Offering a highly configurable design platform, bike stores can accommodate vertical, semi-vertical, and level housing of bikes to meet user requirements. Ensuring that any bike parking system is both safe and secure for all users and correctly spaced is the primary concern, however, with an extensive variety of bikes on the market, combined with an increased need for innovative bike parking products, choosing the right bike rack that is effective for all users can be a challenging task.
What’s the Difference Between Bike Stands and Racks?
- Bike racks are designed to hold multiple bikes in an in-line racking system, typically in a single-row layout.
- Bike stands are freestanding installations designed for parking of a single or pair of bikes.
The most common example of a bike stand is the traditional Sheffield stand. Named after the city in which it originated, Sheffield stands are cost-effective units offering multiple locking points and suitability for most bike types.
However, it’s worth considering that Sheffield stands are only appropriate for projects where the available footprint is not a limiting factor. If space-efficiency is a primary requirement, bike racks offer a secure solution for users that optimises available space.
What Are the Types of Racks?
Semi-vertical Racks
- Semi-vertical racks offer highly effective footprint utilisation for both width and length, requiring minimal storage depth and enabling bikes to be parked in close proximity to one another. Semi-vertical racks are designed to offer multiple capacity formats, providing an optimum combination of rack cost and the number of bikes stored.
- Semi-vertical racks utilise a trough-like design that supports both the front and rear wheels when in use, while supporting varying wheelbase sizes to be secured. They are ideal for integration in bike stores, however, users are required to lift and bear the weight of the bike in order to secure it safely, which can hinder access for those with mobility restrictions.
Two-tier Racks
- Designed to accommodate parking for the maximum quantity of bikes per square metre, two-tier bike racks enable bikes to be parked and locked across two levels. Where the available footprint is restricted, two-tier racks offer close to double the capacity in the same space, establishing them as an ideal solution for bike parking in high-density settings.
- Two-tier racks will typically have height requirements and are therefore appropriate for bike stores with appropriate dimensions for use with proportional ceiling heights. While some units will be a fixed construction or require users to manually lift the bike in order to securely store it, two-tier racks will often offer an integral gas-assisted lifting system, enabling easier parking of bikes to the upper tier tray. Integral locking frames also enable varying bike sizes to be stored securely.
Specifying Bike Racks With urbanspec
urbanspec advanced manufacturing of high-volume bike parking products enables short lead times and capacity format variations, with all types available from stock as standalone or pre-configured to maximise capacity when incorporated into bike stores. Alongside standard product configurations, urbanspec integrated design and engineering methodology make bespoke bike shelter builds possible within proven design formats.
A substantial resource and knowledge base enables urbanspec to simplify specifications for bike stores and bike racks, utilising CAD models, NBS specifications and datasheets available for download. Supporting CPD programmes provide clarity on the optimal approach to aspects such as security considerations and effective space planning.
