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BIKE PARKING DESIGN GUIDELINES

Design Guidelines

When installing a bicycle parking area in or around your facility, it is important to take into account a few guidelines to ensure a successful project. Choosing the right location, spacing, and security for your bicycle parking area will make help to make it a valuable asset on your property.

In order to help you make the right decisions when planning your bicycle parking area, we have put together a set of recommendations for both indoor bike parking areas and outdoor bike parking areas.

Indoor/Long Term Parking

A bike storage facility at your condo, apartment complex, residence or workplace can be one of the most used areas on the property. The right location and the right layout can ensure convenience as well as added security.


Features of Good Indoor Parking

  • Balance the space available with desired capacity to ensure that enough space is allotted and that the configuration of the room accommodates desired capacity with the selected rack footprint and aisle ways (48″ minimum aisle way, 60″ is preferred)
  • Weather protection
  • Free-standing shelter
  • Indoor enclosure or room
  • Easy access with effective signage
  • Controlled access (keycard or code)
  • Lockers (keyed or smartcard)
  • Surveillance cameras or security guards
  • Accommodates room ceiling height and obstructions in the room (ie. 8 ft min ceiling height minimum needed for use of two tier parking; 9 ft. for stack rack)

Outdoor/Short Term Parking

A bike parking area at a school, on a city street, or outside of any building is a valuable asset. Having the right plan for your bike parking area will ensure it is a convenient and effective space and is inviting to the user.


Features of Good Outdoor Parking

  • Convenient to the cyclist’s destination; placed no more than 50′ from the door
  • Located in a high-traffic area; within eye shot of destination and along adjacent bikeways/streets
  • Identified by a sign
  • Weather-protected, situate racks under existing structures or installing free-standing structures when possible
  • Spaced so that the cyclist can access the side of the bikes, and there is no handle bar confliction (recommended aisle way of 60″; space between racks at 36″)
  • Proper aisle way spacing to avoid handlebar/rack/basket conflicts
  • Aisle spacing should allow for simultaneous users
  • Accommodate lifting of bikes (when using two-tier racks)
  • Consider entry and exit flows



The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals also publishes a guide with their own parameters for creating a well-used bicycle parking area. www.apbp.org

Aside from taking into account these guidelines, it is also important to realize that many cities have their own sets of rules and regulations regarding bicycle parking. Make sure you are aware of any laws in your area by contacting your City Planner to learn more.

With a little bit of planning and forethought, your bicycle parking area could be one of the most used assets on your property.

Planning your Bike Storage Room

A bike storage facility at your condo, apartment complex, residence or workplace can be one of the most used areas on the property. More people are using cycling as a way to stay healthy, save money, and stay out of traffic jams. Because of the increased numbers of bicycle commuters, there is a rising need and responsibility to provide adequate bike parking at your facility. Having the right plan for your Bike Room will ensure it is a convenient and efficient space to store bicycles securely.

Location

The right location can ensure convenience as well as added security. Locate the room near an exit and avoid any steps or narrow hallways cyclists would have to navigate. Handicap accessible doors can be helpful for getting bikes into the building. If you have an automatic door already, try to utilize it as a bike entrance.

Floor Plan

Although you may be tempted to fit as many bikes as possible in the space, not providing enough walkway space in the room can make it difficult to move and park bikes. A 5 to 6 foot. walkway is ideal, but where space is tight, a 48-inch minimum is recommended. As seen in the sample floor plans below, a 6 inch clearance from the wall is recommended to provide adequate space for bikes in the last bike position adjacent to walls.

While mechanical fixtures like low hanging pipes, support beams, and electrical or plumbing access points may not always be present, proper planning can make sure affected space is efficiently utilized. Reference the product features chart on this page for footprints, ceiling height minimums and other details

Security

Limiting the access of the Bike Room to authorized users will drastically reduce the possibility of theft. If the site is in an open space, like a parking garage or warehouse, a chain link cage can be a simple, low cost solution to add security. Be sure the site has adequate lighting and consider the use of security cameras.

A well-planned Bike Room that is secure, convenient and easy to use will encourage more people to ride. If you would like assistance planning a Bike Room or to get a quote, request a quote online, send an email to sales@bikefixation, or call 1-800-783-7257.

indoor bike parking area

Planning Your Bike Parking Area

A bike parking area at a park or school, on a city street or outside of any building is a valuable asset. More people are using cycling as a way to stay healthy, save money and stay out of traffic jams. Because of the increased numbers of bicycle commuters, there is a rising need and responsibility to provide adequate bike parking for cyclists. Having the right plan for your bike parking area will ensure it is a convenient and effective space to park bicycles.

Layout

  • Placing bicycle racks in the right location can ensure convenience as well as added security. Bicycle parking should be positioned out of the way of traffic so as not to impede the normal flow of pedestrians or vehicles.
  • Bike racks should be located within close proximity to building entrances; a common recommendation is that bike parking should be no further from a building or park then the closest vehicle parking spot.
  • The bike parking area should be well-lit so that cyclists can maneuver safely and see what they are doing when they are locking and unlocking their bicycles.
  • When possible, racks should be placed in a covered area to protect against weather.

Floor Plan

  • Although you may be tempted to minimize the area dedicated to bike parking, not providing enough space between bike racks and next to buildings can make it difficult to move and park bikes.
  • Each rack in your bike parking area should be separated from buildings and walkways by at least 6 feet.
  • There should be ample room between bike racks to allow cyclists to maneuver between racks, even when other bikes are parked there.
  • The diagram below provides an example of appropriate spacing. Reference the product features chart on this page for footprints, rack dimensions and other details.

Security

  • Bike racks should be permanently anchored to the ground to provide a safe and reliable place to secure bicycles.
  • Bike Fixation provides a variety of anchor kits to accommodate different surface types where bike races are commonly mounted. Visit our anchor kits section to learn more.
  • In addition to being securely anchored, the bicycle parking area should be visible to passersby and in a well-lit area in order to deter theft and tampering with the bicycles.

A well-planned bike parking area that is secure, convenient and easy to use will encourage more people to ride. If you would like assistance planning a bike parking area or to get a quote, request a quote online, send an email to sales@sarisinfrastructure, or call 1-800-783-7257.

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