Those orange bikes locked to the racks in Wicker Park are advertisements

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150126/wicker-park/orange-bike-mar...

I've been wondering what the orange bikes on the bike racks are. Turns out that they're ads for a gym. 

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 26, 2015 at 7:26am

Had the same problem with racks in downtown Evanston being occupied by non-moving orange bikes a while back when they opened a gym there.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on January 26, 2015 at 8:13am
This is not acceptable. This is not the purpose of a bike rack. This will set a precedent, and other advertisers will abuse the racks. Find another 'legal' way to advertise. Don't disrespect. I would be cool and understand if it would be a one day promotion and they would make a free offer to cyclists, not have a long term creative ad displayed there indefinitely.
Permalink Reply by David Altenburg on January 26, 2015 at 8:24am

I completely agree with everything you said, except that the gym didn't actually paint the racks orange. The racks were already orange. (These are Wickpark/Bucktown Special Service Area racks: http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130429/wicker-park/bike-parking-ge...)

Tom A.K. said:

This is not acceptable. This is not the purpose of a bike rack. This will set a precedent, and other advertisers will abuse the racks. Find another 'legal' way to advertise. Don't disrespect. I would be cool and understand if it would be a one day promotion and they would make a free offer to cyclists, not have a long term creative ad displayed there indefinitely. And to also paint the rack orange is wrong.(city property)
Permalink Reply by Asper K on January 26, 2015 at 8:32am

I hope they get fined.   Certainly misusing city property

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on January 26, 2015 at 11:24am
Sorry - deleted - my bad - i forgot
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 26, 2015 at 1:39pm

I think my bolt cutters and I are going to Wicker Park tomorrow because F' USING MY PARKING AS YOUR AD SPACE!

Seriously, one of those chunks of garbage was in my way locking up the other day and now that I know it is nothing but shyster advertising I'm cutting them loose and the scrappers can have them.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 26, 2015 at 2:05pm

The bikes have been removed, I will sadly not be able to vandalize things.

Permalink Reply by Alisa Hauser on January 27, 2015 at 3:12am

Not all of them have been removed but the one in front of Walgreen's was after a cyclist (not me) complained.  Agree w/ you on a one day promo, like Divvy did with find the Blackhawks bike...

Check out an orange bike on corner of Wabansia and Damen or in front of PNC Bank at Armitage and Damen if you still want to visit the area... There were 10 orange bikes placed on racks total.  Franchisee for Orange Theory Fitness said that he wants the bikes to stay parked until April when the gym opens.  Using bike parking for an ad is like a food truck (with no food in it) being parked in the same spot for weeks. The city has not yet responded on whether they will fine them.  The issue is that the bikes are not direct advertising b/c the name of gym is not on the bikes, the "advertising" is in the distinctive bright orange bike color

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on January 27, 2015 at 3:37am

Thanks for looking into it Alisa. April is a long time away. 

While I don't like this form of advertising, vandalizing is not the answer. I think the most effective way to address this is to start a petition or contact them (respectfully) so that Orange Theory Fitness can see this is not generating positive promotion and the good will in the community they need to promote their gym. Instead, they are starting out on the wrong foot, not listening to the cyclists that are potential gym-goers, and taking up much needed space on bike racks. If there is enough groundswell, we can make a difference but I think it is best done when approached in a positive way and the strength is in numbers. 


Alisa Hauser said:

Not all of them have been removed but the one in front of Walgreen's was after a cyclist (not me) complained.  Agree w/ you on a one day promo, like Divvy did with find the Blackhawks bike...

Check out an orange bike on corner of Wabansia and Damen or in front of PNC Bank at Armitage and Damen if you still want to visit the area... There were 10 orange bikes placed on racks total.  Franchisee for Orange Theory Fitness said that he wants the bikes to stay parked until April when the gym opens.  Using bike parking for an ad is like a food truck (with no food in it) being parked in the same spot for weeks. The city has not yet responded on whether they will fine them.  The issue is that the bikes are not direct advertising b/c the name of gym is not on the bikes, the "advertising" is in the distinctive bright orange bike color

Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on January 27, 2015 at 3:51am

I reported two that I found. I'll continue to report them if I see them. It's ridiculous that they're too cheap to pay for advertising, but wiling to ruin some bikes that they purchased. I know it's not the same cost.

The two I reported on the site Bob recommended in another thread were located at these two spots.

Milwaukee & Damen

Division & Damen

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 27, 2015 at 4:22am

Well said!

Yasmeen said:

While I don't like this form of advertising, vandalizing is not the answer. I think the most effective way to address this is to start a petition or contact them (respectfully) so that Orange Theory Fitness can see this is not generating positive promotion and the good will in the community they need to promote their gym. Instead, they are starting out on the wrong foot, not listening to the cyclists that are potential gym-goers, and taking up much needed space on bike racks. If there is enough groundswell, we can make a difference but I think it is best done when approached in a positive way and the strength is in numbers. 

Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on January 27, 2015 at 4:24am

According to the DNAinfo article about these bikes, John Schrieffer, the owner of the new franchise "said he had received only one complaint and immediately removed that bike."

Obviously their "buzz campaign" hasn't worked since people don't know reach out to the gym or him first. In my opinion, they're just adding to the amount of trash on the street in Wicker Park, also removing some of the limited spaces we have available.

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