Effective Placing And Spacing For Bike Racks

By Author: Tony Scott
Total Articles: 15
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When you need to space and place bike racks, it’s important to know how they will actually be used in practice. We need to lock bikes for security, but we also need them to be safe from damage and ensure that others can pass through the space. If the bike rack is encroaching on a pedestrian area, people can easily become snagged on parts or even trip and hurt themselves. Let’s take a closer look at some of the issues involved when you place and space a bike rack at your location.

General Principles Explained

When you space a bike rack, the optimum spacing should be 1.2m, but in tighter spaces, it could be a minimum of 0.92m. This should be measured from the direct centre of the bike rack to the nearest obstacle. A bike rack should not be closer than 0.6m to a wall or 0.45m from a road kerb edge. Optimal placement should be as near as possible to the destination that people want to reach. So, place a bike should be placed within 7.2m of the destination and certainly no further than 22.5m away. Placing a bike rack too far away defeats the purpose of installation, and it should be avoided.

Considering Walkway ...
... Widths

A path for pedestrians should be at least 2.5m wide if you want to install a bike rack there. This is necessary to allow a sufficient passing area that’s free from obstructions (including locked bikes) and cyclists attending to locking and moving bikes on and off the rack.

A minimum distance of 0.91m should be maintained between the bike rack edge and any nearby street furniture, such as sign posts, street lights, rubbish bins, and tree trunks.

A minimum distance of 1.2m should be maintained between the bike rack edge and any access points, such as ramps, driveways, entrances, bus shelters, loading zones, and fire hydrant covers.

The bike racks should never be located directly in front of an entrance to a building where they could impede the flow of pedestrian foot traffic. Never place a bike rack near or in front of a disabled parking space where more room may be needed for wheelchairs or other equipment.

Placement Parallel to a Road Curb

A minimum pedestrian path corridor of 2.4m wide needs to be maintained and the bike racks should be installed in line with other street furnishings in the area, such as benches, sign posts, and street lights. The ideal placement for a bike rack should be 1.8m away from the curb, but a minimum distance of 0.45m may be possible in certain circumstances. If you have multiple bike racks installed in an end to end configuration, a distance of 1.8m between each bike rack is optimal, and any spacing less than 1.5m is not recommended.

If they are looking for a high quality bike rack, Perth based business owners and property managers should get in touch with Image Bollards today.

Image Bollards was first established in 1994 by Managing Director Tony Scott. The Western Australian company specialises in installing, supplying and maintaining security bollards, vehicle access and control systems as well street furniture. With over 25 years of industry experience, Image Bollards comprises a team of dedicated professionals who ensure that any client receives only the very best of service.