Page 4 - Bicycle Parking Racks

The unique, space-saving DoubleUp vertical bike rack, designed by Sustainable Sites and offered by The Park and Facilities Catalog, was recently featured in an issue of  Bicycle Retailer magazine.

Bicycle Retailer is the "bible" for the bicycle industry. Their website generates 225,000 monthly visits on average. The print magazine is sent to 27,000 readers. The magazine has been the lead bicycle trade publication since 1992. Here is a link to the article.

"We specifically designed this vertical bike rack to be one of the most efficient, if not the most efficient, way to store bicycles inside," said Chris Luyet, co-inventor and Vice President and General Manager of The Park and Facilities Catalog. "With this unique design, you will find it is very easy to load bicycles onto the rack, and at the same time, keep them from bumping into each other. This allows for more bicycles to be stored where space might be limited, such as a bike room, for example."

If you are looking for the most

Custom bike racks used by the Central Texas Council of Governments to encourage more bicycle riding and reduce air pollution

Sometimes a bike parking rack is more than a place to lock a bicycle.

In the case of the Central Texas Council of Governments, it's one more step toward creating cleaner air in a seven-county area.

With a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the CTCOG recently purchased 60 custom bike racks from The Park and Facilities Catalog. These U-shaped, unique bike racks include a custom decal with the organization's air quality logo and an inspirational message: "Do your share for cleaner air."

A website, www.ctair.org is also listed to provide residents with additional information on air quality and how the public can get involved to make it cleaner.

This is more than just your standard bicycle parking rack - it's also a mini-billboard for a great cause.

The CTCOG, based out of Belton, TX, covers seven counties - San Saba, Mills, Hamilton, Lampasas,

A couple lock their bikes to commercial bike racks near a facility. Developers can earn LEED credits for adding bicycle parking racks to their apartment or office buildings

Did you know that you can earn LEED credits for  providing commercial bike racks at your facility?

LEED is a highly recognized third-party verification program for green buildings—it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Its innovations are changing the way people think about planning and constructing buildings. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, an incredible 1.85 million square feet of space is certified daily.

Property managers, homeowners, CEOs of businesses, and all kinds of people are interested in earning LEED credits with a goal of adding the credits up to a certification level: either Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. LEED Certification at any level translates into great things for a business.

1.

Bike commuter - cities are trying to find ways to accommodate and encourage this form of transportation over automobiles and mass transit

By Gerald Dlubala

"The increased number of bike users is very encouraging, given the less than ideal, and sometimes downright dangerous conditions, having to compete with extremely heavy motor vehicle traffic. But given the opportunity, people will take to the streets by bicycle."

That's the findings of a recent study, (October 2015), performed by Transportation Alternatives, a street safety advocacy group in New York.

Their study echoes many of the studies performed in major metropolitan areas on the topic of bicycle and pedestrian traffic, generally showing that the public has definite interest in bicycle use for transportation and commuting purposes, but the obstacles and concerns in doing so can keep those people from following through on that interest.

Common obstacles to bicycle commuting and increased recreational riding in metropolitan cities

The trend continues - more cities are creating bicycle master plans, investing in bike infrastructure and requiring bike rooms in new buildings

There's no doubt about it - bicycling infrastructure continues to grow in America as we see more bicycle master plans,  bike lanes, bike-share programs, bicycle racks, bike rooms and bike laws.

According to the Census Bureau, 43 of the 70 largest cities in the US saw an increase in 2015 in bike commuters. Many cities are approaching a milestone of 4% bike commuting mode share. Portland is at 7%. How high is realistic? Well, experts say Copenhagen is able to achieve a 56% bike mode share.

We think it's only going to get better in 2017. Here are our predictions:

At one time Portland was considered the epicenter of great bicycle infrastructure and far ahead of the rest of the country. But other major cities have caught on to the benefits of making it easy to bicycle

The newly renovated bike room in the Waterstone building featuring UpLift bike docks

More people are riding bicycles today and if you want to impress residents at multifamily communities, one way to do that is by adding a stylish bike room with cool bike docks.

That's what RW Selby & Company accomplished recently at their Waterstone Metro apartment complex on Castle Heights in Los Angeles, CA.

Previously, the 130-unit apartment building had an older bike area with a used bike rack. According to project manager Skylar Perkins, this created an uninviting, "cluttered" appearance.

To give the bike area a facelift, they added 10 high-density UpLift bike docks from the Park and Facilities Catalog.  The crew also added a bright epoxy finish to the floor and a bike fix station. With a giant graphic "Cycle" painted on the wall, the bike room now has a new, welcome appearance.

"They (bike racks) are a cool amenity and the UpLift racks look very high tech," said Perkins. "It's a great addition

Candace Wilson, a student at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, stands with her design for a custom bike rack to be installed on the campus

The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale teamed up with The Park and Facilities Catalog to create a custom bike rack to be permanently installed on their campus.

"We were very excited to work with The Park Catalog on this project," said Jeff LaLiberte, Director of Campus Relations at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. "We certainly believe in the benefits of bicycling as an alternative means of transportation to help the environment, reduce congestion in cities and promote a healthy lifestyle."

Chris Luyet, VP of Marketing and Business Development said, "We knew that with the help of these talented students we could build an artistic bike rack that attracts attention and inspires people to bicycle more and drive less."

Towns, schools, stores and offices can use commercial bike racks with a custom logo or message promote their brand to bicyclists

As urban populations grow, bicycle planning in cities is more critical than ever

By Gerald Dlubula

"Contrary to belief, our cities are alive and well, and we ought to be designing them as such, with walking, biking, and transportation modes that offer better and easier access."

So says Andy Clarke, Director of Strategy at Toole Design Group, one of the nation's leading planning, engineering, and landscape architectural firms specializing in bicycle and pedestrian transportation.

"The perceived importance of bike and pedestrian planning in developments is still not quite clear though," Clarke added. "It still seems more likely to come up at the end of discussions about the master plan design, or even later on, in redevelopment situations, rather than up front where it should be.  And even then, it's by no means a given. While it should be included in any plan, there is still plenty to do in the methods to measure any practical results."

"Bike and pedestrian planning seem to still be

Jack the Bike Man Hairston in the charity's massive warehouse of bikes that are rebuilt and given to those in need

When some guys retire they like to spend their days playing golf. Not Jack Hairston. He likes to give away bikes. Not just a few of them, but thousands of them. To needy kids and their families.

"I just wanted to make the community a little bit better," he says, and adds "What else would I be doing?"

At the age of 75, Jack "The Bike Man" will be at it again this holiday season.

His bicycle giveaway is an annual spectacle in West Palm Beach, Fla., that attracts hundreds of families every year. From his enormous warehouse with the giant bicycle mural painted on the front, he and a dedicated team of volunteers distribute recycled bicycles to at-need children of all ages. This is an event that really can make a big difference for a child or family without a bike.

Jack's front door

They don't just give away bicycles and walk away either. The team of volunteers helps every new bike

As more city residents commute by bicycle, more cities now require bike rooms in buildings to encourage them

Bike rooms, a covered, designated area for secure bicycle parking, used to be a luxury. Now, they are becoming mandatory in many urban environments.

As people trend towards cycling for both transportation and recreation, the demand for bicycle parking is on the rise. Many cyclists purchase high-end bikes worth thousands of dollars instead of buying a vehicle. Wanting to protect their investment from the weathering, theft, and damage that can happen in any city, cyclists now specifically search for condos and employers who offer bike rooms.

In an effort to be bike-friendly and encourage bike commuting, some urban communities are rewriting city codes and laws, requiring bike room accessibility from businesses and property owners.

The New York City Bikes in Buildings program is an example of this. It requires businesses with elevators to allow bicycles indoors. Tenants who want an

Here is a list of bike room features: 1. DoubleUp 20-bike, double-sided vertical freestanding bike rack 2. DoubleUp 10- bike single-sided vertical freestanding bike rack. 3. Commercial Bike Repair Station and Bike Pump. 4. Single or two-tier Bicycle Lockers. 5. Bicycle Room Signage 6. UpLift Bike Dock with high-density footprint

As bicycle commuting is on the rise, so is the demand for bicycle storage and in particular, excitement for the addition of bike rooms in apartments and office buildings.

According to The League of American Bicyclists, bike commuting is rapidly growing in bicycle-friendly cities. Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon have both seen a growth in bicycle commuter share higher than 400% since 1990.

But even communities that are less bicycle-friendly have seen an overall growth rate of 31% in bicycle commuting. Imagine the impact this increase has on bicycle parking.

Cities and business who fail to add more bicycle parking racks to keep up with the commuter biking

The UpLift Bike Dock, an innovative bike rack invention designed by Sustainable Sites and offered by The Park and Facilities Catalog, was recently mentioned in an issue of  Bicycle Retailer magazine.

Bicycle Retailer is the "bible" for the bicycle industry. Their website generates 225,000 monthly visits on average and their print magazine is distributed to 27,000 readers. The magazine has been connecting suppliers to customers since 1992.

The UpLift Bike Dock was featured on Page 1 of the website in a feature titled, "New Products." Here is a link to the article.

Bicycle Retailer magazine features UpLift Bike Doc

Created by experts in bicycle planning, the UpLift Bike Dock is designed to be one of the highest density bicycle parking racks available. The invention features a staggered wheel trough which allows for two bikes to be parked next to each other without handlebar conflict. For security, there are three points of locking contact - the metal arm of the bike dock, the bike

When it comes to the effectiveness of bike lanes and bike parking racks, all you need to do is visit Portland, Ore. They have their chain securely on the sprocket.

Take these stats  from the Portland Bureau of Transportation for example:

- 7.2% of workers in Portland, commute by bicycle. The national average is an abysmal half of one percent. (In some European cities, such as Copenhagen, that number is 50%).

- 17,000 people bike to work instead of DRIVING THEIR CARS.

- 350 miles of bikeways are available for cyclists,

- Bicycling magazine named Portland as the No. 1 bicycle friendly city in the nation for several years. (Although in 2016, the magazine named Chicago as the top city, followed by San Francisco and then Portland.  Seattle was fourth and New York City fifth. Other cities are catching on).

- The League of American Bicyclists gave Portland a "platinum" award as a bicycle friendly

Note: The Park and Facilities Catalog and it's innovative UpLift Bike Dock was recently featured in the Sun-Sentinel - one of the premier newspapers in Florida with an estimated 230,000 subscribers for their Sunday edition.

The UpLift Bike Dock was featured in this Sun-Sentinel articl

Reporter Marcia Pounds and photographer/videographer Carline Jean interviewed CEO Christopher George about the company's new UpLift bike rack invention which has one of the highest densities in the industry when it comes to bicycle parking. The unique design of the UpLift Bike Dock with the staggered wheel troughs and small footprint allows more bicycles to be parked in tight spaces per square foot. This bike dock was designed specifically for college campuses and cities where space is at a premium.

By Marcia Heroux Pounds - Sun-Sentinel reporter

Boca Raton company is rolling out a bike rack designed to save space, secure the wheel and

Ford recognizes the growth of bike commuting and invests in GoBike progra

You would never expect a major automobile manufacturer to invest in bicycles, but that's exactly what Ford announced last month as they jump on the bandwagon for cities to offer more bicycles, more bike lanes and more bike parking racks as an alternative means of transportation.

Their investment in buying Chariot, a crowd-sourced shuttle service, and establishing Motivate, an urban bike sharing program, confused some investors and customers. But the investments are a timely decision that actually go hand-in-hand.

Part of Ford's future growth plan includes the subsidiary Ford Smart Mobility LLC, which is focused on investing in personal mobility beyond the traditional vehicle. The company can see the writing on the wall when it comes to bicycling as an alternative means of transportation and the increase in how cities are upgrading their bike lanes and bicycle parking racks.,

That's why they invested in Chariot, a