If you are considering commercial bike storage for your residential or commercial building or office, then you have come to the right place! Here you will find all the information that will assist you to find the perfect bicycle storage solution to fit your requirements.
In recent years, Australians have placed a greater focus on their health and fitness, largely brought on by the health implications of COVID-19 and people having more free time when working from home. According to research conducted by health tracking and training app Vida Health, the daily exercise minutes of their users have increased by 43% since the outbreak of COVID-19 began.
One exercise hobby that has dramatically increased in popularity is cycling, both as a means of exercise and as a transport option, particularly for those in larger cities. In fact, urban traffic count specialists MetroCount recently found that cycling levels around Australia have increased by up to 69% compared to pre-COVID numbers.
Cycling is an excellent mode of transport, particularly when compared to commuting via car because;
- It improves your health, fitness and well-being
- Aside from the cost of the bike, it’s free and the bike requires little maintenance
- You can replace commuter stress with fresh air
- You will save money on driving expenses and parking
- You can help to reduce carbon emissions and pressure on the local environment
What this all means is that many people are looking for ways to easily include exercise, particularly cycling into their day-to-day lives, and one way that commercial property owners can take advantage of this trend is by incorporating commercial bike storage into their offices and commercial building spaces.
What makes commercial bike storage so popular?
Cycling has been a very popular mode of transportation for many years, and as we have mentioned, the popularity is only growing. For example in Melbourne, the Monash Public Transport Research Group found that bike commuting as a transport option is set to increase by 55% when compared to pre-COVID levels.
In order to accommodate the growing popularity of bikes as a commute option, safe and secure commercial bike storage is fast becoming an essential amenity for office facilities and commercial buildings across Australia. No matter your business, bike racks will be a welcome addition to your commercial amenities.
Why you should invest in commercial bike storage
Provide safety and security
If your commercial facility doesn’t offer a safe place for tenants and users to store their bikes, it’s likely that they’re currently blocking hallways and leaning up against walls instead. Not only is this a frustrating nuisance for other users and tenants, but it’s also a health and safety issue.
Commercial bike storage also provides people with somewhere safe and secure to store their bikes, which is becoming more and more important as statistics have shown that bike theft is on the rise; according to a study by Bicycle Network, reported bicycle thefts in Victoria have increased by 81.2% since 2011.
So, to promote health and safety and increase security at your workplace, installing a sturdy bike rack or bicycle storage facility is the best course of action.
Making your facility more eco-friendly
It’s more important than ever for everyone to do their bit for the environment, and including commercial bicycle storage within your commercial building or office facility also shows that you care about your user’s carbon footprint, by encouraging people to cycle rather than drive in CO2-causing vehicles.
Encourage a healthy lifestyle for your tenants
By incorporating bike storage facilities into your commercial building, you’ll encourage people to adopt a healthier lifestyle and get back out on the open road. Not only is exercise good for our bodies, but it has also been linked to a more positive mood, more energy and increased productivity. With this in mind, it’s a no brainer to include bicycle parking amenities in your commercial building.
What are the different types of commercial bike racks?
While there are many different bike rack options available for commercial bike storage, the most popular type of bike storage is the commercial bike stand or rack, as they are compact, contemporary, and come in a wide range of colours and styles to suit any aesthetic.
Whether you are looking at outdoor bike racks or internal bike storage options, the type of bike rack you choose will depend on your requirements, available space, and who will be using these facilities.
- Wall-mounted bike rack storage is a great option for those who want to save space, for other amenities, or who have limited room to work with. Vertical bike racks are great to help keep the floor space clear for additional storage options.
- Horizontal bike wall mounts are a perfect solution if you have a wider and narrower space to deal with, such as a hallway. These horizontal bike racks are great to help provide additional storage in tricky, narrow spaces.
- Outdoor bike wall mounts are another option if you don’t have a dedicated room within your commercial building to store bikes, as these can be installed safely on the exterior of your building. Due to these being outside of your premises, it is important to encourage the use of bike locks to prevent your facility users’ bikes from being stolen.
- Floor-mounted bike racks are an effective solution for those who have more room available to dedicate to their commercial bicycle racks and make a stunning visual statement. These can also be handy for commercial and office facilities that have older residents as the commercial bike racks are easier to use as there is no lifting involved for safe storage. These are also relatively easy to install within your facility’s bike room.
- High-density bike rack options can fit more bikes within an allocated space for those with more users of the space. These can include two-tier bike racks or bike storage, bike hooks for walls, and even bike storage lockers which are simple cages with a lock on the outside that only bike owners can access.
Bicycle storage safety and regulation
If your commercial facility is under development, you should be well aware of Development Approval conditions that now require compliant bicycle parking facilities to be a part of most new developments. It is important to check with the relevant government or council office to determine what their current rules are, to ensure that you are providing bicycle parking facilities that comply.
Most local government and Green Star rules will defer to the Australian Standard for Bike Parking Facilities, otherwise known as AS2890.3 to determine the requirements for compliant bicycle parking facilities. This standard provides a set of minimum requirements for the layout, design and security of bicycle parking facilities for architects, planners, builders, property managers and service providers.
Ensuring that your bike storage facilities meet or exceed Australian Standards will mean that you can provide the safest, modern, and future-proof bike storage facility which is suitable for anyone to use.
Making your commercial facility greener with bike storage
Green Star is a sustainability rating tool for commercial buildings founded by Green Building Council of Australia in 2003. It is an internationally recognised rating system that has certified thousands of sustainable buildings, home fit-outs, and communities across Australia.
The Green Building Council assesses developments based on different categories, and bicycle parking falls under their Transport category and encourages developers to incorporate bike storage and end of trip facilities within their amenities.
The aim of the Green Star program is to
- Reduce the impact of climate change
- Enhance Australians’ health and quality of life
- Restore and protect our planet’s biodiversity and ecosystems
- Drive resiliency in buildings, fit-outs, and communities
- Develop market transformation and a sustainable economy
Green Star certification for your commercial building shows that you care about your commercial development’s carbon footprint and are contributing to a healthier Australia for future generations. Taking part in this program by incorporating commercial bike parking solutions and end of trip facilities into your commercial development will help to make your commercial facility attractive to a wider range of users and investors.
Certification will also help your commercial facility achieve Environmental Social Governance (ESG) excellence and meet the environmental and social expectations set by communities and tenants.
Additional inclusions for your commercial bike storage
There are many other features and facilities you can include in your commercial bicycle storage in order to make your commercial bike storage facilities just that little bit better for its users.
Professional-quality bicycle repair stations can give your users added peace of mind that they have somewhere they can fix any cycling mishap that occurs on their commute. These repair stations can include everything that is required to repair anything from a tyre puncture to a full bike checkup and maintenance appointment.
There is nothing more frustrating than getting on your bike to cycle home after a long day, and realising your tyres are flat. Providing bike tyre pumps alongside your commercial bike racks within your commercial bike storage facility will help your users to remedy this annoying situation.
Finally, providing a secure locker or other personal storage options will give your users somewhere to store their cycling clothing, helmet, or other items that they don’t want to carry around with them all day. Commercial bike lockers come in a range of styles to suit any end of trip facility’s aesthetics.
How to choose the right bike storage for your needs
If you are interested in investing in a commercial bike parking rack or bicycle storage for your office or commercial building, then speak to the experienced team at Five at Heart who have been transforming businesses and workplaces around the world with their cutting-edge end of trip facility options.
With our in-depth industry knowledge and a wide range of bike racks and storage solutions, we can help you create the ultimate bike parking facility. Get in touch with the Five at Heart team or give us a call on 1300 769 332 to get started on your way to improving your business facilities with commercial bicycle storage.
