Resources for Local Businesses

*** NOTE: If your business is located in downtown Bellingham and has a public right of way nearby, you may qualify for FREE bike racks and installation thanks to a new pilot program sponsored by the City of Bellingham. For more information and to see if your business qualifies, contact Kim Brown @ 676-6961 or kimbrown@cob.org.

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Choosing a Site for your Bike Rack

1. Take note of current problems areas. Notice where bicyclists tend to park now and locations where bike parking is clearly inadequate. 
2. Contact local bicycling organizations. Go straight to the people who are on their bikes every day, and who know from first hand experience which areas could be more bicyclist friendly. They can also give advice on their preferred style of bicycle rack.
3. Make it visible. If bicyclists can't find your bike rack, they won't use it.  Have the bike rack painted bright colors and use signage to direct bicyclists to the area you designate for bike parking.  Placing the bicycle rack in an area of high pedestrian traffic also helps to deter theft.
4. Make it convenient and safe. Bike racks are more likely to be used if the are convenient to the entrance and in the line of site of a window. When possible they should be sheltered from the elements and well lit. Also, try to have it sufficiently separated or protected from automobile parking to prevent damage to parked bicycles by cars.

Selecting a Bike Rack

1. Security - With well over a million bicycles stolen every year in the United States and the increasing sophistication of today's bikes, security is by far the most important issue for bicyclists. Some bikes can cost several thousand dollars, so people want to be sure that when they lock their bike up it will still be there when they return. Pipe cutters are used to cut though many types of standard bike racks. Bike racks with a lot of curves, or with a heavy gauge construction are much harder for bike thieves to cut through.
2. Aesthetics - Who said bicycle racks had to be ugly?. Several bike rack manufacturers are producing racks that could easily qualify as street art. A well designed bike rack can really enhance the visual appeal of the area in which it is placed.
3. Space - Be sure to consider the space you are dealing with and the number of bikes you anticipate using the rack. Some bicycle racks are designed to align bikes in only one direction, which helps to keep sidewalks and other pathways clear. Some racks are designed to park bikes vertically to maximize the number of bicycles that can be stored in a given space.

Racks usually cost between $50 and $200 per bike.

List of Bicycle Parking Equipment Dealers & Manufacturers

* American Bicycle Security Co., P.O. Box 7359, Ventura, CA 93006. 800/245-3723; 805/933-3688. www.ameribike.com

* BikeUp, 6 Antares Drive, Phase II, unit #10B, Nepean, Ontario, US Office in Syracuse, NY. Phone: 613/ 226-6452, www.bikeup.com Vertical racks for bike rooms.

* www.Bikeparking.com, Palmer Group 1072 Folsom St., #328 San Francisco, CA 94103 888-764-BIKE (2453) fax: 415-333-2032 email: info@bikeparking.com

* Bike Security Racks Co., PR#1, Box 476B, Rumney, NH 03266, www.bikeracks.com

* Cora Bike Rack Inc., P.O. Box 1647, Bellingham, WA 98227. 800-354-8624. www.cora.com Expo-W, Lockers.

* Creative Pipe, Inc, 2632 SW Sherwood Dr., Portland, OR 97201. 800/644-8467. www.creativepipe.com CycleShed(locker), Thunderbolt, Hammerhead (inverted-U, continuos curve).

* Cycle safe Inc., 478 Arrowhead, SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. 616/538-0079. www.cyclesafe.com Toast Rack (inverted -U), Cycle Safe (lockers).

* Function First Bike Security. P.O box 44137, Tucson, AZ. 87533-4137. 602/322-9626. www.bikerack.com Bike Rib (Inverted-U Multi- U) Series 2 (continuous curve) (lockers).

* Graber, 5253 Verona Rd. Madison, WI 53711. 608/274-6550, 800/542-6644. The Wave (continuous curve), Bike Bank, Bike Safe (class II) and others. www.graber-products.com

* Madrax Inc., 2210 Pinehurst Drive, Middleton, WI 53562. 608/831-9040. www.madrax.com Guard Rail (Inverted-U), U-Two (multi-U), (lockers)

* Sunshine U-Lock Coporation, 30316 Via Colinas, Suite 102, Westlake village, CA 91362. 818/707-0110, 800/548-1344. Wave-Lok (continuous curve), U-Lock (class II), Arch-Lok, Stor-Lok, Mini-Lok(inverted-U), secura (lockers).

* Super Secur Manufacturing Co., P.O. Box 3527, City of Industry CA 91744. 626/333-2453. Bike-stor (lockers). www.acomenga.com

* Urban Accessories, Inc. 20004 144th NE, Woodinville, WA 98072. 206/487-0488. www.urbanaccessories.net Bike Bar, Bike Rail(inverted-U).