Bike rooms with vertical bike racks, bike lockers and bike repair stations
Bike rooms providing secure indoor storage are a great way to attract cyclists as future renters or employees.
(FYI: The expert planners at Park and Facilities Catalog offer free bike room layouts and diagrams to help maximize bike storage).
That's why the number of indoor bike storage areas are trending up and are becoming more and more prevalent around the US.
There are several reasons for this.
First of all, people invest some serious time and money in bicycles today. The days of the clunky old boneshakers are over.
Today bicyclists are riding bikes made with aerodynamic lightweight carbon frames, disc brakes, automatic shifting systems and all sorts of high-tech gadgetry.
It's not uncommon for someone to plunk down from $500 to $1,500 and thousands more for a bicycle.
As you can imagine, someone with an $11,000 Pinarello Dogma bike does not want to leave their precious possession out in the elements for several days.
That's because bicycles are more sensitive to the weather than cars.
Sun and moisture can wreak havoc on them.
For one, the sun's powerful hot rays can eventually break down plastic and rubber components. Cables will begin to wear.
Rain, snow and humidity perform their own unique form of damage. Chains will rust. Moisture can get inside seals and start to corrode them. Bolts and bearings can seize up.
Not a pretty picture.
Bike rooms offer secure long-term parking
Then there is the issue of security.
Again, someone who spends $10,700 on a David Millar Special Edition Road Bike will be very wary of locking that bicycle outdoors for a long period of time, even a few hours.
Bike thefts in the US are on the rise. One reason for this is that bike thieves have become much more sophisticated. They now carry bolt cutters and other tools that can easily slice through locks. Even the ultra-tough, hardened steel Kryptonite locks can eventually be cut, although it will take a considerable amount of time. But many thieves also know how to spot these high-end bicycles and will find the patience it takes to steal one.
For those cyclists who wouldn't dare leave their bicycles outside, then there is the issue of lugging those bicycles upstairs into apartment units or offices.
That's not a pleasant scenario for anyone. There are stairs to climb carrying a bicycle. Or if allowed, bicycles squeezed into tight elevators. Walls can get scuffed and damaged. A muddy or wet bike will leave an unpleasant and perhaps hazardous mess.
An indoor, locked bike room with surveillance cameras would certainly be reassuring to these bicycle owners.
More facilities market their bike rooms to customers
As you can see there are many reasons for cyclists to be worried.
However, savvy managers at condo and office buildings see this as an opportunity to provide a solution for these concerns.
The answer? Provide indoor bike rooms.
From a marketing perspective, there's a tremendous opportunity here.
For one, the number of bicyclists in America continues to grow. Statista reported there were 63 million Americans who said they have ridden a bicycle in the last 12 months.
Bike commuting is on the rise, big time. Some cities are reporting huge increases in the number of people who bicycle to work.
That's the result of several factors. For one, cities are becoming way too congested with automobile traffic.
Subsequently, cities are seeing the benefits of increasing their bicycling infrastructure. It's a lot cheaper to build bike lanes than roads and bridges.
For that reason, city planners are adding requirements for the addition of bike rooms in apartment buildings and offices, based on occupancy rates.
Many architects and builders are being proactive and embracing the demand for indoor bike storage. Building a bike room as an amenity is certainly less expensive than adding a pool or gym.
At City Tower in Brooklyn, the building boasts about their bike room on the 19th floor with incredible views of Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn.
Nearby, the Brooklyn-Roosevelt luxury rental complex calls their storage area a "Bike Vault."
In Chicago, the NEXT Apartment complex offers more than just a bike room. They also promote their "bicycle kitchen" - an area with a bike repair station providing air pumps and bike tools. They even throw in a free bike tune-up every year.
Specialized vertical bike racks maximize space
Vertical bike racks provide a space-saving solution for indoor bike rooms
Indoor space is tight, but that's where vertical bike racks come in.
Naturally, any space will be at a premium in any urban building.
Not everybody is going to be able to dedicate a section of the top floors for bicycle storage.
However, there are space-saving solutions.
High-density vertical bike racks can help planners maximize space. These bike racks stand upright, with a smaller footprint than regular bicycles.
Adequate spacing is required to allow for the bike to be parked and for cyclists to wheel down the aisles.
The Park and Facilities Catalog has bike experts on staff who will create free layouts to help design spacing to add as many bicycles as possible in a limited space.
While adding a bike room, also consider other attractive amenities that will catch the attention of cyclists.
Like the NEXT apartments, considering adding bike repair stations.
These handy products feature an array of bicycle tools such as hex wrenches and screwdrivers. They are tethered to the bike repair station with tough airplane-grade cables. These stations also include cradles so the cyclists can work on their bike while standing. They are great for making adjustments or minor repairs.
Another great feature would be to add a handy air pump with a gauge. Nothing is more frustrating than to get ready to ride around town only to find out you have a deflated tire. And, it is certainly better to fill your tires before you start, rather than try to find an air pump after you hit the road. This will keep cyclists safe as well so they are not stuck away from home with a flat.
For an added incentive, some apartment buildings partner with a local bike repair shop to offer bike commuting tenants a free tune-up or discounts.
Bicycling is BIG in America today. Millennials love to bike around town. For many of them, it's more exciting than driving around the city in a new car. In addition, more bicycles mean less air pollution and smog.
Cyclists are going to be very interested in those properties that offer them a protected, indoor space for their bicycles.
Adding an attractive Bike Room with a Bike Repair Station is one way to definitely catch their attention.
Note: Call the Park and Facilities Catalog about our FREE Bike Room layouts. See our handy Guide to Bike Rooms.