Select a currency
    
 
Decorative Metal Bike Bollards, Bike Racks and Bike Lockers from Reliance Foundry
 
Home >> Bike Parking Resources > Articles > Bicycle Parking Tips for the Commuter > 
Bike Parking Bollard by Reliance Foundry
Find your Reliance Foundry Bicycle Storage Solution
BIKE BOLLARDS
BIKE RACKS
  BIKE LOCKERS

Bicycle Parking Tips for the Commuter

Do you know how to secure your bike properly while you work? Read on...

Written by:

You’ve done your homework. You know the brands. You can tell the difference between a mountain bike and a road bike from 50 yards. You agonized over the details, rode around more bike shop parking lots than you can remember, and quizzed family and friends over your color choice. Finally, you selected the perfect bike and all its matching gear.

The exhilaration of your first ride as a commuter still pounding in your heart, you arrive at work 20 minutes early. As you approach the building you suddenly realize, “I have to leave my bike outside all day long...”

Two examples of Reliance Foundry’s bike parking products - a closed-loop bike stand and a bike storage locker Bicycle parking security can be accomplished with a closed loop bike parking stand or a secure bike locker
Will it be safe? Will someone knock it over? Will it be there when you return?

Bicycle commuting has gained tremendous popularity in the past 2 decades. Greater concern for personal health, increased awareness of the environmental benefits, rising gas prices have “driven” people to seek alternative ways of getting to work. Bicycle manufacturers offer many choices for the commuter at price points to meet any budget.

The concern of “what to do with your bike while working” is a consideration you should address as you make the decision to bike. Taking your bike to your desk is likely not an option, so how can you ensure your bike is safe?

At Reliance Foundry, we sell bike parking products to businesses, institutions and residential communities. We understand the importance of bike security. Here are a few tips we’ve compiled to give you peace of mind that your bike will be safely parked.
  1. This might sound obvious, but always (yes, ALWAYS!) lock your bike. Even if you are simply running into the convenience store for a quick bottle of water, it only takes a moment for a would-be-bike-thief to notice your unattended ride.
  2. Ensure you lock your bike to a closed - loop stand. Reliance Foundry is one of the leading providers of street and road bollards, and we have added bike parking arms on bollards as options for our clients because we know that an open topped post (like a parking meter or traffic sign) is simply not adequate for bike security.
  3. If you use a U-lock, pass it through your rear wheel rim inside the bike’s rear triangle then around a secure, closed post. If the U-lock is kept inside the frame, the bike cannot be stolen by removing the rear wheel. If you use a quick remove front wheel, a separate chain or cable should be use to tie the front wheel to the U-lock as well.
  4. Bike thieves often carry crowbars to pry open U-locks. A smaller U-lock is harder for a thief to open than a large one.
  5. Two locks are better than one. Two separate locking mechanisms are harder to defeat and chances are a thief will avoid taking the extra time to try and beat both locks.
  6. Register your bike with a national bike registry and put your name and telephone number on the inside rim of your bike, where it is likely to be seen if the thief tries to take it to a shop for resale.
  7. Leave an extra lock in your desk at work, in the event that you forget your lock(s).
  8. Don’t leave removable, loose gear on your bike. Pumps, helmets, etc. should be taken with you. New designs of cycle storage lockers provide space and security for such accessories, but these are not as readily available (yet) as bike racks.
  9. Finally, if your employer does not have a secure place to leave your bike while you are at work, politely and professionally request bike parking positions be made available for all employees. Employers can easily recognize the health and social benefits of making secure bike parking facilities available for both their employees and customers. If budgets are a concern, there are always discounted bike racks available.
Visit Reliance Foundry’s bike parking web site to see their entire selection of bollard products. We sell secure bicycle parking options for shipment anywhere in the world and we can help ensure that the bike you love is waiting for you when you return.

Happy riding!

About Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd.

Reliance Foundry has been a family-owned business since 1927. Bike parking products are one of its main product lines, along with bollards, industrial wheels and investment castings. Reliance sources products globally and offers quick and convenient delivery in the United States and Canada from its Vancouver location.