Outdoor Bike Parking / Merchandise Mart

I'm losing my beloved bike room when my company moves over to the merchandise mart. They have some indoor bike spots but they are ~80$ every 3 months (something close to that) which is way to much to me.  My options are so limited its crazy, full on outside or under the "L" on a busy side walk. How many 50 hour weeks outside can a bike really take?

My experience is that long term parking a bike outdoors is a short route to turning your ride into a heap of trash.  Rust can take on to your bike in a couple of days (or less) outdoors. 

I could get a wreck of a 'work ride' but I ride a lot after work when the weather is good, the LFP or some store far away basically as an excuse to ride. So I have to ride a POS from now on? 

RANT-So there is a "commuter benefit" the company offers if you are a public transportation type, they might even have a parking benefit-- but for bikers? NOOOOO, I get to lock my BELOVED (and I do love my ride, and I know this is partly because there is some serotonin / dopamine or what ever release when I am on the thing but I really do love my bike) ride outside in all sorts of weather and it makes me angry. 

Anyway, indoor parking at home but that still leaves my ride outside for many hours in the week and I'm worried that this is just going to fully destroy my ride.  What do I do? Do I lacquer the thing in clear paint? WTF do I do? What is the suggestions on making sure my ride doesn't get wrecked by the seasons.

This room I will miss this room more than I can say, I could leave my helmet unlocked, sometimes I left clothes / shoes (and more) here and no one ever messed with it.  I imagine when no one was around the bikes had tea and compared notes on their owners..........

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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on February 5, 2014 at 3:10am



jolondon30 said:

As somebody wrote above, I'm not sure the Mart is any different than any other location in terms of  risk.

I will sing the praises (again) of the Hyatt Center (71 S. Wacker). Not only is bike parking free, but it is in the VIP parking lot (where the Hyatt, Mayer Brown and local Goldman brass park), indoors, at street level, steps away from the main entrance, behind a roll-up door with security guards. Though many people lock their bikes to the racks provided, I've never bothered, and never had a problem.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Stahlman on February 5, 2014 at 3:55am

Thanks for the response. I work across from the Mart and my building management will let no bikes in the building. So it has been difficult to find an affordable way to securely park my bike during the daytime. Even with a combination of pitlocks, chained saddle, and mini u-lock, I am not confident in leaving my bike outdoors at a rack. 

jolondon30 said:

To my knowledge you have to be in a business in the Mart to use the spaces.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on February 5, 2014 at 4:05am


sounds like a great option outside of location but it's not very close to the Merchandise Mart.  Monroe to  the Mart is a good 15 minute walk.
Skip Montanaro 12mi said:



jolondon30 said:

As somebody wrote above, I'm not sure the Mart is any different than any other location in terms of  risk.

I will sing the praises (again) of the Hyatt Center (71 S. Wacker). Not only is bike parking free, but it is in the VIP parking lot (where the Hyatt, Mayer Brown and local Goldman brass park), indoors, at street level, steps away from the main entrance, behind a roll-up door with security guards. Though many people lock their bikes to the racks provided, I've never bothered, and never had a problem.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on February 5, 2014 at 4:14am



jolondon30 said:


sounds like a great option outside of location but it's not very close to the Merchandise Mart.  Monroe to  the Mart is a good 15 minute walk.

And only available to building tenants. :-)

Permalink Reply by Jeff K on February 7, 2014 at 8:43am

Regarding the $250 pre-tax parking benefit * - I'm not finding anything about "motor" in the IRS regulations.


All I find is the word "parking".  Hopefull someone with more knowledge than me can chime in.

* The IRS allows employers to give a transportation benefit to employees and exclude it from wages - it is not taxed LINK

Permalink Reply by Tyler Long on February 7, 2014 at 4:43pm

Permalink Reply by Haddon on February 7, 2014 at 7:00pm


Unless I'm mistaken this whole site is a compendium of first world problems.
Tyler Long said:

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