Ideas Guy and another question [bicycling]

[rebeccmeister]

One of the great things about being done teaching for a little while is that it frees up a certain part of my brain that likes to chew over problems and come up with potential solutions.

A dilemma I've had is what to do with the bicycles that are stacked up in my research lab space. I've made them fit, but it's not ideal to have them in there. I also haven't gotten much/any help when asking around about storage possibilities.

So now I am thinking I should buy a couple of bicycle covers so I can lock up the bikes to the nearest bike rack but keep them covered up so they're at least somewhat protected from the elements. This would then provide a more visible signal to people that there's a storage need here.

I'm not thrilled about shopping for the covers themselves, though. So, do any of you have ideas? As usual I am hoping to avoid buying from the Big Jungle in Brazil.

Comments

[graydon]

This is very much a local conditions thing, but I would never expect a bike locked to a bike rack overnight to be rideable in the morning. I'd expect the presence of a cover to make that work.

(I own, but do not use, bike locks; it's just such bad odds.)

[rebeccmeister]

I think I might need slightly more of an explanation here in your case - is theft the biggest issue?

I should note that this is on a small liberal-arts college campus that is NOT in a heavily urbanized environment; there is very little traffic in the winter, and the bikes at hand aren't at all fancy. I will still U-lock them (frame + front wheel); the covers are intended to keep off rain and snow, and reduce UV exposure. The rack I have in mind is in a location where they wouldn't be exposed to much salt.

[graydon]

Couple caveats; these are Toronto reflexes (which is not where I'm living now) and from the perspective of someone who has a visibly nice bicycle.

Theft is absolutely a concern, but also just random destructive behaviour; kicking in spokes, wrenching cables off, etc. Been a couple cases of people not realizing they no longer had brakes until they really needed the brakes. And even if almost everyone is ideally polite, one violent idiot is more than enough.

Also, in my first post, "I'd expect the presence of a cover to make that worse", not work.

[rebeccmeister]

Ah! Yes, those reflexes make complete sense for Toronto; Seattle would be the same, and if I were there, I wouldn't even be thinking about putting bikes outside. But on the other hand, Seattle tends to have ample bike parking, and even sheltered bike parking plus bike lockers all over the place.

The only bike lockers I've seen in this area are at the local grocery co-op.

For what these bikes will get used for, I'm not super concerned about theft or vandalism. Actually, if there is any theft or vandalism, that will be a teachable moment for the students in the bicycling course (users of these bikes). These are not particularly nice bicycles.

[graydon]

Fabric covers are expensive; Arkel bike covers are 120 CAD, so probably about that in USD by the time shipping, etc., gets dealt with.

If the bike rack is relatively small, I'd be very tempted to put a shed on a hinge over it, but that runs into the "and then a student dropped the shed on themself" problem, so it'd have to be per-bike enclosures and ground attachments and at some point someone from facilities gets mad.

Is there someone from facilities who can be asked about this? There might be a list of approved solutions already.

[rebeccmeister]

Heh, yeah, those cost about as much as these bikes are worth! Although if I had a nicer bike I was forced to lock up outside, I'd totally consider an Arkel one because then I'd know the fabric would be good.

Maybe some small tarps would be better.

Unfortunately, the folks in Facilities have been giving me a Look when I ask about storage space for the spare bicycles. That's how I've wound up where I am with them, sigh.

[graydon]

The really good covers are the motorcycle ones, and those tend to run into gasp-choke territory pretty fast.

Tarps are a tie-down problem, and if you can't add ground anchors I would not expect it to work through the second windstorm. (Since the tarp has to go over the locks.) And even if it does work, if Facilities is already grumpy I expect that will be seen as an excuse to cause difficulties.

I would be entirely delighted to have a useful solution for this problem. I can come up with a bike-storage device, where you load up a carousel, but even there there's a spectral voice talking about recumbents. But simple, secure, proof-against-elements, on-street parking is hard.

[jameswatriss]

Tarps are a tie down issue out of the box, but they’re pretty easily modified. Not in a cut and sew kind of way, so much as a fold the ends, and grommet the edges together kind of way. If you can locate a suitably proportioned box, you can wrap around that, use tape to hold the shape, binder clips to pinch the edges, and then put grommets in. (Grommeting kits are Cheap.) Then BAM! Bicycle cover!

Or, you could swing the other way and propose something like this: https://www.theparkcatalog.com/doubleup-double-sided-free-standing-vertical-bike-rack

I’m sure facilities won’t like being approached initially, but my experience with most folks like you describe are much happier when they’re not asked to do the creative heavy lifting. “We have this issue, I was wondering if you could do this specific thing to fix it,” goes pretty far sometimes. If nothing else, it shields the Eeyores from worrying that their efforts to help will meet with criticism, because now it’s not their idea, and thus not really their fault when it’s not good enough.

Maybe even put a roof over it, or mount inside.

Otherwise… not knowing what you’re talking about in terms of footprint and ceiling height, I can’t propose much that is context specific. But there are also plenty of wall racks, hoisting options, and so on…

[rebeccmeister]

I like the tarp+grommet suggestion. Thank you!

I also like the idea of having a plan ready. It's not entirely clear to me where the hangups are, with Facilities. Overnight without warning, they installed electric charging stations for cars, repurposing parking spots. There are bike racks in various spots around campus, but none of them provide any protection from the elements. There is this perfect spot under a stairwell in my current building, but it's fenced and locked off (fire code, I guess??).

And not too long ago, they converted some outdoor tennis courts into more parking spots, for some unknown reason.

I would really love to repurpose just 1 parking spot for sheltered bike parking. We shall see. In the meantime, tarp covers.

[jameswatriss]

Honestly, that’s all actually *good* news. It means it’s not a budget thing, and the electric charging stations mean they’re probably open to proposals for ‘greening’ the campus.

Also, that sort of decision is typically higher up than facilities. Maybe ask the head of your department who to talk to in the administration? Or who to ask about who to talk to.

If you frame it properly, it’s probably actually an easy sell. Little nooks under staircases sound easy, but they’re not. Sometimes giving someone a big cool idea that will look really good on their resume works better. So… big vertical covered bike rack with a green roof maybe? Side by side with the charging stations that could make the campus sound super… something?

[rebeccmeister]

PS - I really appreciate your giving this some thought!