Your Supermarket cycle racks - empty of full?

[Footie]

Just been up to Tesco's and once again the only cycle on the site was mine.
I even took a snap to prove it.

Flickr: Photos from skmiles

I tried posting the image on the forum but the forums software kept complaining about the size of the image - not big enough - size matters here obviously

How busy is your Supermarket cycle rack?
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[mk1]

I very rarely see another bike of any kind in the rack. Also there always seems to be a lot of very overweight people in the supermarket. Maybe there is a connection?.

Martin

 

[frank9755]

Happy to say I always have company when I go to mine. A couple of weeks ago I got the last vacant slot on the rack! The bike-hod trailers that they (Waitrose) provide are also well used.

Frank

 

[Capn_Phil68]

What's a bike hod trailer? (guessed it's a trailer of some sort) Is it a loaner to take your shopping home?

Phil

 

[mk1]

It's not just the supermarket I don't see that many cyclists around here electric or normal. The area seems ideally suited to cycling, ie not much traffic, beautiful countryside, great weather. Okay may be not the last one.

Martin

 

[Branwen]

Just been up to Tesco's and once again the only cycle on the site was mine.
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I've actually seen pedelecs parked up at my local Tesco, as well as regular bikes. I'm not there that often that I meet the owners though. (I gave up my car when I got an electric bike, but usually have my groceries delivered as the strain of moving my fat ass around is probably more than enough for any bike). Yep, us fatties cycle too Martin....

 

[flecc]

I have about a 50% chance of seeing another bike at my Sainsburys, but very occasionally there's three or four. Usually some of those are local kids small bikes though The fact that it's very hilly area influences this no doubt. However the rack is a 12 place flying roof architect designed one with stainless steel fitments and tiled flooring, so almost luxurious.

Most depressing was the next Sainsburys on at Warlingham which I used to use before the local one was built. There were only four cycle locking points there, jammed between a trolley pickup area and the dud trolley repair parking point, so it was usually necessary to move a load of trolleys first to use them.
But when that very large store was updated, all cycle facilities were done away with, and there isn't even a single safe point even to leave a bike without it being at risk of damage from cars, and nothing to lock one to.
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[flecc]

What's a bike hod trailer? (guessed it's a trailer of some sort) Is it a loaner to take your shopping home?

Phil

The bike hod Phil.

They tip over easily on corners when loaded to the top. A bit pricey to buy too.
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[mk1]

I've actually seen pedelecs parked up at my local Tesco, as well as regular bikes. I'm not there that often that I meet the owners though. (I gave up my car when I got an electric bike, but usually have my groceries delivered as the strain of moving my fat ass around is probably more than enough for any bike). Yep, us fatties cycle too Martin....

Sorry Branwen, I didn't mean to cause offence. I will try to be more tactful in future.

Martin

 

[frank9755]

What's a bike hod trailer? (guessed it's a trailer of some sort) Is it a loaner to take your shopping home?

Phil

Yes, that's exactly what it is!

Idea is you take it round the store as your trolley, scan items straight in then hitch up and ride home. Not used one myself yet as I usually manage to get everything in panniers with a carrier bag on my handlebars if needed, but you can borrow it for three days. I guess if you shop evey third day you effectively have sole use of one!

Frank

 

[frank9755]

Just been round. I counted six other bikes when I arrived and five (four different) when I left - so 11 including me in total.

Its west London, flat but very crowded roads, far enough out for people to have space to keep bikes but still densely populated, so probably likely to have the highest bike usage rate.

 

[alex]

Hi. Branwen & all. I have met you Branwen & you are not a fatty, just the fact that you cycle puts you way ahead of the real 'lard-asses' in terms of fitness & mobility.It is admirable that anyone with health difficulties such as those you have spoken of can keep fitness levels as high as possible by electric biking. Our enormous 24 hour local Asda seems to have an exceptionally high ratio of seriously fat customers, there is seldom a bike of any description there just acres of carpark, a cafe serving chips with all their meals, fit young people parking in disabled only bays & ranks of electric powered buggies for those who have lost the use of their legs!
Alex

 

[flecc]

Sounds like my supermarket Alex. If some of the obese customers get any larger, they'll have to widen the aisles.
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[coops]

What? And reduce the amount of packaged food they can cram on the shelves?

I notice quite a lot of cyclists in my area (its quite level & well-suited, apart from the traffic quantity on many of the roads) & the local Asda bike-lock facilities, while basic, uncovered & not extensive (about 5 or 6 metal U-bars, each can take 2 bikes) are often fully used.

You forgot to mention the hills where you are Martin - might put off a few from travel sans power assistance, aswell as the weather!

Stuart.

 

[Ian]

At the local Tesco usually 2 or three other bikes but at at the smaller local Asda the bike rack is often full to capacity. The only reason for the difference I can think of is that there is a long hill up to Tesco. Not a problem for me though.

 

[mk1]

You forgot to mention the hills where you are Martin - might put off a few from travel sans power assistance, aswell as the weather!

Stuart.

It's quite hilly Stuart but they are not that steep, 10% at most. I used to live in West Yorkshire where the hills were much steeper.
Nothing like where Flecc lives though, it sounds like you would need crampons to get up some of those. No wonder he's into electric bikes

Martin

 

[flecc]

I've only got one bit of 30% and another of 22%, but plenty of 14% to 20% around.

A piece of cake on my Q bike though, can do a standing start with ease sitting down on 22%.
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[fishingpaul]

at asda in bromsgrove there are usually at least two bikes parked,sometimes electric ones(usually thompson there is a dealer nearby), i once saw two parked together there.

 

[coops]

I've only got one bit of 30% and another of 22%, but plenty of 14% to 20% around.

A piece of cake on my Q bike though, can do a standing start with ease sitting down on 22%.
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You'd be able to scale some of the local cycle paths here then, along disused railway lines but with plenty of gradients and obstructions thoughtfully added to relieve cyclists' boredom, prevent dangerous speeding & create unusual exercise for improving muscle tone & enhancing weight loss ... oh sorry, wrong thread!

Even the smallish Netto round the corner has several bikes parked outside whenever I pass, so it depends where you live I think (this area has a number of active pro-bike groups, some work with the council & other organisations I think to promote cycling interests) but mostly I think bikes are quite common here because its fairly flat & bikes are cheap & easy to run!

Stuart.

 

[flecc]

I'm sure that a flat area is the key Stuart. When I head north into London, as soon as I'm into the flat central plains of the inner boroughs the number of bikes both ridden and parked around is huge, loads of them round all the shops.

In my area I only see the same four utility cyclists all the time at the supermarket, plus the very local kids bikes sometimes, all the other cyclists being sports types, both the drop handlebar/lycra variety and those in the serious mountain biking clubs, the latter weekends only in groups.
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