Bicycle Parking at the Workplace
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BICYCLE PARKING AT THE WORKPLACE
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction 1
Class I Parking 1
Class II Parking 5
Class III Parking 3
Location of Parking Facilities 11
Building Your Own Bike Rack Appendix A
Getting to Work by Bicycle Appendix B
The list of products and manufacturers herein is not intended to be
inclusive, nor to endorse any product or manufacturer. It is for
information only, and will be amended from time to time as
additional information is obtained on new or other products and
manufacturers.
This publication has been produced for the use of area firms by the
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning
agency for the 101 cities and towns in the Boston metropolitan
area. Funds for this publication were provided through Grant MA-
19-0013 of the Environmental Protection Agency's Section 175 Air
Quality program, administered through the Urban Class
Transportation Administration. This program has allowed MAPC to
explore bicycle commuting as one means of reducing air pollution in
the Boston metropolitan area. Bicycle commuting offers other
advantages - reduced parking space needs, improved employee health
and efficiency, and a decrease in traffic congestion.
In its brochure, Bicycle Commuting: A Guide For Employers, MAPC
has identified incentives employers can offer to encourage bicycle
commuting. A free copy of this brochure may be obtained by
contacting MAPC, 110 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108,
(617) 451-2770.
Some of the information in this pamphlet was obtained from:
Bicycle Parking by Ellen Fletcher, 777-108 San Antonio Road,
Palo Alto, California, 1983.
Bicycle Parking in Indianapolis by County of Indianapolis Marion,
IN, 1981.
This document was written by William Schwartz, MAPC Transportation
Planner.
Introduction
The lack of secure parking facilities at the workplace is a
deterrent to bicycle commuting. By providing secure bicycle
parking at your plant or office, you can encourage employees to
ride to work by bike. There is a wide array of equipment available
for storing bicycles, providing different levels of security and
protection from the elements. These are divided into three classes
as follows:
High security, long term parking which offers complete
protection from theft, vandalism and weather. Bike lockers
or attended covered parking are examples.
Medium security parking which protects against theft but not
against weather or vandalism. Both wheels and the frame are
secured to the rack or post with a simple user supplied lock,
but without the need for cables or chains supplied by the
user.
Minimum security "bike racks" or fixed objects that protect
against theft but only in conjunction with a user-supplied
cable, chain and lock. Racks are more likely to cause damage
to bikes due to crowding.
Class I Parking
This is the most secure type of bike storage since bikes are
protected from both theft and inclement weather. These facilities
are best for commuters who must leave their bicycles for long
periods of time. There are several types of Class I facilities,
all offering similar high levels of protection at varying costs.
These include:
FACILITY/EQUIPMENT TYPE COST
Inside Storage Facility
The bicyclist may bring the bike inside the building No Cost
and store it next to or near his/her desk.
Also, the employer can set aside a locked closet
for bicycles issuing keys to users. Varies
Monitored Parking
This is a facility usually under constant The cost of the
surveillance located adjacent to a parking rack is the only
attendant booth in a garage or under another real cost of
form of surveillance. The actual equipment this facility.
can be a bike rack of Class II variety.
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FACILITY/EQUIPMENT TYPE (Continued) Cost
Check-In Service
This is an attended bike parking facility Minimal if attendant
operated in a manner similar to a coat already available
check room in a restaurant. and performing
other tasks.
Bicycle Lockers
These are fully enclosed lockers made available $225-$1000
to bicycle users. The lockers may be placed per bicycle
outside, hold 2 bikes each, are very secure and space
are one of the most popular means of storage.
Each locker has a separate bicycle space.
Available Class I Bicycle Parking Equipment
Manufacturer-
Name Address Model Price Notes
Bike Lokr Bike Lockers, LTD M-2 $400.00 per unit - Standard
(see below) P.O.Box 445 (2 bicycles) double
W. Sacramento, CA compart-
95691 mented,
(916) 372-6620) weather
resistant
bicycle
locker.
East Coast Representative: $345 per unit - Holds two
Morton Booth Company for 20-49 units. bicycles.
P.O. Box 123
Joplin, MO 64801
Attention: Dave Ruff
(417) 673-1962 - Comes with
7 pin tub-
ular key
locks.
- May be
purchased
with
aluminum
casting
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Class I Parking Equipment (Continued)
Manufacturer-
Name Address Model Price Notes
Bike Stable Bike Stable Co. $1,000 per unit - Enclosed
(not pictured) P.O.Box 1402 bicycle
South Bend, IN locker,
46624 holds on
(219) 233-7060 bicycle
(hanging
by front
wheel)
Cycle-Safe Cycle-Safe Division 1 $630.00 per unit - Double
Philip Johnson Corp. (2 bicycles) compart-
326 Terminal St., SW mented
Grand Rapids, MI 46508 Bicycle
locker.
$400.00 per end - Holds
panel kit (re- two bi-
quired for each cycles.
grouping)
- There is
a 6 bike
minimum
order.
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CYCLE SAFE
Class I Bicycle Parking Equipment (Continued)
Manufacturer-
Name Address Model Price Notes
Park 'n' Lock J.G. Wilson Corp. TM-22 $1,975 per unit - This unit
P.O.Box 599 BG (2 bicycles) holds two
Norfolk,VA 23501 bikes
with
indivi-
dual
locking
shutters
(provi-
sion for
(padlock)
Representative:
Pierce Building -Coin/key
Products, Inc. mechanism
212A Mass. Ave is avail-
Arlington,Ma 02174 able for
(617) 648-3207/8 $600
TM-331 $1,681 -Units
with
single
locking
shutter
for 3
bikes
(provi-
sion for
padlock).
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PARK 'N' LOCK BIKE GARAGE
Class II Parking
Class II parking protects bikes from theft by securing both wheels,
yet leaves the bikes exposed to weather. Many types of Class II
bikes exposed to weather. Many types of Class II bike racks, which
should be installed in a conspicuous location, are available on the
market. These vary from a parking meter types of post with an
attached cable to a mechanical device which locks both wheels with
a bar. Some models provide lock shields which restrict access to
the lock and reduce the chances of theft.
Class II Parking Equipment
Parking
Manufacturer- Spaces
Name Address Model Price Per Unit Notes
U-LOK Sunshine Recreation,Inc. ULOK I $39.00 1 -Parking-
31129 Via Colinas meter
Suit 704 mount
Westlake Village,CA ULOK II $79.00 2 -All U-
91362 LOKs
(213) 707-0110 attach to
ULOK III $99.00 4 down tube
of bike
ULOK V $99.00 4 -Space
saver
option
avail-
able
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Rack III 3661 Grand Avenue P $136.00 2 -Device
Oakland,CA 94610 locks
(415) 835-8058 both
wheels
with
metal
bars.
Lock is
shielded
from
theft
Class II Parking Equipment (Continued)
Parking
Manufacturer- Spaces
Name Address Model Price Per Unit Notes
BIKE ROOT Space Lattice Co. Bike Root- $36.00 1 -Bike
14 Avon Place BR1H rack with
Cambridge,MA 02140 cable to
(619) 547-5755 to secure
both
wheels
Bike Root- $240.00 5
BR5H
Bike Wheel- $32.00 1 -Front
Shield wheel
housing
Bike Sky- $15.00 1 -Ceiling
Hook mount ver-
tical bike
storage
Bike Post $40.00 1 -Rack
secures
down tube
and front
wheel
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Other equipment is available from this company
Rally- P.O.Box 299 RR100 $41.50 1 -Lock &
Racks Sonoma,CA 94516 cable
(707) 938-4744 required
RR200 $47.50 1 -Lock only
required
RR300 $98.50 1 -Comes with
wheel
housing
RR400 $264.00 1 -Same as
300 but
with key/
coin system
(minimum of
7 required)
-Model RR100, when not accompanied by the wheel housing
is a Class III device
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Class II Parking Equipment (Continued)
Parking
Manufacturer- Spaces
Name Address Model Price Per Unit Notes
Bike Safe Patterson Williams 1615 $225.00 2 -Secures
P.O.Box 4040 both
Santa Clara,CA 95054 1615 $340.00 5 wheels
(408) 988-3066 without
cables
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Class III Parking
Class III facilities, when used alone, are the least secure method
of storing bicycles. These consist of conventional vertical bar
type racks as well as stationary objects (parking meters, lamp
posts, young trees, etc.). These facilities provide light
security, useful for providing short-term parking. Class III racks
may also be used in a security-enhanced situation such as a
monitored parking facility or a storage closet (see Class I
description).
There are many Class III facilities available on the market. Some
manufacturers are:
Parking
Manufacturer- Spaces
Name Address Model Price Per Unit Notes
Ribbon Brandir International RB-5 $395.00 5 -Modular
Rack 200 Park Avenue unit
Suite 303E RB-7 $485.00 7 secures
New York,NY 10166 frame and
(212) 505-6500 RB-9 $675.00 9 one wheel
RB-11 $765.00 11
Class III Parking Equipment (Continued)
Parking
Manufacturer- Spaces
Name Address Model Price Per Unit Notes
Cycle Bicycle Parking 100 $39.00 1 -No cable
Guard Systems provide
P.O.Box 64 100C $58.00 1 -Cable pro-
Itasca,IL 60413 vided
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Bike Bar Bikeways Products $78.00 2 -Also comes
& 1125 16th Street in larger
Bike Panel Bellingham,WA 98225 $138.00 2 sizes
(206) 671-2583
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BIKE PANEL BIKE BAR
Class III Parking Equipment (Continued)
Parking
Manufacturer- Spaces
Name Address Price Per Unit Notes
Bicycle Hitch-2,Inc. No Price 2 -Model A without
Hitch P.O.Box 7342 Available chains
Philadelphia,PA
19101 -Model B with
(215) 387-4338 chains
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If you have a machine shop and would like to build your own Class
II racks, follow the instructions on the specification sheet
(Appendix A). If you have questions about this design, contact the
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, Room 1309,
Leverett Staltonstall Building, 100 Cambridge Street, Boston
Massachusetts 02202 (617-727-3174).
Location of Parking Facilities
Bicycle parking facilities should be located in highly visible
areas to minimize theft and vandalism. Where feasible, the
facility should be visible to persons in the building and located
at least as closely as the most convenient auto parking. For
general pointers on bicycle commuting, read the enclosed June 8,
1981 article from Business Week.
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Appendix A
SPECIFICATIONS FOR BUILDING YOUR OWN BICYCLE RACK
Designed by Robert Freedman
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management
Telephone: 727-3174
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1. 2" nominal standard weight pipe.
2. Pipe and horizontal rod to be hot-dipped galvanized and "Color
Galv" - black (lustreless).
3. Two "Coily Cables" (preformed plastic-coated 1/2" steel cable,
each 3/8" x 6'0", to be attached to horizontal rod by looping
one end around rod and securing it by crimping an aluminum
sleeve. Loop free end and secure loop in same manner. Eye-
of-loop to accept 1 1/2" x 1/8" bar stock.
4. All edges deburred and no sharp edges, welding spatter or
slag. Connections to be workmanlike and neat.
5. Each pipe leg set in poured concrete (see Detail A). Minimum
of 6" of concrete surrounding each leg.
6. Bicycle racks in groups of two or more shall be set parallel
to each other and spaced 4' apart (o.c.) (see Detail B).
APPENDIX B
Personal
businessA BUSINESS WEEK SUPPLEMENT
Reprinted from the June 8, 1981 issue of Business Week with special
permission, (c) 1981, McGraw-Hill, Inc.
If you are looking for some healthy exercise in the open air, why
not combine it with gasoline conservation and join the estimated 1
million Americans who commute to their jobs by bicycle?
The idea is not nearly as daunting as you might think. If you
live within 10 mi. of your office (the average commute is less than
6 mi.), biking is distinctly plausible-30 min. to 40 min. of
relatively unhurried pedaling. If you plan your route carefully,
you won't even work up a sweat. And if you commute by suburban
train or intercity bus, a bike is often and ideal substitute for
the station car. Some California cities - notably San Diego-even
have bike racks on the backs of some buses, so you can take your
wheels along with you. Commuters use them to get across the
Coronado Bay Bridge, which bans bicycle traffic. Lincoln, Neb., is
trying out the system, and so is Fairfield, Conn. Seattle has some
buses fitted with front racks that carry two bikes.
You don't have to be especially athletic to bike to the
office, although the few hardy souls who wheel to work 20 mi. away
through all sorts of weather and traffic are generally constructed
of seasoned hickory and stainless steel cable. Most experts
counsel you not to be concerned much about physical condition. If
you buy a machine from a professional bike shop that fits you
properly, adjusting the seat height and handlebars for comfort and
efficiency, you should have little trouble. If terrain is hilly, a
10-speed bike of the type that made bicycling popular nearly a
decade ago will smooth out the grades. If your area is flat, a
three-speed unit - an older type with the gears tucked into the
rear hub - is perfectly adequate, easier to maintain, and less
attractive to thieves. Some short-run commuter pedal along on
ungeared, balloon-tired antiques with the kind of coaster brakes
that require you to reverse the pedals to stop, and they are
perfectly happy.
Getting to work by bicycle
The key is not the kind of bike you get-something between $200
and $300 will be sturdy enough to take the punishment of commuting,
and light enough (28 lb. to 35 lb.) to save you a lot of effort.
What counts in bike commuting is the amount of planning you put
into it. Don't undertake a commute that will give you a real
workout unless you have access to a shower and a change of clothes
at the end of it. Robert S. Williamson, a Boston architect and
bicycle enthusiast, thinks that under an hour at moderate speeds on
reasonably flat terrain is about as strenuous as you'll want to get
and that a 5 mi. run is ideal-enough to be useful as exercise but
not enough to ruin your day's grooming. That length of trip is
also reasonably time-competitive with other transportation modes.
Most bicycle commutes, in fact, are less than 3 mi., says Ralph
Hirsch, legislative director of the League of American Wheelmen.
Work out your route, and work it out in advance, says Peter A.
Campagna, president of the Boston Area Bicycle Coalition, one of
the most active of regional bike promotion groups. Most routes
are, of course, less than ideal, and you have to figure the
tradeoffs-avoiding hills or avoiding traffic, swapping the direct
route for the safest route. "one key," says Campagna, "is the
width of the street and the extent of double parking. For that,
Minneapolis is nice, Boston is not."
Making your way
For safety's sake, figure where you must make road crossings.
If it's heavily traveled, don't be ashamed to climb down from your
bike and walk across. And if carbon monoxide bothers you, work out
alternate routes on quieter streets with less traffic.
The pollution problem by the way, is subject to much
controversy in the bicycle world. Some bikers use industrial
filter masks similar to the ones supplied to workers and patrolmen
in vehicular tunnels. Others don't bother, on the ground that
motorists probably suffer a higher concentration of exhaust
pollutants in their blood than cyclists, who at least are out in
the open.
High-traffic streets are not significantly more dangerous than
low-traffic streets, by the way. One study raises the likelihood
of having an accident on a busy road by about 25%, far below what
you'd expect. And the real fear in heavy traffic - being hit from
the rear - is mostly unfounded. Only 4% of bike-car collisions are
of that type. Most of them are on turns at intersections, and some
really grisly accidents occur when a parked motorist suddenly
swings open the door and the cyclist hits it. That's when a helmet
comes in handy, since you are likely to go loop-the-loop and land
on your head.
Curiously, those fearsome freeways are probably safer than any
street - wide, smooth, flat shoulders, easy grades, limited access,
and good distance from motorized traffic. Unfortunately, most
limited access highways - except in California - ban bikes.
Whatever your route, work it out and stick to it, even if it
gets dull. "The safest cycling records are held by commuters" says
James C. McCullagh, editor and publisher of Bicycling magazine.
"They travel the same route repeatedly, so they know where the
dangers are and what to avoid."
If you are a novice, get to know your bicycle and ride around
your neighborhood to get comfortable on your vehicle. Your goal is
confidence and control. If your bike has the tricky 10-speed gears
mounted on the tube just above the front wheel, get to the point
where you can reach down and shift without taking your eyes off the
road. If you are short you may be wise to have your bike fitted
with the flat, flaring touring handlebars instead of the dropped,
down-curving
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racing bars. Since the brake levers are mounted at the grips, you
won't have to lunge for them.
Before you take off for the day, test your bike. Make sure
the wheels aren't brushing the metal forks that hold them in place.
Make sure the brakes are positioned right. Squeeze the tires.
They should be hard for a stable ride. Last of all, counsel the
experts, lift the machine and it up and down a few times- gently.
You'd be surprised how often bits and pieces fall off.
Carry some tools: a European-type pump is essential- the
tubular kind that operates like a slide trombone and is clipped to
the down tube. (Don't forget to take it with you when you park;
thieves love tire pumps.) Also essential is a patch kit, a set of
bicycle tire irons, each about the size of a coffee spoon, an
adjustable crescent wrench, and a screw driver. Bolts and screws
are forever loosening under the impact of potholes and curbs. And
carry a pair of cotton work gloves, since bicycles are some of the
all-time-great grease carriers, especially around the drive chain
and gear assembly. There's nothing messier than trying to free a
chain that's wedged in the gears of a 10-speed bicycle. Keep your
bike oiled, and get it in for service periodically. The critical
parts: gears and gear changer, which pick up a shocking amount of
grit from the road, wheels and spokes that go out of true, worn
brake pads.
Learn how to change a flat tire. Most reputable bike shops
will teach you on a slow day. If you really don't want to be
bothered, consider some of the new air-less tires- actually solid
rubber or foam tubes filled with trapped air cells that tuck into
the tire. There's nothing to puncture, but the ride is considered
stiff and jolting.
Act like a vehicle
On the road, says Janet Weinberg, a planner who is executive
director of Transportation Alternatives, an organization dedicated
to improving bike transportation in New York City, "act like a
vehicle." What that means is to obey traffic signals, stop signs,
and one-way restrictions. Some cyclists believe they are safer if
they travel against the traffic, since they can see oncoming
traffic, and be seen. Experts disagree. A motorist turning into
an intersection doesn't expect to be confronted with a bicycle. Go
with the flow, and act predictably. If there's one rule of the
road for cyclists, it's signal! Tell motorists where you're going.
A danger spot is at intersections, where turning cars tend to cut
you off.
If you're like most bicycle commuters, your real problems
begin after your trip is over. What do you do with your bicycle?
Although bicycle organizations have had some success with
municipalities and companies since gasoline began its appalling
price rise in 1974, biking is still not taken very seriously as
alternative transportation. Accommodation for bicycle parking,
even in the form of the most primitive racks, are still relatively
rare: New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and such college
communities as Madison, Wis., and Davis, Calif., have reasonably
successful programs. But in plenty of cities and suburban office
complexes, cyclists get short shrift.
Sometimes it's just a matter of inertia, and a little pressure
on your company will produce at least a bank of outdoor bicycle
racks. Better than that are the lockable racks with a sliding pin
that secures both front wheel and frame. And best of all are the
bike lockers that are sprouting around the country, both at transit
station and in office buildings, in places such as Washington, D.C.
The lockers are low metal containers with lockable doors. You back
your bike in and slam the door. The locker system works best if
you are permitted to lease the locker by the year. That way, you
keep it locked even when you're not using it. Lockers left open
tend to get vandalized.
In fact, everything connected with bicycle storage is subject
to vandalism and theft, and it constitutes the biggest headache in
bike commuting. So if you must leave your bike parked outside,
take the pump, the tool kit, and if possible, the headlight with
you. Get a good lock. Most chains are surprisingly vulnerable,
and so are many locks. Most experts swear by the U-shaped metal
shackle locks under the Citadel and Kryptonite 4 brand names. They
are reasonably impervious to cutting and smashing, and they weigh
less than a really awesome chain-and lock set.
If you have a 10-speed bike with the standard quick-release
front wheel, pull
the wheel when you park, set it by the rear wheel, and thread the
lock through both wheels, the frame, and the parking stanchion. Or
just carry the front wheel up to your office.
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There's one other solution to the parking problem, of course:
the folding bicycle. Folders are odd-looking things. They have
small wheels, very tall seat tubes and handlebar stems, and some
kind of arrangement that permits the frame to fold at a center
hinge. They enjoyed some vogue in cities in the early 1970s, but
the Consumer Product Safety Commission decided that they failed to
meet some safety standards (for one thing, they occasionally folded
up on you when you hit a bump). As a result, folders virtually
disappeared. Now, a second generation is starting to hit the
market, most of them imported. They weigh anywhere from 20 lb. to
35 lb., fold into and amazingly compact space, and generally come
with a carrying bag and a shoulder strap. You can ride to the
train station, carry on your two-wheeled bundle with impunity,
unfold it for the trip to the office, stuff it back in its bag, and
take it upstairs.
And if you don't want to go to all the trouble, do what a lot
of commuters do: Buy a used junk bike for $50, get it in shape
mechanically but leave the paint all scratched. You'll have
something serviceable that no one wants to steal.
A guide to bike safety equipment
Bicycle equipment makers are well aware that bike riders are, with
reason, obsessed with safety. And to cater to that obsession, bike
shops can supply you with a seemingly endless array of clothing and
accessories that you can put on, paste on, clip on, or bolt on. If
you purchase all the gear and festoon it about your person and your
machine, you will end up an object of curiosity and derision, and a
distraction to the very motorists you want to ward off.
But a rock-bottom minimum of safety equipment is essential if
you want to stay out of trouble on the road. First of all, wear a
helmet. When bike riders die in accidents (and most fatalities
involve an automobile), 80% of the deaths result from head
injuries. Any bike shop has a selection of padded helmets made of
high-impact plastic, but there's not a lot to choose from among
them. Stay away from those swashbuckling racer's helmets that
resemble a row of leather sausages stitched together. Serious
bikers refer to them as "leather hairnets," and they are just about
as useful in a fall. They were developed in Europe for indoor
racing on a banked wooden track, and they are protection only
against abrasive skid falls.
The drawback of most plastic helmets is that they are hot and
will make you sweat. If that bothers you, there's a new
lightweight plastic model that looks like a segmented orange, open
at the top. It's obviously less protective than the standard
models, but "most head injuries are to the sides, front, or back of
the skull, not to the top," points out Gary D. MacFadden,
publications director of Bike-centennial, an organization founded
to promote national bike trails.
Make sure that your bicycle's wheels are made of one of the
lightweight aluminum alloys rather than of steel. They may bend or
dent (repairs can be made), but they won't crack unexpectedly.
And, says John Benfatti, of New York's Bicycle Habitat shop, the
alloys shed water better than steel and improve braking in wet
weather. As for brakes themselves, the hand-operated caliper
brakes that grip the wheel rims with rubber pads are considered
more nimble and precise than the old pedal-operated caliper brakes
of your childhood. At all costs, avoid those brake extension
levers that some shops install along your handle bars as a
convenience. Safety experts call them "death brakes." Because the
leverage exerted from the extenders to the brake cables to the
brakes themselves is inadequate, hitting the extenders will slow
you down, but they won't stop you in an emergency.
Wide track. Get the widest tires you can find for your bicycle (1
1/4 in. on a 10-speed, 1 3/8 in. on a 3-speed). The wide profile
gives better traction in wet conditions and reduces the likelihood
that the tire will slip between the bars of a street grating, the
bane of city cyclists. Depth of tread is not considered critical,
although complex treads seem to reduce the chances of glass
puncture.
You should have a rearview mirror of some kind. Riders look
over their shoulders a lot, and when you do you tend to steer in
the opposite direction. If you look back to the left at following
traffic, there's a good chance you'll bump into a parked car to the
right. A mirror mounted on the bike is easily stolen and the
vibration makes it hard to use. So lots of experienced cyclists
sport little mirrors clipped to the left side of their helmets, or
to eyeglasses, or strapped to their wrists.
Most other bike safety equipment is designed to make you
visible in traffic. The easier it is to see you, the less chance
of getting crunched by a car or by another bike. Consumer Product
Safety Commission standards now require a full set of plastic
reflectors- front, rear, on both sets of wheel spokes, and on
pedals. If they break off, replace them. You have no idea how
invisible a cyclist is at dusk to an approaching car or to a
pedestrian. Get one of those orange reflective vests or one of the
bibs tied with a draw-string and marked with a reflective cloth
triangle or and X, and wear it on your back. If you use bicycle
clips for your pants or slack cuffs, use the type made of
reflective fabric.
Strap-ons. Get a strong, battery-operated headlight with a wide
beam pointed slightly downward. The lights powered by a generator
spinning along the wheel rim are okay, but they create some drag,
and they don't work when you are stopped or slowed in traffic (some
newer ones feed a small storage battery, though). If you want, use
a rear light at night, or one of the stroboscopic flashing beacons
clipped to your belt in back. A lot of riders use the popular
strap-on lights. If you do, strap it to your calf, so it twinkles
as you ride.
The whippy plastic rods with bright pennants on top that kids
like on their bikes are not much in favor. The pennant is not
that visible, and riders occasionally trip on the rod as they
dismount from their bikes. Bike and rider end up in an undignified
tangle on the ground. A newer flag device mounts horizontally low
on the frame, and projects out about a foot to warn off motorists.
It may be self-defeating though, says Bikecentennial's MacFadden.
"Kids in hot rods tend to see how close they can come to brushing
the flag." he explains.
