Many years ago our organization conceptualized purchasing used bike racks and installing them inexpensively at local businesses. This project has ebbed and flowed as our supply of used racks and motivated volunteers has changed. One of the first installs we can remember is at Cornish Pasty on Hardy and University and they’re still there!
Through the Preston Swan years there was another flurry of installs including at Rag-O-Rama (now Arizona Distilling Co) and a Dance Studio over on McClintock.
Today we’re still running this program, some the latest installs include a shortened and freshened up rack at Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (N.O.A.H.). A site visit with President Stevie revealed insufficient space for an 8′ rack so we had a welder lop off a hoop and reattach the tabs and then off to the powder coaters for a very pretty blue (RAL 5015).
Four Peaks went with the raw brown/rust color/condition of the original racks on their multiuse paver area. They elected to have the weight of the racks themselves to keep them vaguely in place but it gives them an opportunity to relocate them allowing the space to remain multiuse (for micro bus parking during events).
Fuel to Fit on East Apache had these concrete alcoves that were exactly 8′ wide. Unfortunately our racks are 8′ long plus a few inches for the mounting tabs :'(. Bob from Bike Saviours to the rescue! Bob came to our super secret storage location, picked up a rack, took it to his shop, and modified it to fit. We then dropped it off at EVBOM so the City Transit team could perform the install. Thanks to Seth, Brandon, Richard and the rest of the team for saving us the trouble of figuring out how to get a permit since it falls within the City’s right-of-way.
We worked with Kenneth at Pinnacle Prevention out in Chandler to select a flat black that closely matches the trim on their building and our board member/volunteer borrowed a hammer drill from tall Pat and made some holes. So this is our second extra-Tempe business that got a bike rack installed!
A bright ‘safety orange’ rack was installed behind Ted’s Hot Dogs on Broadway road so you can bike to the UPS store to mail packages. There’s a new Korean BBQ place and another restaurant just finishing up with their remodels prior to opening.
If you are interested in obtaining a bike rack for your business reach out to us for current costs and options, info@biketempe.org. Here’s a poorly stitched together picture of the powder coat color board.
