More than 1.5 million bicycles are reported stolen every year in the United States and fear of bicycle theft is recognized as a significant deterrent to bicycle use. The availability of safe and convenient parking is as critical to bicyclists as it is for motorists and yet it is frequently overlooked in the design and operation of shops, offices, schools, and other buildings.

However, providing good quality bicycle parking that is going to be used and useful is not quite as easy as leaving a “fence” or “grid” style rack out by the back fence of the shopping plaza or school yard and expecting cyclists to find and use it. Indeed, many agencies are now adopting quite specific bicycle parking design, location, and installation requirements.

The Basics

The City of Portland, Oregon has published a straightforward 12-page guide to bicycle parking that covers the basics of the following;

1. planning to install bike parking
2. finding a good location
3. choosing the type of rack
4. short-term parking
5. long term parking
6. spacing and siting standards
7. covered parking
8. signs
9. amount of parking

Bicycle Parking By the Numbers

Cost to install bike racks: $150 each (parks two bikes)

Cost to install bike lockers: $1000 each (parks two bikes)

Cost to provide car parking space: $2200 surface lot, $12,500 garage

Number of bike spaces in one car space: 10-12

How much do agencies charge to rent bicycle lockers?

A survey of local bicycle program managers in 2000 revealed the following range of costs that agencies charge people to rent bicycle lockers.

University of California, Davis:  $20 per quarter (10-12 weeks), $20 key deposit, $10 per quarter for those commuting 10 miles or more (one way).

Portland, Ore.:  $10/month, $25/3 months, $45/6 months, $25 key deposit.  Rate structure assumed to cover locker costs over 10-year period.

San Francisco:  $25/3 months, $45/6 months, $75/1 year, $25 refundable key deposit.

Albuquerque, NM:  Free lockers for downtown employees.

Madison:  $75/1 year.

Cincinnati:  Has 10 lockers in downtown.  $40/6 months. Recent increase in key deposit to cover lock replacents.

Caltrain:  $5/month six months in advance, $25 refundable key deposit.

Maryland Mass Transit Admin:  $25/3 months, $70/ year, $25 refundable key deposit.

Washington DC Metro:  $45/6 months, $70/year, $10 key deposit

Tucson:  54 lockers(108 spaces) in downtown, 54 lockers (108 spaces) at select transit stops, $2/month, $7.50 refundable key deposit.

Santa Cruz, CA: $5 per month, $10 refundable key deposit (plus $3 bicycle license). Agreement form

The City of Los Angeles has contracted out the management of bike lockers in several locations in the city. The local bicycle user group administers the program.

Where can I find a list of bicycle parking manufacturers?

Many of the sites referenced in this article on bicycle parking also contain lists of bicycle parking manufacturers, including information on whether they produce the kind of racks that meet the particular requirements of the city or agency. The following list may not be complete and does not endorse any one product over another.

American Bicycle Security
Bike Guard
Bike Lid
Bike Lokr
Bike Security Racks
Bike Up
Brandir International
CityHitch
CORA
Creative Pipe
Cycle Safe
Dero
Dobra Design
Function First Bike Security
GF Structures
Graber
Huntco Supply, Inc.
Madrax
Palmer Group
SPI Plastics
Sunshine U Lock

Other interesting sites related to bike parking

South Australia
Western Australia
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany