Bike racks maybe installed at the request of and the specifications of citizens and property/ business owners.  However, the responsibility for the bicycles parked in these areas remains the responsibility of the owners.

1. Bike racks maybe installed in public spaces and generally over six feet off sidewalks.   These bike racks need to be situated providing adequate clearance from curb ramps and crosswalks, street furniture, driveways and parked cars.
2. Bike racks could also be placed close to building entrances, without causing obstruction to pedestrians.
3. If there are no alternative locations, bike racks may be set up in bus stops or loading zones provided however, that the bike racks do not impede boarding or loading patterns.
4. Bike racks found on private property are commonly paid for by the landlord. 

 

The legislation of San Francisco allows bicycle to be parked in all city-owned garages and privately-owned garages that rent automobile space.  An increasing number of cities such as Palo Alto and Santa Cruz have a bike parking regulations linked to their car parking regulations.

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) has been quite successful in installing around 3000 bike racks and lockers in a number of places around the community.  Seattle WA has succeeded in getting 1600 bike racks installed for the purpose of short-terms parking in business locations.

A number of methods can be employed when determining where to install bike racks.  Nearly all bike racks that are sited with bicyclist input are being heavily used.  The best means of finding out where to situate bike racks are:
- Spaces where bikes are parked illegally owing to lack of legal parking
- Cyclists could be asked to list down the most needed spots for parking
- Clothing stores, eateries, bookstores and video arcades
- In close proximity to businesses where customers and employees alike could conveniently park their bikes
Once a location to install bike racks has been decided upon, the appropriate style of bike rack and the number of bike racks to be put in have to be determined.  The following could be considered when deciding upon the exact type of bicycle device to install:

1. A highly visible location for a bike rack not only helps the biker spot the location when he arrives, but also reduces the chances of theft and vandalism.  It is best to avoid unsupervised parking structures or garages.
2. The area selected for parking of bikes should be easily accessible (building entrances and street access).  It is best to avoid locations where bicycles are required to travel over stairs.
3. In order to ensure the security of the bikes, parking within the view of offices, passer-bys etc. is best.  It is better if the services of building security or the like could be obtained.
4. Well lit bicycle parking areas prevent theft and accidents.
5. Weather protection is another important consideration when deciding where to locate parking areas.  A covered walkway or a roof attached to an existing building would ensure that the bikes remain protected during periods of bad weather.
6. One should be very careful not to obstruct the path of pedestrians when locating bike racks.  Here, special consideration should be given to selecting a rack that has no protruding bars that could injure pedestrians. 
7. In order to avoid conflict with automobiles, bicycle parking should be separated from the parking areas of autos.  Having a physical barrier separating the two areas would prevent damage to bicycles from motor vehicles. 

It should be noted that that simpler bike parking devices could be used when parking is for short periods and at secure locations. 

BICYCLE PARKING

If the bicycle is being parked for a short period of time, its frame and wheels could be locked.  One would require a chain of 6 feet to lock both wheels.  A simple device for parking bicycles in public places is a hitching post type of bike rack.  This type of bike rack would have two vertical posts with a horizontal bar between them.  The bike can be leaned against this hitching post and locked up.

For medium term parking a biker would be required to lock the frame and both wheels with a user-provided lock.  Bike racks designed for the purpose would involve something that clamps the bicycle and also a cage that helps protect the lock from outside force.  Owing to its design, these bike racks might be a little less user friendly and also end up scratching the bikes.  This type of bike racks, however, might not be appropriate for all types of bicycles such as recumbants, kids’ bikes and tandems. 

The facilities provided for long term parking focus mainly on theft protection of the entire bicycle including its components and accessories.  Making sure your bike is securely parked for a long time can be achieved by enclosed lockers which maybe accessed only by the user.  Continuously monitored facilities would also provide protection, together with restricted access facilities in which short term type bike racks are made available and access is restricted only to the owners of the bicycles stored in the bike racks.

Bicycle lockers are usually as strong as door locks.  They provide security to the panniers, computers, lights etc. on the bikes.  Some lockers can be stacked so as to provide double parking density and better weather protection.  Bike lockers are mostly used for long term parking areas with a lot of continuous oversight.

Parking areas for bicycles could be publicized by painting the bike racks in prominent eye-catching, colors so that they can be easily noticed by fellow cyclists and pedestrians.   Further, signs could be used to direct cyclists to the relevant area where the bike racks are located.