It's no secret that over the past decade bicycling has increased in popularity worldwide, with a number of countries favouring bikes as their preferred method of transportation. But whether you ride a bike or not, if you own a business, this trend is bringing new opportunities your way. Read on to find out why and how you could be using bike parking to your advantage.

How to capture bike riding consumers with bike parking...

Bike riders are regular people, but more importantly they're also consumers, which means they could be your next customer. So, what can you do as a business to capture these potential customers?

“There’s a strong indication that more and more people in communities are getting around by bicycle,” said Nathan Broom, Bicycle Parking Program Manager for the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals. “Businesses are responding to that by providing a place to park bikes.”

Whether you're a local cafe, retail store or another business, providing bike parking could not only bring these customers to your front door, but it could open up other opportunities for your business too.

Why businesses need bike parking.

Here are 6 benefits associated with commercial bike parking:

1. Attract More Customers - Bicycle commuting and tourism are on the rise globally. By providing riders with a place to store their bikes, they will be more likely to frequent your store. So, by simply having bike parking, you can entice and attract more customers to your front door.
2. Competitive Advantage - Businesses who provide bike parking will automatically be preferred by cyclists over stores who don't. It's as simple as that!
3. Bike-Friendly Brand Positioning - By providing bike parking, you position your brand as a bike-friendly business; a favourable trend that pleases a large majority of consumers. This is an added bonus if your brand wants to position itself as 'green' and environmentally friendly.
4. Foster Community Engagement - Cities across the globe are encouraging various alternative forms of transportation. Although local councils and shires contribute to this by installing bicycle infrastructure, businesses also play an important role in promoting bike riding, which includes bike parking.
5. Healthy & Happy Employees - More and more people are choosing to ride their bikes to work. This comes with a number of benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease, improving mental health and staying physically fit. In some cities, providing end-of-trip bike parking facilities for employees is mandatory. By encouraging cycling to work behaviour, your business can feel good knowing that they're enabling their employees to live a healthier lifestyle.
6. Increase Parking Capacity & Space - A wall of bike racks can accomodate more employees and customers than a single car parking space would. It also provides a convenient place for bikes to be stored. Adequate bike parking will also ensure that bikes aren't in the way of pedestrians or passersby.

Where do I start?

If you're looking to get the ball rolling and want to explore bike parking for your business, then you've come to the right place. Steadyrack offer various bike parking solutions which you can learn more about here, or you can simply contact us for a quote. Once you've installed your bike racks, get the word out and tell your customers about it! Once people know that you're a bike-friendly business, they can hop on their bikes and visit your store.

See what other businesses are doing with their bike parking...