the V-section is bolted on and a 13mm spanner would see you heading off with a still perfectly locked bike.

i have complained and had no response at all, one of the doctors their is a keen cyclist as well. I guess they had a 'encourage green transport' box to tick.

tangled_metal

Don't you just love the bolt down Sheffield stands that don't have the bolts also cemented into the ground?

steve_sordy

Talking of bike stands being bolted into the ground (or not).

I was at a warehouse a few years ago where the operators were protected from the fork trucks by 6" diameter steel barriers. They looked, and were, very substantial. They were bolted to the ground with three half inch dia bolts, 2" into the concrete floor. All felt very solid. The FLT that ran amok hit the barrier, uprooted it without pausing, and rammed the barrier into a guy's back and trapped him up against the desk he was working at, carried on and rammed him and the desk up against the wall. Damn near cut him in half! :shock:

You need to look at all aspects of the design when looking at safety or security. Often it is quicker for the thief to cut through the frame and walk off with the bike and sell the bits than to waste time cutting through a Gold Secure lock.