Sorry, hit send before I was done. A decent rack will have the following properties:
* Supports the bike frame in two places, so that the bike can be leaned against the rack. NO FENCE RACKS, that only support the wheel. These can bend the wheel if the bike is jostled. Also fence racks don't allow: * Accommodates a U-lock, and allows the bike frame and wheel to be locked to the rack. * Bike parking spaces are a minimum of 2 feet in width, six feet in length, with a five foot access aisle (what would be a drive aisle in a parking lot.) Racks should be placed no closer than 2 feet from a vertical surface, so that the front wheel doesn't hit the wall/planter/curb when you park at the rack. Some good racks: Dero Racks - Swerve, Bike Hitch, Campus Rack, Hoop Rack, Bike Bike Rack, and some custom racks http://www.dero.com/commercial_racks.html Madraxx (local company) - most of the inverted-U-type racks, Advocate Rack, Keyrac (not sure about this one), Sentry http://www.madrax.com/Default.aspx?tabid=61&List=0&CategoryID=0&Level=a&SortField=ProductName,ProductName Saris (also local and very nice people) unfortunately still has a limited number of good racks. Inverted-U and post-n-ring http://www.saris.com/commercial-parking/commercial-racks.html Creative Pipe - Lightning Bolt http://www.creativepipe.com/lightning_bolt_LR_series_racks.htm Note: Common in Madison, but not good are "wave" racks - like the ones linked below, and almost every company above has a similar style. http://www.bikerackshops.com/SARWAVERACK.html Wave racks do not support the frame well, so the bike falls over, unless you park parallel to the rack and take up multiple "spaces." Also, the upright bars are often too close together for mtb handlebars to fit through. Various other problems with these type of racks, but they are still better than the old "elementary school-type" fence racks. Hope this helps. Tell your landlord to stop being so, cheap. Oh, and if the building is newer than 1988, he is required by zoning code to provide bike racks that meet city code. Older buildings, it's just the right thing to do for your tenants, and to preserve the trees. Robbie
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