This bike-shaped bike rack is installed all over downtown Honalulu. I really like it, for a variety of reasons. Its look suggests its purpose. It easily supported four bikes (one on each side of the front and rear of the bike stand). It took up very little pedestrian room, as evidenced from the “end on” shot. It was located close to the curb, with minimal concern for motorists.

These were bolted to the concrete sidewalk, but I never saw any crooked or damaged, so sturdiness of its mounting didn’t seem a major problem.

When coming around a corner driving a car or on the bus and suddenly seeing a bike on the curb, there is a momentary leap of the heart, rise of tension… awareness of cyclists and cycling. Thus the rack reminds motorists to be aware of cyclists even when there are no cyclists present.

I would be interested in seeing the racks painted with white or flourescent paint, so they glowed on the streets at night (Honalulu has long nights, like winter in Ottawa, but their nights begin at 7pm year round).

In contrast, I came across this poor rack yesterday. My first thought was it had been mangled by a snow plow. But the regularity of the bent pipes tells me this was designed in by some artist-type. It was not readily apparent how to approach the rack with a bike, and I felt wary of it. Not a good advertisement for cycling.