Bicycle parking is getting a lot of attention these days; secure and destination cycle storage tops cyclist needs. One of the reasons Minneapolis grabbed the top spot in Bicycling magazine's "America's Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities" in the spring of 2010 was its leadership in bike parking - topping the charts with the most bike parking per capita in the United States. In 2010, the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals found that available parking is a major reason that bicyclists decide whether to visit particular areas or businesses, and that more people are interested in riding bicycles to work (or combining bike and public transit) if bike parking is available at work or transit stations. Bicycle parking, with bike bollards as one top choice, is especially important to trendy "old-town" preserved areas, outdoor shopping malls, and public centers offering shopping, dining & entertainment. Secure bike parking is also needed in apartment & condominium complexes, schools and college campuses. New designs in metal bollard covers with bike arms from Reliance Foundry instantly transform existing bollards into outdoor bike racks. Thousands of bollards already in place protecting buildings & pedestrians from vehicle incursions can add bike parking capabilities by adding bike bollard covers, rather than buying and installing new bicycle racks or bike bollards. Retrofitting concrete-filled pipe bollards by using bollard covers with arms has the added benefit of affordability, eliminating costs to remove existing bollards and install new ones. Many customers, especially those with period properties, don't want to lose the architectural accent that architectural bollards add to their streetscapes. Modern designs can create dissonance, but bike bollards can provide a classic appeal preferred by architects and designers. Aesthetically, bike bollards are the ideal compliment to older neighborhoods. More modern styles are available to blend well with various brick and stone-faced buildings found in newer outdoor malls. Many cities now assist both the public and private sector in purchasing and sometimes even maintaining bicycle parking, so it's a good time to add bike bollards. Top design criteria is increasingly suggested and sometimes mandated in cities as they build bike capacity. Some no longer allow earlier styles such as the traditional grid or newer wave configurations that do not mesh with the surrounding architecture. With these newly introduced bike bollards, Reliance Foundry now offers more than 40 design options. A wide range of bike bollard colors is available to compliment any color scheme. While textured black is the most common bollard color, other popular finishes include green, bronze, grey and silver. For the most discerning buyers, several stainless steel options are also available. Bollards can be mixed and matched with various bike arm styles, finishes and materials to create a customized site appearance. Bicycle storage needs strong, secure construction of high-quality, durable metals, and should allow for at least one wheel & the bike frame to lock to the bollard or rack. Top bike bollards withstand both weather and metal- to-metal contact with bikes and locks. For sites with changing access needs, bike arms can be added to removable bollards to create a wide selection of removable bike bollards. This allows site owners to offer bike parking availability in areas where bollards may need to be moved occassionally for site access by maintenance or emergency vehicles.
