Bicycle Parking in Europe
This story map serves as an introduction to types of outdoor bike parking using examples seen in Sweden and Denmark.
Double Decker
Uppsala Central Station in Uppsala, Sweden is the main public transportation hub for this large college town. Many residents will bike to the station to commute to Stockholm or other nearby areas. In such high density areas, double decker parking structures are a great way to provide large amounts of relatively secure parking spaces in a small footprint, such as a train station or a shopping mall. The upper rack may be difficult for a child or a short adult to load and unload their bikes on to. (Photo: Victoria Fong)
Wall Mounted
Wall mounted racks are one of the cheapest way to provide bike parking. It is an easy target for bike thieves because only the front wheel can be locked easily with a U-lock meaning that the frame and rear can be removed without cutting the lock. In Copenhagen, this type of storage system seemed the most common. Strangely enough, most bikes only use a frame mounted lock for the back tire. One of our classmates got their bike stolen when using this type of rack. (Photo: Victoria Fong)
Floor Mounted and Free Standing Ladder
Similar to the wall mounted design, the floor mounts are cheap to install but provide little security. This style of bike storage allows for more orderly arrangements of bikes on a sidewalk. (Photo: Victoria Fong)
Sheffield Racks
Sheffield Racks, also called U-Racks, allow a biker to lock the wheel to the frame with ease. This design will support the weight of the bike and prevent knocked over bikes due to strong winds. Unlike a floor mounted or wall mounted rack, a Sheffield Rack has a higher profile, allowing for the potential for decorated designs. This type of rack is the preferred rack for temporary outdoor parking. (Photo: Victoria Fong)
Can You Identify the Rack Types featured on the Map?
Conclusion
Both Stockholm and Copenhagen have an impressive amount of bikers. We have a lot to learn from their examples. The types of bike storage may not be different from the ones that exist in Davis, California, but the key difference is in the thoughtful placement. The racks are not on the streetside where a car door could hit it, but rather in convienient areas away from the primary traffic. The racks have high visibility with few abandonded bikes in sight. The Europeans are dedicated to their ethos of promoting bike culture. In the United States, biking is viewed as inconvienient. The first step to making biking mainstream in America is to make it safe for people to use their bikes by installing safe bike parking, bike lanes, bike/pedestrian only bridges, etc. As the population in cities grow, the number of available spaces for cars to drive and cars to park will shrink. Automation in cars is a someday. Bikes in cities can be a today.
