Vertical bicycle racks wall mounted at Ten Penn Center in Philadelphia

Vertical bicycle racks have become a more popular addition to buildings across the country as people prefer to bike to work and want extra protection for their expensive bicycles.

Take Ten Penn Center on Market Street in Philadelphia.

Penn Center is a prestigious retail and office complex in the heart of Philadelphia's business district. The buildings between 15^th and 19^th street provide nearly five million square feet in office and retail space.

At Ten Penn Center, General Manager Henry Glover recently had vertical bicycle racks from the Park and Facilities Catalog installed in a designated bike room.

The space was long and narrow, but Glover said by adding the DoubleUp Bike Racks, they were able to make more space for four to five more bikes. Now there is room for a total of 20 bicycles. On a day when the weather is good, there will be from 10 to 12 bike commuters who use the room.

"The design is clean and very sturdy," he said. "The powder coat finish has held up very well."

The website for Ten Penn touts their bike room as one of their amenities and the "green" benefits as well: "Sustainability is a priority at Ten Penn Center, and we're proud to support the use of alternative means of transportation."

Vertical bicycle racks installed at college

Hocking College in Athens, OH, recently added vertical bicycle racks as well from the Park and Facilities Catalog.

Life Activities Coordinator Kevin Cox says the freestanding DoubleUp Bike Room is located in the Outdoor Pursuits Room in the Student Center. That's where students and staff members like to store their bikes, especially Trek mountain bikes, the premier choice for trail riders.

Space-saving vertical bicycle racks in the Outdoor Pursuits Room at Hocking College

"I'm very thankful that we ran across the Park Catalog bike rack," Cox said. "Before the Park Catalog, our Outdoor Pursuits Room was a mess with bikes and other outdoor items everywhere."

As you can imagine, a student center is a busy place. That's also very true in an environment where students like to spend time engaged in the outdoors - either hiking or mountain biking.

"These racks have saved us a ton of room and keeps things very organized," Cox added.

Vertical bike racks offer several advantages

There are several reasons why it's very smart to add vertical bicycle racks to a facility. Here are a few of them:

• Saving Space: square footage inside any building is always limited and at a premium. It's especially limited when that building is located in a big metropolis such as Philadelphia. This is why office and multi-family residential buildings are turning to vertical bicycle racks where bikes can be stored upright floor to ceiling and still leave room for cyclists to maneuver.

The DoubleUp Bike Racks, created by The Park and Facilities Catalog, are designed to maximize space per square foot. The hooks are staggered in height, so bicycles can be placed alongside each other without handlebar to handlebar conflict.

• Bike Storage is a Popular Amenity: bicycling is more popular than ever. Many people today would rather bike than drive. Traffic is becoming more congested in major metros areas and even out in smaller markets. People today would rather hop on a bicycle or an electric scooter to get where they are going than sit in traffic jams or drive endlessly in circles looking for a parking space. In addition, architects and builders are becoming more involved in sustainability practices and making their structures environmentally-friendly.

Many companies offer bike parking as a perk. Newly built condos now promote their bike rooms just like they promote their gyms, rooftop terraces, and other amenities.

• Indoor Storage is Secure: there are two different classes of bicycle parking. Class I bicycle parking, also known as "Long-term bicycle parking" is the preferred type of parking and should be offered when a bicycle will be parked for a long period of time: overnight or for days and weeks. A secure indoor bike room is best.

That bike room should be locked with key or keypad access and even feature security cameras. As for securing the actual bicycle, the DoubleUp vertical bike rack provides an extended "locking arm" where a tough metal U-Lock can be inserted through the frame of the bicycle, front wheel, and metal locking arm. These three points of locking contact are recommended by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals.

• Bikes are More Expensive Today: Indoor secure storage is also a necessity because today's bicyclists are buying more advanced bikes than the old wheel-shaker bicycles. Now with carbon frames and other super-amenities, riders can literally glide around town. But they pay for the privilege. Many decent bikes are now in the $300 to $500 range. Some more sophisticated bikes can cost as much as $3000 or more. These bike owners want to be sure their investment is well protected.

Because here's another reason. Thieves have realized there's a lucrative market for those expensive bicycles as well. Using bolt cutters and even portable metal saws, crooks have become more adept at stealing bikes. Bike thefts have increased nationwide. The FBI estimates more than one million bicycles are stolen every year. While police make efforts to recover stolen bikes, they do have other more pressing needs. Security is utmost on the mind of many bike owners today.

Vertical bike racks come in several forms. They can be wall-mounted and affixed to an existing wall.

Or they can be freestanding bicycle racks. The racks are can be positioned in different, modular configurations. They also can be moved. Or, mounted into the floor.

What's your bike storage strategy? The trend in office and residential construction today is toward providing better security in indoor bike rooms or garages. The solution is to incorporate vertical bicycle racks into your facility planning.

Note: The Park and Facilities Catalog can provide a FREE bike room or garage layout to help maximize the number of bicycles to be stored in a designated area. We also offer an excellent selection of durable indoor vertical bicycle racks to meet your needs.