Page 5 - Bicycle Parking Racks

https://youtu.be/11wXVQ1rwOw

Bicycle parking in apartment and office buildings is now one of the hottest new trends in the construction industry.

However, finding enough space to park a large number of bikes is a challenge, especially when that space is at a premium.

The Park and Facilities Catalog has the solution - high-density DoubleUp vertical bike racks designed by Sustainable Sites that take up less space and at the same time prevent bicycles from scratching each other or getting stolen.

"Just about every multi-family community or apartment complex now must address the increasing demand from bike commuters for long-term bicycle parking," said Chris Luyet, VP of Sales and Marketing. "To keep all those bicycles organized in a tight space requires a bicycle parking rack that is the most efficient in terms of square footage and security."

The DoubleUp meets that demand. Experts with years of experience in bicycle parking at Sustainable Sites worked for months to come up with a vertical

https://youtu.be/3GWzydFmJb8

UpLift Bike Docks, a Sustainable Sites project available from The Park Catalog, now offers a solution to a major problem faced by many cities and universities today.

Bicycle commuting is on the rise. According to the League of American Bicyclists, since 2000 the number of people commuting by bicycle in the US has grown by a whopping 62%.

In some cities like Portland, nearly 6% of residents commute by bicycle. That amount skyrocketed by 234% from 2000 to 2013. The same trend is taking place in just about every major city in the US.

UpLift Bike Docks will revolutionize bicycle parking on campuses and in citie

The question is, where are all those commuters going to park their bicycles? Especially in cities and universities where space is extremely limited and at a premium price.

The Park and Facilities Catalog has an answer. It is a newly designed bicycle parking rack manufactured by Sustainable Sites called the UpLift Bike Dock.

The unique, space-saving design

Public bike repair stations are a welcome sight for bicyclists

 

There's nothing more irritating than riding your bicycle to work and breaking down away from home. A chain derails. Quick release brakes need adjustment. Tires lose air.

But now there's a solution for those situations. A popular trend taking place around the country in cities, universities and apartments is to now offer bicyclists a way to fix or maintain their bikes with public bike repair stations.

With advances in manufacturing, these tamper-resistant bike repair stations can now be installed at high-volume bicycle hubs or bike rooms and give bicyclists access to a complete array of handy bike tools and bike air pumps.

They are sturdily-built out of steel to withstand harsh elements, heavy use by the public and to prevent damage by vandals.

For example, here's all the features available on a top-of-the-line public bike repair station:

Deluxe bike repair statio

- Standard screwdrivers

- Phillips head screwdrivers

- Tire

Bike lockers are proving to be a major draw for bicyclists

By Alysa Kleinman

Ask any cyclist about the most secure bicycle storage and they will excitedly tell you about bike lockers.

Bicycle lockers provide the ultimate security, since they prevent theft, vandalism, and weather damage from harming bikes, while traditional commercial bike racks only protect from theft.

If you're a driver, think of it this way—would you rather leave your car in an empty lot, or a secured parking garage? The choice is easy. Just like how covered parking is more secure and protective of your car, so are bike lockers when it comes to bicycle parking.

Bike theft is actually a huge security issue, with about half of all cyclists having their bicycle stolen and only 2.4% getting recovered. Those who cycle year-round are also 90% more likely to have their bike stolen, according to statistics gathered by City Lab.

While the FBI estimates that 250,000 bicycles are stolen each year, the actual number

The newly popular position of city bicycle transportation engineer is responsible for everything from bike lanes to outdoor bike racks

By Gerald Dlubala

Bicycling and bike commuting are up overall across the nation. So are the number of bicycle transportation engineers.

Here's why. Bicycle ridership figures are up 60% over the last 15 years. But if you look at communities designated as "bicycle-friendly", meaning infrastructure, roads, outdoor bike racks and facilities conducive to bike riding and commuting, that figure jumps to more than a 100% increase. The willingness and desire to at least consider bicycling is there, given the opportunity through safe roads and ease of travel.

More bicyclists and more safety concerns creates need for bicycle transportation engineers

More cyclists on the road mean more bikes on the road, the same road that is home to daily car and public transportation commuters. Sharing the road is necessary, but has also shown to be a cause for concern.

According

Bicycle Friendly Business Bronze Sea

The Park and Facilities Catalog is proud to announce that it was recently recognized with a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Business award by the League of American Bicyclists for its bike parking rack advocacy and support for more bike lanes and other bicycling improvements in general.

Nearly 1,200 small businesses, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies across the United States have earned the award for their commitment to bicycle advocacy.

Businesses range from local shops that host biking events all the way up to larger businesses like The Park Catalog and The Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola is also a new inductee, supporting bicycle infrastructure in Atlanta to help employees bike to their company headquarters.

"The business community's investment in bicycling is playing a central role in making the country a safer, happier, and more sustainable place to live and work," said Amelia Neptune, League Bicycle Friendly Business Program Manager. "We applaud

Cristan Hassan Acosta Villafane teaches woman to ride a bike provided by Bikes for the World (Source: All photographs supplied courtesy of BikesfortheWorld.org)

Bicycling for most Americans is a leisure activity. Something we do on weekends or evenings.  We often take bicycles for granted.

But in Third World countries, a bicycle can be a game-changer - a tool for earning a living, attending school, or saving a life.  Farmers can carry their produce to market.  Tradesmen can carry their tools over a wider service area and earn more.

Students living at a distance from school can get there quicker, on time, and with more energy to learn.   Health workers serving low-income communities can move from household to household faster, carrying more medications and serving more patients.

That's where Bikes for the World comes in.  This growing charity's mission is to collect usable bicycles in the United States, and donate them around the globe to programs serving and raising the productivity

How Walton County improved their bike infrastructure and added custom bike racks to attract more bicycling tourists

Josh Ervin, the Beach Maintenance Manager with Walton County custom bike rack

What makes a destination community special? Is it just beaches and mountains? Or is there something else going on that gives you a sense this place is truly different. For example, you may notice how easy a town makes it to get around and interact with all their beautiful scenery.

One great way to do that is with a solid bicycling infrastructure - bike lanes, bicycle parking racks (in South Walton's case - custom bike racks) and accessibility to plenty of rental bikes or bike share programs.

South Walton in the Florida Panhandle is such a place. It's located on the gulf, just west of Panama City, where spectacularly bright "sugar" quartz sand meets a calm turquoise-colored sea. This stretch of beach is called the "Emerald Coast" and it truly is one of the crown jewels of America's coastlines.

There's

Bike parking racks and cycling can help cut traffic jams like this at the Brooklyn Bridg

By Gerald Dlubala

Bike parking racks are more than just a place to lock a bike. They can have a substantial positive effect on saving cities a ton of money when it comes to overcrowded streets.

 "The overall economic impact is greatest in the U.S. where the estimated cumulative cost of traffic congestion by 2030 will be $2.8 trillion."

That's the findings of INRIX, a traffic intelligence and movement analysis company, in conjunction with The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). In a recent study of traffic and congestion predictions, it was determined that the cost of traffic congestion will grow substantially, up to a 50% increase by the year 2030.

Staggering numbers to say the least, but additionally, on an individual basis, congestion-related costs are already up to an estimated $1,740 per person and are expected to jump 60% by 2030. Much of this cost has to do with time wasted in

Topeka Metro Bikes - part of the "social bicycle" movement where a shared bicycle can be locked to any bike parking rack (Source: Topeka Metro Bikes)

Most people enjoy cycling, but have a hard time accessing a bike or transporting one to a busy city. SoBi, or Social Bicycles, is a growing smart bike sharing system looking to solve that problem as their bicycles can be locked to ANY bike parking rack.

Social Bicycles are connected to the Internet so you can easily book them from your smart phone and pick one up at the nearest bicycle rack. If you're ready to pick up a bicycle with your phone, here are the simple steps to follow:

Open up the SoBi application in your phone. This will show you where nearby social bicycles are parked on bike parking racks nearby. Select the bike that you want to checkout. Follow the on screen instructions to pay the hourly rental fee. For your initial check out, it might be easier to register online at home first. (There are also monthly and annual fee packages).

 

Adding more commercial bike racks will alleviate situations like thi

It's getting ugly out there. There are just not enough commercial bike racks on streets today to accommodate the growing surge in bicyclists. So defenseless trees are picking up the slack.

Be a hero. Give a bicyclist a place to park. Give a tree a break.

According to Statista, the number of Americans who biked in the past 12 months grew from 47 million in Spring 2008 to a whopping 66.7 million in the Spring of last year.

That's nearly 20 million more people who now ride a bicycle.

This type of behavior should be rewarded.

After all, bicyclists are doing their part. They are making your community a better place to live.

More of them are riding their bicycles downtown to work than driving. That frees up city streets. Cuts down on congestion. Makes it easier for others to park.

More people are also riding their bicycles to run to town or do errands.

All of this bicycle riding has a major impact on air quality, just like

Custom bike rack donated by The Park Catalog to the Delray Beach Parks and Rec Dept. From left, Suzanne Davis, director, Danielle Pearson, site supervisor of the "505" Teen Center and Christopher George of The Park Catalo

Delray Beach Florida prides itself on being a unique village by the sea. And when it comes to the Delray Beach Parks and Rec Department, that philosophy certainly creates some unique challenges and opportunities.

Take their "505" Teen Recreation Center for example.

They have the usual Xbox video games, table tennis, popcorn machine, big screen TVs and couches. Outside there is the Hobbit Skate Park and some basketball courts.

But inside, there is something you won't find in too many parks and recreation centers - a music recording studio.

Yep, they have one. Complete with a sound mixer and soundproof walls. (Well, it's not exactly the type of sound studio that Jay Z or The Stones would record in, but it's got the basic concept down).

"It's not a typical item," said Suzanne

Copenhagen is a prime example of bike-friendly citie

What does it take to make more walkable and bike-friendly cities?

In a word - codes. Zoning codes.

Obviously there's more to transforming streets for use by all members of the public. But a change in zoning codes for citizens who walk or bike shows a fundamental mindset that a town is serious about moving away from cars and closer to alternative modes of transportation.

Why does a town need to do this? Because citizens all over America are demanding change.

For too long, America's infrastructure was built around the automobile and cheap gas. The country created massive suburban communities so more people could own a house, a lawn and a backyard.

The problem is that this caused communities to be spread out over large tracts of land. For a resident to buy food, they had to get in their car and drive across town to the grocery store. The construction of strips mall and mega-malls encouraged this practice.

Planners mainly focused on making

Gil Penalosa and his message about people-centric cities. Source 8 80 Citie

If you look at the speaking schedule for a guy named Gil Penalosa, you'll notice he is everywhere. Why? Because his message about doing something now to change cities in the future is resonating with quite a few people.

In fact, Penalosa will be the keynote speaker at the annual National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) conference in Las Vegas Sept. 15-17.

Essentially what he is saying is really a no-brainer. We ALL know this is going to happen. How we shape the way we manage what is going to happen is another story, another story that Penalosa urges us to act on NOW.

Here's the scenario. The population of people living in cities is going to double from 3.5 billion to more than 7 billion in just 35 years. Do you think it is hard to drive to a city now? As anyone can predict, with all those people flocking to urban areas it is not going to get any better.

More millennials are moving to cities. More people own

Recovered bicycles waiting for owners (Source: Santa Cruz Police Department)

If your city has quite a few "sucker poles" where bicycles are stolen, adding commercial bike racks could make your business a hero to bicyclists.

What is a "sucker pole?" It's a name given to sign posts and other objects that at first appear to be a safe place to park a bike. However, these poles are generally not as secure as they look and can easily be unscrewed from their mountings or even just yanked out of the ground.

Many a disgruntled bicycle owner has returned to where they thought they parked their bike securely, only to find out, the item they hooked the bike to was not secure at all. Certainly not as anchored as a bona fide bike rack.

And with the high price of many bicycles today, the incentive for thievery is certainly there.

In fact, some bike theft rings (yes, just like organized auto theft rings) know exactly where these "sucker poles" are located and frequently drive around town in a van, ready