bike parking hall of fame/hall of shame (was bike parking at stores, libraries and other major destinations)

I previously started this topic with a slightly different focus.  I'd like to keep the info we've already gathered and encourage you all to add more.  The goal is to collect data for a project I'm pursuing with a few folks to improve bike parking in the city.

Please post comments about Chicago businesses whose bike parking is either good (to say thanks) or needs improvement.  Include identifying information - name of business, address, and what is good or not so good about their bike parking. 

Photos are useful if you can get 'em.  If you have multiple businesses you'd like to mention, feel free.  They can be big chains (Jewel, Dominick's, Walgreens, Home Depot, etc.), franchises (hardware or fast food stores, for examples), or independent businesses.

If you talk to a store manager about the issue, tell us if you got any positive results.

Thanks for all your info!  It would be great if we can get better bike parking at the majority of stores and restaurants in bike-accessible locations in the next few years.  Your info can help make that possible.

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I've had an ongoing discussion with a few people about the lack of good bike parking at most grocery stores, drug stores, etc. 

County Fair (a family-owned independent) at 108th & Western has city racks out front.  Riding there to shop is a piece of cake.

Jewel and Dominick's stores typically have no racks at all or one rack installed so close to a wall that it can only be used by a few bikes, or one rack in a location where it's always surrounded by shopping carts - not bike friendly.  Walgreens stores near me have wheel bender racks similar to this. 

The nearest CVS has a city rack out front near the door, which is well used, but the one on their own property is so far from the flow of traffic and installed so close to the wall that it's never used. 


There's a new public library on 95th St. that opened less than a year ago.  It has a 10-bike rack near the front door.  Guess what?  It's installed so close to the wall nothing with wheels larger than 20" can be secured to it with a U-lock.  It usually has no more than 2 bikes locked to it, then people start locking to the nearby benches and fence. 


Meanwhile, another perfectly good 10-bike rack goes unused, because it's tucked away in the corner of the parking lot, out of sight from where most cyclists approach the library.


Which grocery store, pharmacy and library are your usual stops?  Do they have good bike parking?  Tell us about what's good or bad about the bike parking at these places or other frequent destinations.  Curious minds want to know.

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Permalink Reply by Kelly on August 31, 2011 at 7:29am
The Trader Joe's on Clybourn in Lincoln Park has great bike parking... but it's not easily accessible. You have to either take your bike in the elevator, which is impossible for me, as I have a cargo bike. Alternatively, you can bike up the ramp, which is also impossible for me. Which means I get to lock my bike up outside and drag my kid to the building, up the elevator and then back down with all of our bags. This is why I hardly ever shop there.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 31, 2011 at 8:04am

Biking up that ramp behind TJ's seems pretty sketchy.  It's a good place to get run over even with that guy directing traffic.

 

Pass!

Permalink Reply by Ash L. on August 31, 2011 at 8:35am
The TJs on Clybourn is much closer than the one on Lincoln but I still bike to the Lincoln location to avoid that BS. The bike parking at the one on Lincoln is really shoddy too though. They have a good rack but it's up on a curb with no curb cut, blocked by parked cars in front and the cart corral to the left. To access it you have to hope that no cars will be parked there (fat chance) or hoist your bike over your head. Last time I was there I locked my cargo bike to the corral but got chewed out by two customers for "blocking the entrance". There's another rack about 50 yards away at the end of the plaza where the CB2 used to be but it's just too far for any normal use.
Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on August 31, 2011 at 10:01am

Actually, the Clybourn TJ's has horrible bike parking. First off, at least half of of the rack is taken up by TJ's employees (all of the good spots), then the it's crammed behind huge traffic barrier posts, and the rack itself is the "wheel bender" variety that Duppie illustrated above.

 

I complained to the Management once about the bike parking and got a bewildered & puzzled look from the staff.

 

The ramp up the back has a sidewalk up the side to help make the walk-up easier. I relish the ride up the ramp - it's really the only reason my city bike has more than one gear.

 

Kelly said:

The Trader Joe's on Clybourn in Lincoln Park has great bike parking... but it's not easily accessible. You have to either take your bike in the elevator, which is impossible for me, as I have a cargo bike. Alternatively, you can bike up the ramp, which is also impossible for me. Which means I get to lock my bike up outside and drag my kid to the building, up the elevator and then back down with all of our bags. This is why I hardly ever shop there.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 31, 2011 at 10:43am

The Bike rack at Menards on Clyborn and Wrightwood is pretty lame too.  It, like the TJ rack is more than half-full with employee bikes (but good for them for riding to work!) and the smoking area picnic table is chained to the rack only a few feet away.  Even if there isn't a half-dozen chain-smokers actively polluting the air for a 50' radius you can still smell the stench of a 5-gallon bucket full of butts.   This rack is also pretty darn far from the front door as well.  

 

The wheelbender racks were obsolete in the 80's. Why to businesses still install them?  Are they THAT clueless? 

Permalink Reply by David on August 31, 2011 at 12:06pm
That's a pretty bad bike rack, but doesn't that store still have the mid-height iron fence running the length of the front of the store, which is just perfect for bike parking?  The Jewel in Wicker Park is like that: a horrible wheel bender bike rack but the entire front of the store is essentially one huge bike rack.  I like going there because I know there's never a problem finding a place to park.

Duppie said:

After months of upgrading, including a new parking lot, the Jewel on Clark and Ashland finally installed a bike rack yesterday. A fine example of a bad rack:Yes, that is a wheel bender rack hidden behind the shopping carts

 

All the more sad, because on the same day a new bike rack got installed at the soon to open Walgreens across the street:A wave rack, with plenty of room, right in front of the entrance.

 

Walgreens 1. Jewel 0.

Permalink Reply by Bradford Smith on August 31, 2011 at 12:36pm

Most of the iron fencing in front of the Andersonville Jewel was removed as part of the store and parking lot renovations. 

David said:

That's a pretty bad bike rack, but doesn't that store still have the mid-height iron fence running the length of the front of the store, which is just perfect for bike parking?  The Jewel in Wicker Park is like that: a horrible wheel bender bike rack but the entire front of the store is essentially one huge bike rack.  I like going there because I know there's never a problem finding a place to park.


Permalink Reply by Laura Blake on September 6, 2011 at 1:54pm

The Home Depot on Elston.  Yes, there is a bike rack in there somewhere...

 


Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on September 7, 2011 at 1:54am
Geez, and that's a BIG wasted bike rack.  What a sick joke on us.

Laura Blake said:

The Home Depot on Elston.  Yes, there is a bike rack in there somewhere...

 


Permalink Reply by Justin B Newman on September 7, 2011 at 3:29am

While Home Depot's ladder display is definitely a waste, I think there's a second bicycle rack at that location. Although last time I saw it, it was jam packed with bikes.

 

-jbn

Permalink Reply by Laura Blake on September 7, 2011 at 4:38am
Yes, there is another bike rack at that store.  However, it is too close to the wall and often surrounded by other merchandise, which makes it very difficult to have any more than 2 or 3 bikes locked there.  

Justin B Newman said:

While Home Depot's ladder display is definitely a waste, I think there's a second bicycle rack at that location. Although last time I saw it, it was jam packed with bikes.

 

-jbn

Permalink Reply by Laura Blake on October 11, 2011 at 9:56am

Repeat offender Home Depot.  I can't wait to see what they have in store for winter...  Maybe an army of Santas guarding the bike rack?

 

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