6 ms·

These don't seem very space efficient. In Ottawa, we have bike racks like this: http://i43.tinypic.com/verak2.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/verak2.jpg Believe it

These don't seem very space efficient. In Ottawa, we have bike racks like this: http://i43.tinypic.com/verak2.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/verak2.jpg Believe it or not, you can easily lock 6 bikes to this. Side note: I couldn't find a picture of this rack anywhere on Google image search (I checked 10 pages for keywords "Ottawa bike rack"). On Bing image search, it was the first result.

jmillikin 17y ago
That was my first thought as well; compared to the standard flat-on-the-pavement bike racks, these curved racks look like a tremendous waste of space. Can you see them supporting this number of bikes?http://i39.tinypic.com/9iaiv4.jpg http://i39.tinypic.com/9iaiv4.jpg , http://i40.tinypic.com/25p33na.jpg http://i40.tinypic.com/25p33na.jpg
JeremyChase 17y ago
It isn't space efficient, but I think their business plan is based on perception of efficiency. You can see that by the way they placed the arc over the tree, which gives the illusion of having more sidewalk space. What they haven't counted on is that people will lock their bikes to anything they can, and in any way possible. People will end up locking directly to the arc itself which will case insertion and removal of a bike on the arc to be problematic. This is because the front wheel needs to ride in the groove of the arc, and a lock will obstruct it. I see this product as something that non-bike people in the city offices will love because it gives the feeling that they are doing something to encourage bike use. The reality is that these racks are far more expensive than a standard inverted U, offer much less flexibility, and are less space efficient.
- JeremyChase 17y ago
  I just realized another problem with this design. As any bike person will know; many bike racks are littered with abandoned bikes that are just locked up. For a traditional inverted U or bike rack this isn't a major problem because it is usually possible to find a good way to still lock your bike up. When an abandoned bike is left on one of these racks it will consume even more room, and people will be forced to lock their bikes up in an even more annoying way. I really don't like this product. (yes, I am a semi-fanatical bike person)
- chaosmachine 17y ago
  You're right about the tree. I just realized that these would stick out into the road on a normal street..

jmillikin 17y ago

That was my first thought as well; compared to the standard flat-on-the-pavement bike racks, these curved racks look like a tremendous waste of space. Can you see them supporting this number of bikes?http://i39.tinypic.com/9iaiv4.jpg http://i39.tinypic.com/9iaiv4.jpg , http://i40.tinypic.com/25p33na.jpg http://i40.tinypic.com/25p33na.jpg

JeremyChase 17y ago

It isn't space efficient, but I think their business plan is based on perception of efficiency. You can see that by the way they placed the arc over the tree, which gives the illusion of having more sidewalk space. What they haven't counted on is that people will lock their bikes to anything they can, and in any way possible. People will end up locking directly to the arc itself which will case insertion and removal of a bike on the arc to be problematic. This is because the front wheel needs to ride in the groove of the arc, and a lock will obstruct it. I see this product as something that non-bike people in the city offices will love because it gives the feeling that they are doing something to encourage bike use. The reality is that these racks are far more expensive than a standard inverted U, offer much less flexibility, and are less space efficient.

JeremyChase 17y ago
I just realized another problem with this design. As any bike person will know; many bike racks are littered with abandoned bikes that are just locked up. For a traditional inverted U or bike rack this isn't a major problem because it is usually possible to find a good way to still lock your bike up. When an abandoned bike is left on one of these racks it will consume even more room, and people will be forced to lock their bikes up in an even more annoying way. I really don't like this product. (yes, I am a semi-fanatical bike person)
chaosmachine 17y ago
You're right about the tree. I just realized that these would stick out into the road on a normal street..