Comparison of bicycle lockup facilities

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

While this is only a rough study of bicycle lockup facilities, the comparison illustrates successful facility designs and strengths/weaknesses of various facilities. Photographs of each facility are included to help the reader evaluate the points described in the table. Research conducted by Jem Berkes

Some observations:

Almost every facility seemed to be low on space, making it unattractive for people to bicycle to work. Bicycle lockup facilities need to be larger.
Good visibility (racks in open areas) are more secure.
Simply bolting down racks would be good step for security.

Location	Visibility	Accessibility	Size of facility	Security / Construction	Notes from users
University of Manitoba beside parkade photo1, photo2	High visibility (high traffic)	Easy access	Large space, but only two racks	Good quality racks, but not bolted down	Racks are full at peak times
University of Manitoba near UMSU patio photo	Very low visibility	Difficult to access (corner)	Small, cramped	Good quality racks, but not bolted down	Insecure ("in the shadows")
Pembina plaza (Future Shop etc.) photo	High visibility	Inconvenient access, major automobile traffic	Very small	Flimsy rack	-
South Pembina Blockbuster photo	High visibility	Easy access	Reasonable for customers	Good quality rack, bolted down	-
Pembina Winnipeg Technical College photo	Low visibility	Reasonable access	Single long rack	Poor - rack not bolted down, corner of parking lot, back alley	-
391 York rear parking photo1, photo2	Low visibility	Reasonable access (parking lot)	8' x 10', caged with multiple racks	Good. Locked partial cage, with parking lot surveillance	"Cramped"... "Actually fits few bicycles"
325 Broadway rear parking photo1, photo2	High visibility	Reasonable access (parking lot)	7' x 11', caged with multiple racks	Excellent. Locked full cage, with parking lot surveillance	"Cramped"
Pioneer and Main rear parking photo1, photo2	Low visibility	Poor accessibility, tight entrance	7' x 30', caged with many racks	Good. Locked partial cage	"Gets very full"... "have to lift bicycles over others"

The purpose of this brief study was not to evaluate which specific location had the 'best' facility, but rather to illustrate some effective design strategies. For example, a good lockup facility might have:

Good quality racks with thick beams
Racks that are bolted down
Good visibility and easy accessibility
Preferably a locked gate, with a complete cage being the best
Surveillance and/or lighting
More space

That last point turned out to be a bit of a surprise. Almost every location I visited was full, and people complained of difficulty squeezing their bikes into cramped facilities.

Another interesting point that came up is that people said they would like to bike to work if it was easier to do so -- i.e. shower facilities inside buildings. Though outside the scope of the study, this reinforces the idea that much can be done to make a new building friendly to cyclists. Namely, shower facilities and spacious, secure lockup racks.