Secure Bike Parking = More Biking
Picture this: you’ve biked across town—enjoying the breeze, maybe even skipping a parking garage fee—only to arrive at your destination and realize there’s nowhere safe to lock your bike. Do you risk it? Do you turn back?
Great trails and bike lanes fall short if there’s nowhere safe to park. Secure bike parking is one of the simplest, most effective ways to make biking a real transportation and recreational option for more people in our city. Without a safe and convenient place to park, trips by bike become less practical—which means fewer people choosing to ride.
That’s where better bike racks—and more of them—come in.
Why Secure Bike Parking Matters
Lack of secure parking—and fears of theft—are barriers for many potential bicyclists. For riders, good bike parking is about peace of mind and accessibility. Whether it’s biking to work or school, grabbing dinner with friends, or running an errand, knowing your bike will be there when you’re ready to head home is critical.
A sturdy rack in a visible, well-lit location reduces the risk of theft or damage. It also makes cycling feel less stressful and more like a reliable way to get around.
And bike parking isn’t just about rider convenience—it’s also a proven pro-business amenity and community connector. A few square feet dedicated to a rack can welcome dozens of new customers or visitors who arrive by bike. Secure bike parking encourages stopping and spending at local businesses, makes biking a viable transportation option for individuals without a car, and is especially important in neighborhoods with limited transit access.
Where Should Racks Go?
The best bike racks are:
Near entrances. Riders should be able to spot them immediately—or see clear wayfinding signs if they’re not directly visible. If it’s hidden around the corner, it might as well not exist.
Secured to quality pavement or designed to be freestanding. Do not bolt racks to paver blocks or damaged pavement, as they will pull loose. Some multi-rack designs are designed to be freestanding, and they can be located on pavers, a level grassy area, or a gravel lot. Freestanding bike racks may be moved temporarily during events or to facilitate landscaping or snow removal.
In visible, well-lit, and secure areas. Good placement makes racks safer and encourages use.
Located where errant drivers won’t hit them. Bike racks are typically located up on the curb level or separated from the parking area with parking blocks. Bike racks should not be placed in a parking lot without some physical separation that stops cars from driving into and over them. If a sidewalk location regularly needs replacement signs or traffic signals, consider installing a sturdy bollard ahead of the bike parking to keep motor vehicles out of the bike parking and pedestrian area.
Rack Design Do’s and Don’ts
Design matters. A simple, inverted-U Rack or Hitch Rack is the gold standard: it provides two points of contact to support the bike frame, works for varying wheel sizes, and allows both the frame and a wheel to be locked.
Poorly designed racks—like wheel-benders or wave / spiral designs frustrate riders, leave bikes vulnerable to theft, and sometimes damage bikes.
Racks should be securely anchored and spaced properly to accommodate all types of bikes—including cargo bikes and bikes with trailers.
Bad Bike Rack Choice - Wheel Bender #1
This style of bike rack is designed to lock a wheel with no place to support the frame, allowing the rest of the bike to be stolen. Racks only contacting the wheel can cause damage to the bike, and that’s why they are called “wheel bender racks.”
Bad Bike Rack Choice - Wheel Bender #2
This is another style of wheel bender rack. As you can see, this type of bike rack only allows for locking of one wheel, leaving the rest of the bike at risk of being stolen. Because the bike is only supported by the wheel, this rack can cause damage to the wheel.
Bad Bike Rack Choice - The Wave / Rolling Rack
Wave racks are not recommended due to narrow spacing and providing only one contact point with the bike. Bikes tend to fall over and get tangled together. Bikes riders will often park parallel to the rack to find a secure locking position, greatly lowering the parking capacity.
Also avoid the Helix or Spiral Rack. They are even worse for bikes falling over while locked.
Good Bike Rack Choice - The Staple or Inverted U-Rack
A well-spaced, simple inverted U-Rack, Hoop, or Staple rack is best practice for bike parking, allowing two bikes per rack to be secured by their frames.
The U-Rack can be installed directly into new concrete or bolted securely (4 bolts with concrete anchors per rack).
Similar Good Bike Racks: U-Rack / Hoop Rack, Swerve Rack, Hitch Rack
The bike racks in this photo are located at Yaszh Cafe on Michigan St in Indy.
Good Bike Rack Choice - The U-Rack Corral / Cycle Stall
Freestanding Corral Racks have the benefits of the inverted U-Rack, and add capacity and mounting options by connecting multiple racks on a pair of rails. You can have 3, 4, or 5 bike racks per corral and it simply bolts together. A 5-rack bike corral can securely park 10 bikes.
You might want a bike corral if you’re unable to bolt to the surface underneath (grass, gravel, or pavers), or if you need to occasionally move the bike rack for landscaping or snow removal.
Local Business Spotlight
Some local businesses are already showing how thoughtful bike parking can strengthen the community and bring in more customers.
The Central Indiana Cycling: Advocacy Committee has partnered with local businesses—including La Parada, Yazsh, and Solely Wine—to install secure bike racks right outside their doors. These racks are about more than metal and bolts. They help make neighborhoods and businesses more welcoming for people arriving on two wheels.
“Solely Wine was very intentional with its location, wanting to be positioned on a biking and pedestrian pathway. We understand the importance of connecting urban communities and culture together, easily, through the use of bikes and our legs! Solely Wine is a wine bar that makes wine approachable, so why not make it easier to get here?”
Finding Bike Parking in Indy
Did you know you can search for bike racks on Google Maps? So far, there are over 1,200 bike racks identified on Google Maps for Marion County.
Type “Bike Rack” into the search bar.
Zoom into the specific block near your destination and click on “search this area” to populate the bike racks.
Click on pins to see photos of racks and the surrounding area.
Your contributions help make the Indy bike parking map even better! If you see a rack, rate and review it so others know whether it’s reliable. If you discover a new rack—or one that’s been removed—take a photo and send it to IndyBikeParking@centralincycling.org. Your feedback helps us advocate for better and more plentiful bike parking across the city
What’s Next?
The Central Indiana Cycling Advocacy Committee wants to bring secure bike parking to more businesses and community spaces in Indianapolis. Bike parking is one of the lowest-cost, highest-impact infrastructure investments we can make. It removes a barrier for riders, attracts more customers to businesses, and supports safer streets by encouraging more people to cycle.
Want Bike Racks at Your Business or Community Space?
The Central Indiana Cycling Advocacy Committee can help! We’re actively working with local businesses and organizations to install secure, well-placed racks around Indianapolis. Adding a well-designed bike rack is a small step that makes a big difference—for your customers, your neighbors, and our city.
Here’s how you can get involved:
Reach out to us. Email IndyBikeParking@centralincycling.org to start the conversation.
Tell us about your location. We’ll work with you to find the best placement for your space.
Join the bike rack movement! Each new rack helps make Indy more connected, accessible, and bike-friendly.
“Yazsh has been ecstatic to become a proud sponsor of Central Indiana Cycling. We have seen an increase in business with bicyclists riding down the new route on Michigan Street. Central Indiana Cycling made the bike rack installation process so simple and easy! The total time of installation took maybe 10 minutes. As soon as they were installed, we had a customer come and use them! The look of them elevates our curb appeal. It has had a huge impact in making our business and the surrounding Woodruff Community shine!"
— Lora Popov, Owner, Yazsh Cafe and Bistro
