Bike racks
I’ve been thinking a lot about bike racks lately because the city installed one in front of my office, only to take it down a few months later after a local complained that it did not comport with the historic nature of the neighborhood. It was just a green hoop, but apparently the fleet of historic SUVs parked outside my office every day, the historic “No Parking” sign on the corner, the historic telephone poles, power lines, asphalt paving, and of course the historic (ahem) Stone Avenue Police Station all had their little historic sensibilities offended by that green hoop.
So I’ve been trying to come to a compromise with a bike rack that will meet those sensibilities. Maybe something that looks like you would tie a horse to it?
Anyway P. just sent me the below link and I liked it. It’s David Byrne (yes that David Byrne) on bike racks. He’s written a book, Bicycle Diaries, and is on a speaking tour. He’s designed bike racks specifically for certain businesses — so for example a bike rack in the shape of a shoe to be installed outside a shoe store. Clever.
P wonders if we should try to bring him to Tucson.
–Erik Ryberg
September 28th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Cut-n-paste:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bRwzRb3qS34/Sc7fCz8TFYI/AAAAAAAABb0/ohj9_cSO2e0/s1600-h/DSCF3220+topaz.jpg
Or how ’bout if it were a weathered looking cast iron loop, or even just a cast iron post with a “bigger than a Ulock” ball on the top? I like the combo bench/bikeracks on University at Maingate, I bet something like that can be done in an old-timey cast iron look.
September 28th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
How about we just give up on pretending that Tucson is somehow historic or cultured in any way?
September 28th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
I can’t believe after all the work it took to get the bike rack installed in the first place it was taken down!
Way ahead of you, boss. I posted about David Byrne’s racks on the blog last year:
http://www.tucsonbikelawyer.com/bike-rack-art/
September 28th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
This may be me playing Devils advocate (or aggressive arthound) but wouldn’t people simply take the racks. I mean, having a David Byrne sculpture is pretty rad.
On the Tucson side, you are the found-object-art capital of the US. Get the dude who made the motorcycle-scorpion at that bar on Congress to do something.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Asylum, That was the place. Hopefully you saw the sculpture as it’s closed now. I would think a ribbon-box steel frame in the shape of a Saguaro profile would qualify and would be cheap to fabricate. Kinda’ cheesy but you could lock lots of bikes to it.
September 28th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Hey Lauren, I was embarrassed about that until I realized that being one year behind you isn’t so bad for a dried up old homebody of a shell like me.
September 29th, 2009 at 2:46 am
You could always stick a web cam on the bike rack.
September 29th, 2009 at 7:55 am
I’ve been wanting one of those Montague folders that David’s riding in that video for awhile now. Anyone here ever try one?
September 29th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Scott, apparently David Byrne sold his bike last month so you just missed it:
http://www.davidbyrne.com/art/books/bicycle_diaries/auction.php
Maybe it’s just that he trashed the thing by turning it into a sticker collage, but the thing is pretty hideous IMHO. It’s an older model too and I bet the newer ones are more aesthetically pleasing. Have you seen the Bike Fridays? They have quite a following and look to me as though they are lighter than the Montagues.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Perhaps the BICAS Board of Directors will start a BICAS Bike rack project in The OLd Pueblo…
September 29th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Hi Lauren,
Yeah, I’ve never been one to pay too much for something just because some celebrity (even one who’s music I like) once owned it. I see it went for nearly 3 times what a new non-uglified one would cost. Wish I could get that kind of jack for *my* old clapped-out used stuff.
I’ve looked at several other folders, but the thing I really like about the Montague is that every component on it is standard full-sized and upgradable – the only “folder” thing about it is the frame – but it still folds nearly as small as the little-wheel bikes in under a minute.
September 29th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
yeah i can see the appeal…they do seem convenient for the traveler who just wants to cruise around in a different city rather than go full on touring or something. i see why the montague would be cooler than the bike friday.
September 30th, 2009 at 7:24 am
It is a shame when the government does things like this. It makes absolutely no sense!
September 30th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Join the celebration of the
second bike corral *scheduled*
for installation the second
week in October in time for
the Saturday, Oct. 10 event.
At 4pm – Oh, at Time Market!
At 2pm that same day is the
El Grupo scavenger hunt. It
starts at 6th Street and
6th Avenue and will end
conveniently at Time Market.
Then at 7pm that evening, kick
off your cleats and join the 20th
anniversary celebration for BICAS.
Oh, at the HUT on 4th Avenue under
the auspices of the Tiki head. I
heard a rumor that they are going to
put a big bike helmet on him.
Live music and big doings for that one.
Oct. 10 should truly be a banner day
for cycling events in Tucson.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
You should insist that since they took out bike parking that an equal number of car parking spots be removed from the block. Or since all bike parking was removed then all car parking should also be removed from the entire block including the police station. Make those cops walk off a few doughnuts. I think after a couple weeks they’ll be begging you to install a new bike rack.