Friday, February 1, 2013

Benefits of Getting a Cycle Shelter for Your Cycles



If you have more than 2 cycles at home then you must get a cycle shelter for your house. Even if you have only one cycle at home it is still worth installing cycle storage place for your cycle because it protects your cycle and keeps it safe. It keeps the cycle safe not only from thieves but also from harsh weather. Cycle shelters are designed in such a way that they do not occupy a lot of place but they accommodate more than a dozen bicycles. They are strong and sturdy and the best ones are made from galvanized steel.

There are many benefits of using cycle shelters. Firstly, they encourage people to use and purchase bikes and it discourages them to use their cars. In places such as supermarkets, hospitals, schools, offices and other public places there are better chances of installing shelters for bicycles. Moreover, it also helps to de clutter the road and reduces the traffic. If there are more shelter for cycles then all the cycles will be kept in one place in an orderly manner and they will not be parked just anywhere on the road. This will give more space to cars.

If more bicycles are used then the number of cars on the road will go down and so will the level of pollution in the air. Along with this benefit we also get the benefit of reducing the number of accidents. Less number of cars on a free road will lead to less or no accidents. Hence building or installing cycle shelters has more than one benefit. It is also cost effective. A parking lot for cars will not only take up a lot of space but will also need a lot of money and resource but on the other hand a cycle storage place does not need money and resources.

There are innumerable benefits of installing cycle shelters in homes as well as in public spaces. One such benefit is on the health of the person. If there are more shelters for bicycles then it will encourage people to use their bicycles more often and the more we use the more is the exercise to our body. It will help them to remain healthy if they ride their cycles to run errands or to go to public spaces. A healthy life is the key to wealth and success.

When you are planning to get a shelter for your cycle make sure you buy the best and the one made from the strongest metal. You should also approach a reliable and a known dealer when you are buying material for cycle shelters. Some also offer installation services. However, it can also be installed easily with the help of a screwdriver and a couple screws. All you have to do is follow the manual step by step. To know more about building and buying shelters you can use the internet as there is a lot of information available on this topic.

Since 1991 Park a Bike has represented every bike corrals, Bike Parking Corrals and bike shelter company in the country. With a vast amount of knowledge gained from experience in this industry and from other businesses owned by Bauer, Park a Bike continues its vertical integration from being a distributor to a manufacturer with its own signature product line that adds simplicity, value, and environmentally safe products.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Bike Corrals - Factors to Keep in Mind While Designing




There are number of practices that have been adopted so far when it comes to constructing bike-parking areas. In fact, one of the major concerns for employers is the arrangement of parking space for bikes that are covered by the cycle to work scheme. A few pointers should be kept in mind while planning for the bike parking space. These include:

Visibility:

A cycle parking area should be easy to locate. It is not a good idea to hide the parking area from open view. Positioning the cycle parking area in a corner of the underground car parking space can lead to the staff remaining unaware of its presence. Instead of publicizing its location, it is better that the same is moved to an open location.

Accessibility:

The area for Bike Corrals should be preferably located at a distance of 20m-30m from the office. Making space for it close to the entrance would definitely have a positive impact on the employees and more and more of them would be encouraged to take up the scheme.

Ensuring Complete Safety and Security:

The parking area should be completely secured. Railings should be installed on one end and the bike wheels and frame should be firmly locked with it. The staff using the parking space should feel that their property is completely safe against any kind of security threats. Installation of a CCTV and additional lighting equipment will serve the purpose.

Easy Maintenance and Management

The stands should be strong enough to provide support for all kinds of bikes and be easy to use. A difficult arrangement may dissuade people from opting for the cycle scheme. The cycle stands should have a robust finish so that there are minimum chances of the bike sustaining damage. If possible, employees should be assigned a cycle locker each. It is necessary to monitor the stands regularly so that arrangements can be made in case the space is exhausted or for the removal of bikes that have been abandoned.

Designing a Covered Parking Space:

Instead of arranging for bike parking corrals in the open, it is advisable to develop a covered parking space. You need to ensure that the bikes are protected against all the external elements.

Attractive Parking Equipments

Using attractive parking equipments would definitely add to the appearance of the parking space. It should be of an appropriate size and the color scheme should complement the surroundings.

Proper Entrance to the Parking Area

Cycle parking should be done in accordance with off-road and on-road cycle network. Difficult road conditions should not end up causing barriers to smooth parking. On the contrary, you should make sure that the entrance to the parking area is well planned for the benefit of the cyclists.

It is necessary to ensure that the arrangement for cycle parking does not get in the way of any other activity. If the parking area is appropriately located, there are minimum chances of this getting in the way of any other activity. Therefore, it is necessary that it is located in full view. At the same time, it should not emerge as an obstruction.

The University of Kentucky looks to join the ranks of some of the country's elite bicycle friendly campuses



Sacramento, CA - The University of Kentucky is taking great strides in redeveloping their bicycle parking Infrastructure.The University recently purchased new bicycle racks for the campus and campus housing, which has been planned as a multi phase build project. The new bicycle friendly rack, the Varsity Bike Dock™, comes equipped with a number of unique features and benefits that are sure to be a hit with their campus commuters.
 


The Varsity Bike Dock™,a Park a Bike, inc. product, is both manufactured and distributed in the United States. The unit secures two bicycles and comes equipped with trademarked "Smart Guards", which can easily be defined as a bumper guard of sorts. The Smart Guards have been customized to brand the University bike rack as well as prevent metal to metal contact between the bike and the rack, which helps keep both in better condition. The unit has also been designed to offer simple and intuitive locking through the well positioned locking loops which are sure to help turn the novice bicycle parker into a professional. The locking loops make it simple for commuters to lock both their front wheel and frame to the rack with a recommended U Lock,  which helps increase overall security.


The Unit  also comes equipped with a QR tag on the top of the dock, and when scanned with any smart phone, plays a smart and safe bicycle parking video that not only demonstrates how to properly lock a bike, thwarting would be thieves, but also sends some additional examples of bicycle commuting best practices. QR scanners are easy to find and a quick search on a phones application library will find a number of free QR scanners.


The Varsity Bike Dock™also helps control the bikes footprint with the help of the patented wheel trough. The wheel troughs will not only help secure the bicycles footprint, but they also help prevent the bicycle from slipping or tipping over



The University is making great strides towards becoming a truly bicycle friendly campus. One might not think of bike corrals as much, but giving students a product that functions great, easy to use, and educates - seems to be a pedal in the right direction. To learn more about the Varsity Bike Dock or other innovative covered bicycle parking products designed by Park a Bike, please visit www.parkabike.com or contact us via email at info@parkabike.com.


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