Hard News: A Stand for Quaxing
108 Responses
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Tim Welch, in reply to
They sure do attach to the frame as per the attached. (Contact us for more details; I'm sure Russell doesn't want Public Address turned into a "For Sale" forum)
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BenWilson, in reply to
The vertical storage makes it economical on space in a confined environment like a footpath. And comparatively easy to relocate, store and assemble.
Also, I think, the bikes are a little less in danger of falling over, which is a problem with a big long overcrowded rack of bikes all sitting on their stands, or worse, with their front wheel jammed in one of those awful low down racks.
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Steve Barnes, in reply to
I’m sure Russell doesn’t want Public Address turned into a “For Sale” forum)
I'm sure he would love it, for a percentage ;-)
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Still gotta watch out for Bicycle Thieves though...
as the desert dwellers allegedly say:
Trust in Allah,
but tie up your camel -
Ian Dalziel, in reply to
I’m sure he would love it, for a percentage
all communities have 'notice boards'...
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Steve Barnes, in reply to
all communities have ‘notice boards’…
WE have one of those? Hooda thought...
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BenWilson, in reply to
I’m not a fan of these or any ones that require me to lift up my quaxing bike
There is a trick to it that takes out the heavy lifting, although it does take practice. Standing on the side which has the rear brake control you squeeze the brake and pull backwards on the seat. It swings up into vertical quite easily. Then you balance it on the rear wheel (still controlling the brake so it doesn't get away from you) and wheel it into the spot. It's a handy trick. I often use it to get out of parking spots when tangled up in the handlebars and pedals of other bikes. It's a good way to turn a bike around in a very tight space, like an apartment or office or some kind of storage space.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
If I’m not feeling attentive, I’ll toodle along the footpath or the tramline.
Not recommended.
Er, yeah. My only cycle crash in years was a result of not paying attention to the lines there ...
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Has anyone contacted Countdown HQ about the bike rack situation?
I don't mind the one at Countdown Quay St. The photo above is a bit odd as the bikes are parked at angles, which doesn't normally happen. I've only ever seen 2 or 3 bikes there (although there is the odd one chained up elsewhere) so it seems to suit the purpose for now.
As for the question do other people shop on bikes, yes! LOVE my double Ortlieb Panniers. I do the daily commute around CBD/Eden Terrace with my big handbag, the toddler's daycare bag, toddler on front, and occasionally stop to pick up groceries. I can fit a huge amount in there!
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Russell Brown, in reply to
Yes, I’m trying to broker one for Matt at (GD) via Kathryn (AT), at a popular establishment in Ponsonby you’re familiar with. He has been crying out for a permanent stand for the bikes that crowd the two lampposts outside.
I for one promise to visit The Golden Dawn even more if this happens.
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Outside our Countdown there are the low down cycle racks which twist the rims. Nearby they have a wonderful hip high stainless steel trolley park which is ideal for my bike. A few others use my rack but the more compliant cyclists stick to the provided racks and put up with wobbly wheels.
Should those lowly ones be called bike wracks? -
Maybe we could get David Byrne to help out with some cool designs, like he has for New York
http://www.davidbyrne.com/archive/art/bike_racks/about/nyt_cityroom_8_19_08.php -
Su Yin Khoo, in reply to
Thanks for the tip but getting the bike in a vertical incline means things tend to fall out of my basket in spite of the cargo netting :(
Also, I'm not strong enough to lift my bike to hook it up on those ferries. FWIW, here be my humble quaxer.
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Brian Horspool of Auckland Transport called me back.
The Westmere shops are on two routes that are part of the current $200m regional facilities upgrade being done over the next two to three years: the Waitemata Safe Route and the Point Chevalier to Herne Bay cycleway (which will be separated!).
This upgrade is distinct from previous efforts in that cycle infrastructure will be built along with the routes. So there definitely will be cycle parking at Westmere within the next couple of years. Sooner would be nice, of course, but it’s coming.
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Russell Brown, in reply to
Has anyone contacted Countdown HQ about the bike rack situation?
They don't seem to be on Twitter. I'm figuring their media monitoring will have kicked in by now :-)
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Christopher Dempsey, in reply to
Sorry to learn of your crash at St Lukes.
FWIW, when I come across people walking on the right as I ride on the left, I often stop and either indicate for them to walk on the left, or tell them to walk on the left.
Usually it's o'seas students who are doing this - they are puzzled, but I indicate the traffic nearby and ask which side of the road do they drive on? Left, so we walk/ride/lane swim/walk up & downstairs/pass through doors etc on the left.
Much safer to educate - I don't want to crash into someone because I had nowhere else to go.
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Christopher Dempsey, in reply to
Panniers?
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Don't wax too lyrical about Amsterdam's free bikes. Between the endeavours of thieves, vandals and drunks, about 12,000-15,000 bicycles (and 50 cars) end up in that city's canals each year and they all go for scrap afterwards. I worked alongside one of its major canals for several years and loved to sit at my desk watching the patrols dredging bikes up onto the rubbish barges. We never saw any go in, so it must have been happening at night.
Last year I was trying to negotiate some of Oxford's narrow footpaths with a wheelchair, and was forced out into the road traffic (bump, jolt) by bicycles stacked half a dozen deep against any available railing. That city is in dire need of proper bike parks just about everywhere, but the UK is a great believer in muddling through, so I dare say it will never happen. Not a great prospect for wheelchair users.
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Su Yin Khoo, in reply to
Nah, I like just dumping a bag of shopping or whatever into the basket instead of faffing about trying to find stuff in panniers. Those reusable supermarket bags fit into the basket to a T.
I might be completely wrong on the physics but it also feels more stable due to the centering of the weight of the cargo (albeit higher up).
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Bart Janssen, in reply to
when I come across people walking on the right as I ride on the left, I often stop and either indicate for them to walk on the left
Growing up in Titirangi I walked scenic drive a lot. In many places there was only one safe side to walk, but where there were two it was always much safer to walk on the right so you could see traffic and avoid it, rather than trusting the traffic behind you to avoid you.
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Allan Moyle, in reply to
Is this where a finally a use for the NFC capability on your smartphone along with an app and an RFID tag on your bike comes in handy ?
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Christopher Dempsey, in reply to
Once people learn the basics, then variations can be engaged on, as you indicate.
I should qualify that I do most of my engagement in downtown areas.
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Katharine Moody, in reply to
Last year I was trying to negotiate some of Oxford’s narrow footpaths with a wheelchair, and was forced out into the road traffic (bump, jolt) by bicycles stacked half a dozen deep against any available railing. That city is in dire need of proper bike parks just about everywhere, but the UK is a great believer in muddling through, so I dare say it will never happen. Not a great prospect for wheelchair users.
I do wonder from a planning perspective whether there is space for a notion of over/optimum density - a sort of population threshold after which point no amount of planning or infrastructure can ever resolve congestion issues. Kind of like the exploration of the idea of a 'tipping point' in respect of climate change considerations. One of the problems I don't see coming out of Auckland planning is an indication that "Auckland is full" - although I see a lot of non-planners and citizens expressing this idea.
The amount of personal stress associated with over-crowding is something we really haven't thought about/studied to any great degree.
Hoping however it does get better there, rather than worse!
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Lilith __, in reply to
The photo from the Netherlands reminded me – hardly anyone LOCKS their bike there
This is the opposite of what my Dutch friend tells me - that you need to lock your bike indoors (or in a secure facility) if you ever want to see your bike again. I guess there's a big market for second-hand bikes there.
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Aha! "Quaxing"....took a while. Hamilton 1979-198?....a much younger me hurtling around the town on my much loved Raleigh Arena 10 speed. Aka..."The Green Machine". The weekly shop with panniers, rack and backpack. No worries.
Biggest issue was rush hour traffic since Hamilton streets can be quite narrow. One of the river bridges was so narrow that we bikies would spontaneously bunch up and claim the left lane. A schoolgirl was knocked off her bike and killed on that bridge, so it has been widened since.
Plastic coated chain with combination lock....but more often than not just pop her on the stand outside the shop. Back then, you could count the number of varsity students who had cars on one hand...we all had bikes. Today....the complete opposite.
Sadly, some miserable sod decided the Green Machine, out of all the other much finer looking specimens, was the one he wanted to steal from the racks underneath the varsity library. I howled.
And bought my first wee car.
The Green Machine was recovered during the local constabulary's yearly dredge of the favourite dumpsites in the River.
I reconditioned her and sold her on.
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