# The office installed a bike rack - I think it was the worst thing they could do



## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

So the higher ups at the office noticed that I occasionally ride my bike to work (mainly they just noticed me parking it in my cubicle). They decided that an outside bike rack would be an excellent idea. I'm glad they had their hearts in the right place, but they installed the cheapest chintzy frailest bike rack they could find. It's the thinnest walled tubing available, it's screwed together, and it's bolted to the concrete through a piece of sheet steel so thin I could cut it with tin snips. I do not feel safe locking my bike to that. I feel it should be at least as secure as the lock I am using, otherwise what's the point?

Plus, now I have to worry about taking off my lights, computer, etc. since it will be parked outside all day. It's right by the back door of the office so there will be a fair number of people seeing it as they head to the smoker's area behind the building but theft only takes a moment.

What should I do? Complain to management about their good intentions? Take 10 seconds to remove the crappy rack and replace it with a sturdy rack secured to the ground so well it's tornado proof? Should I be passive aggressive and just keep carting my bike in to my cube? Should I have posted this in a poll?


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Yes.
..............


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## StageHand (Dec 27, 2002)

Move the rack to your office.


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## L_Johnny (Jul 15, 2006)

did they now require that you must chain it outside? If not, I'd wait it out until they come and ask why you are not locking in outside, then explain?....

Otherwise, just take the rack to your cub...


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I have had people ask me why I don't put my bike in a rack outside. I try by explaining that my lights cost more than any two of the bikes currently locked in the rack outside. Then I get the stare of disbelief in the cost of bike components. I just spend too much on my commuter to leave it outside. In Hawaii, I didn't worry about theft, I worried about my pretty blue bike sitting in the sun all day and ending up a Barney purple. Now I am in the PNW and my bike would sit in the rain all day. I would have to use a cover plus a lock. I keep my bike in my office and encourage the people who work with me and commute to do the same. For a while we had a bike room, but it is currently emptied to install a new LAN server. We will get it back in a month or so. 

Bike racks look good in front of a bike shop or in a park.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

I'm glad you don't work for me.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

I don't lock my bike or use bike racks. Bike goes in the office. Period.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

vandalise it to ,make your point then go and explain the situation.


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## lx93 (Jun 14, 2007)

bigbill said:


> I worried about my pretty blue bike sitting in the sun all day and ending up a Barney purple.


Are you a Barney-hater? Why not show a little Barney tolerance?


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

We've got racks but my bike stays in my office. I won't park it outside unless someone tells me I have to, and so far nobody has.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Always in the office. I used to get a lot of questions, but since it's not in anyone's way it's pretty much part of my furniture now.


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## yetisurly (Sep 30, 2005)

nonsleepingjon said:


> So the higher ups at the office noticed that I occasionally ride my bike to work (mainly they just noticed me parking it in my cubicle). They decided that an outside bike rack would be an excellent idea. I'm glad they had their hearts in the right place, but they installed the cheapest chintzy frailest bike rack they could find. It's the thinnest walled tubing available, it's screwed together, and it's bolted to the concrete through a piece of sheet steel so thin I could cut it with tin snips. I do not feel safe locking my bike to that. I feel it should be at least as secure as the lock I am using, otherwise what's the point?
> 
> Plus, now I have to worry about taking off my lights, computer, etc. since it will be parked outside all day. It's right by the back door of the office so there will be a fair number of people seeing it as they head to the smoker's area behind the building but theft only takes a moment.
> 
> What should I do? Complain to management about their good intentions? Take 10 seconds to remove the crappy rack and replace it with a sturdy rack secured to the ground so well it's tornado proof? Should I be passive aggressive and just keep carting my bike in to my cube? Should I have posted this in a poll?




Lock your bike to it.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

I went through this with management at my old job. They didn't want me taking my bike indoors--I kept up the pressure and when we moved to a new building they allowed me to dedicate the back room to daytime bike storage. We had to carry our bikes up the stairs though. They wouldn't let us use the elevator.


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

In my current office building the first 4 floors above street level are a parking garage. There are good, secured bike racks at each level, and bikes are parked at each level. The garage is open to the public, but is mainly used by workers in & visitors to this building. It's dry and feels reasonable secure to me. I always park on the top (fourth) floor thinking that there are 3 other floors of bikes before this one. It's a nice ride up and down each day. I'd be MUCH less comfortable about parking on the sidewalk in front of the building.


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## bwana (Feb 4, 2005)

We have <400 people in a building that at one time held over 1000. There are only a handful of people that ride to work, and we have to keep our bikes outside. The building itself is in dire need of overhaul, there are huge unused spaces, but someone in security is concerned about the safety aspects of having bikes inside. Evidently this moron thinks we will be riding through the halls. I've had a car stolen from the parking lot, I'm hoping that I don't have my bike stolen as well. The bike rack can't be seen by anyone in the building, but the shoppers that frequent the Lowe's next door drive by it all day. I use the beefiest lock of the bunch, so hopefully I'm the least attractive target. So far the worst that has happened is somebody (a co-worker I'm sure) decided to pour a soda on my u lock. If I ever find out who did that, they will find something much worse on their car door handle.


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## lx93 (Jun 14, 2007)

bwana said:


> So far the worst that has happened is somebody (a co-worker I'm sure) decided to pour a soda on my u lock.


Could it be possible that this is the latest attempt to defeat bike U-locks?


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## yakky (May 7, 2008)

Keep bringing it in, if they force you to park outside, ask if they will guarantee the bike racks integrity.


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## snapdragen (Jan 28, 2004)

The bike racks at my office are over next to the methadone clinic.


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## vinistois (Sep 15, 2008)

Go at night, steal the bike rack, take it to the metal recycler. Problem solved. When they put one in that you can't steal, then bingo, problem solved again!


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## giro_man (Oct 29, 2003)

"What should I do?" ... From what you have described, it has yet to become an issue. You have not been consulted about your need nor have you been given a directive on what to do with your bike. Continue to bring your bicycle indoors until someone makes an issue of it. If it becomes an issue, be prepared to give an explanation. If you are willing to leave your bike outside but with a sturdier, more secure rack then do the homework that the purchasing agent failed to do; ie. source and price the suitable alternative and demonstrate the acceptable alternative with a picture. In effect, you are providing a solution to a problem.

"Complain to management about their good intentions?" ... "complain" is the wrong approach; proposing a solution is the better approach. If you feel that your bicycle is going to become an issue, then be proactive and approach management with your proposal. Alternatively, if your organization has an employee suggestion box, use it.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

giro_man said:


> "What should I do?" ... From what you have described, it has yet to become an issue. You have not been consulted about your need nor have you been given a directive on what to do with your bike. Continue to bring your bicycle indoors until someone makes an issue of it. If it becomes an issue, be prepared to give an explanation. If you are willing to leave your bike outside but with a sturdier, more secure rack then do the homework that the purchasing agent failed to do; ie. source and price the suitable alternative and demonstrate the acceptable alternative with a picture. In effect, you are providing a solution to a problem.
> 
> "Complain to management about their good intentions?" ... "complain" is the wrong approach; proposing a solution is the better approach. If you feel that your bicycle is going to become an issue, then be proactive and approach management with your proposal. Alternatively, if your organization has an employee suggestion box, use it.


You are correct - complain is the wrong word. I would try to bring it up diplomatically, but I think it would sound like complaining to them seeing as they went to the trouble of purchasing a rack and having it installed. 

If I'd had a little forethought, I would have taken control of the situation from the beginning and asked to designate a cubicle for bike parking. Or, at least recommended a bike rack - except I didn't realize they made them as non-secure as this one.

I also don't want to generate any ill-will with coworkers as the rack is taking up a covered parking spot right next to the door. If I don't use it, they might start asking why a perfectly good spot is taken up by something that isn't even used - and when they see a bike parked in my cube, that irritation would have a focal point.


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## wankski (Jul 24, 2005)

yeah not good... man... i understand expensive bikes, and lights even... but an expensive - commuter - ??? i don't get it...

mine's a POS i kinda hope some1 will steal. So far, no such luck.... it's just easier not having to care. I mean, what do u do when u go shopping? go down to the pub at night? meh, i just lock it to a sign post if i have to!

It's not i don't respect my wheels - I love my MTB and roadie like u wouldn't believe... no wait... u ppl prolly do :thumbsup:


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Secure?*



nonsleepingjon said:


> ...I do not feel safe locking my bike to that. I feel it should be at least as secure as the lock I am using, otherwise what's the point?


Can you use the rack but lock your bike to something secure? Nearby post? Use a concrete drill and put a solid eye or U bolt into the concrete so you have something secure to lock your bike to?


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

nonsleepingjon said:


> You are correct - complain is the wrong word. I would try to bring it up diplomatically, but I think it would sound like complaining to them seeing as they went to the trouble of purchasing a rack and having it installed.
> 
> 
> > I'm wondering who picked out the rack and who was consulted on the purchase. A better rack with better security and a possibly lower price and lower maintenance aspect might have been available if they'd asked around instead of taking advice from someone with no apparent real knowledge of bicycle security. But now you're sort of in a danged if you do and danged if you don't situation. You can't use the rack if you're uncomfortable with the security and location of it, and you can't really say anything about it without it sounding like you're complaining about it.
> ...


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## superjohnny (May 16, 2006)

We have covered bike parking at my building, but my bike is parked right outside my cube. Unless someone makes a big stink about it it'll stay there, but I am lucky in that my work is very supportive and wouldn't ask me to move it unless it was a nuisance. Not allowing bikes on the elevator is petty.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*bring it in*

I would simply keep bringing it in until they raise the issue. If they do, tell them that it's a $3000 bike, with components that can easily be ripped off, and that it most certainly would be stolen if left outside. Ask them if they would be willing to cover the cost if it is stolen or damaged. Might also ask if there is another secure place you can store it, if not in your office.


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## biknben (Jan 28, 2004)

nonsleepingjon said:


> now I have to worry about taking off my lights, computer, etc. since it will be parked outside all day. It's right by the back door of the office so there will be a fair number of people seeing it as they head to the smoker's area behind the building but theft only takes a moment.


Your situation sounds strangely similar to mine. I leave my bike outside in our loading area. There is an L-shaped chain-link fence around the area. I just lean it up against the fence. The smokers walk by it all day. I leave my $5K bike there _unlocked_. I just don't worry about it much.


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## Brad2021hk (Nov 23, 2005)

wankski said:


> yeah not good... man... i understand expensive bikes, and lights even... but an expensive - commuter - ??? i don't get it...
> 
> mine's a POS i kinda hope some1 will steal. So far, no such luck.... it's just easier not having to care. I mean, what do u do when u go shopping? go down to the pub at night? meh, i just lock it to a sign post if i have to!
> 
> It's not i don't respect my wheels - I love my MTB and roadie like u wouldn't believe... no wait... u ppl prolly do :thumbsup:


Some people commute 150 to 200 miles per week and don't want to ride a POS for 90% of there miles. Some people also commute at night or in the rain or both and don't want to deal with problems on a POS commuter bike. Some people aren't mechanically inclined enough to fix and get good deals on parts for a POS commuter bike, making it about the same price as a newer commuter. Some people only have enough room to keep one bike, so they use that bike for commuting and everything else. It's pretty easy to come up with scenarios where your way doesn't work for everyone. My commuter, which gets twice the miles of my road bike, ended up with all the good parts. 

My office has these nice boxes you can lock your bike in. You don't have to carry the bike inside, and you don't have to worry about leaving your accessories on the bike. It's also out of the rain. You provide your own padlock. I use one of those round master locks. The boxes fill up, which encourages me to get to the office at a reasonable hour. I think CARB (California) paid for or subsidized these boxes. If you live in a state with such a subsidy program, you might want to research it and present it to the site manager. The company might be able to work towards some "bike friendly" status which they can advertise in the community. The showed some, at least half-hearted, interest in being bike friendly.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

I would send a thoughtful memo/email to management explaining your problems with the rack.

As for your lights, etc., that might just be something you have to deal with.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

treebound said:


> I might suggest bringing in a bait bike and locking it to the new rack with an inexpensive cable lock like one would find at a department store sporting goods department and see how long the bait bike and accessories remain intact or in place without theft or vandalism. Move the bike a few spaces each day to make it look like someone is riding it in each day. A cheap generator light taken off a rummage sale bike and a cheap or broken bike computer would work as bait for accessories. Throw on a cheap old pump as well and a tool bag with a couple of tools in it just to see how long those items last as well.


A bait bike is an interesting idea and it might help coworkers deal with their precious parking spot being taken up. But, a lack of theft today does not prove tomorrow's security.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

Brad2021hk said:


> Some people commute 150 to 200 miles per week and don't want to ride a POS for 90% of there miles. Some people also commute at night or in the rain or both and don't want to deal with problems on a POS commuter bike. Some people aren't mechanically inclined enough to fix and get good deals on parts for a POS commuter bike, making it about the same price as a newer commuter. Some people only have enough room to keep one bike, so they use that bike for commuting and everything else. It's pretty easy to come up with scenarios where your way doesn't work for everyone. My commuter, which gets twice the miles of my road bike, ended up with all the good parts.


I don't have a spectacular commuter, but it's not a POS either. I threw a rack and some bags on my old low end mountain bike and started riding it. But, the bike was $450 new, plus a $40 rack, plus a $100 set of bags, plus pedals, plus lights, plus a cheapy computer, plus various components like handlebars and cranks that I have upgraded over the years and it would easily be $700 or more just to replace my current set up. That's just not in the budget at this point.


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## Brad2021hk (Nov 23, 2005)

nonsleepingjon said:


> I don't have a spectacular commuter, but it's not a POS either. I threw a rack and some bags on my old low end mountain bike and started riding it. But, the bike was $450 new, plus a $40 rack, plus a $100 set of bags, plus pedals, plus lights, plus a cheapy computer, plus various components like handlebars and cranks that I have upgraded over the years and it would easily be $700 or more just to replace my current set up. That's just not in the budget at this point.


Glad you like your commuter, but what's your point? I don't think anyone called it a POS or anything. Certainly, no one even implied that a converted mountain bike is a POS commuter. Some other poster said his commuter was a POS and that one should only use a POS for a commuter bike. That's absurd. 

If you were trying to point out that by the time you take any bike, including an old bike, and upgrade it to the level of a good reliable distance commuter it isn't going to be POS and needs to be secure...I agree with you.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

Brad2021hk said:


> Glad you like your commuter, but what's your point? I don't think anyone called it a POS or anything. Certainly, no one even implied that a converted mountain bike is a POS commuter. Some other poster said his commuter was a POS and that one should only use a POS for a commuter bike. That's absurd.
> 
> If you were trying to point out that by the time you take any bike, including an old bike, and upgrade it to the level of a good reliable distance commuter it isn't going to be POS and needs to be secure...I agree with you.



I probably should have replied to the poster you were replying to - I was agreeing with you and pointing out that even a budget level bike can be a sizable investment.


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