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ADA liability concerns with improper installation and bike parking on the bent metal “tube” style racks

There has been quite a bit of talk lately regarding ADA issues with bike racks. By not capturing the wheel or keeping the bike tight to the pole it creates an ADA issue. If someone gets hurt due to this, it will change the landscape and capturing the wheel will be mandatory. 

Please understand that capturing the wheel does not translate into wheel benders. Maybe the proper term is containing the wheel. The Lightning Bolt from Creative Pipe and the Bike Dock from Parkabike have addressed this issue. Though an inverted U can have 36 inches between one tube and the other, if the rack is improperly installed or the bike is improperly parked, it creates a large ADA liability concern.

Meets APBP Guidelines: Racks fully adhere to the guidelines for bike parking as written by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals.

 

Bike Friendly Containment: The rack captures the bikes tires in a well or cradle in such a way so that there is no wheel bending, yet the bike is secured enough to not slide or slip from its upright position.

 

Simple & Intuitive: Simple and intuitive racks exhibit few options for a cyclist to lock their bike. They offer minimal parking methods (front and back only) and minimize the possibility of securing a bike in an incorrect way that will cause unorganized or non-secure bike parking.

 

Security: The rack should be equipped with a feature (such as an arm or wing) to allow the bicycle to be locked to the rack with an external lock and a closed part of the bicycle frame, as well as offer the ability to lock the wheel, frame, and rack in unison.

 

Density: How well the rack contains and organizes large numbers of bikes in different configurations and locations while still keeping parking organized to allow cyclists sufficient access to their bikes.

 

Cost Per Bike: The approximate dollar amount an individual rack will cost in respect to how many bikes it will hold.

 

Cost Per Bike+Shipping: The approximate dollar amount an individual rack will cost in respect to how many bikes it will hold plus the cost of freight. Because different racks weigh more or less, and ship to and from different locations, the cost of freight varies and therefore can make a total purchase price more or less expensive than just averaging the cost per bike.