[BikeLongmont] Wild Oats: Thumbs up!

[Richard Masoner]

I realize bike rack design isn't exactly something that gets a great 
deal of priority when it comes to bicycle advocacy issues, but I brought 
just this topic up with Wild Oats a few months back.

At the new Wild Oats store in Superior, they installed "wheel-bender" 
type racks. I commented on their website feedback form that while I 
appreciate their desire to accomodate cyclists, cyclists prefer bike 
rack designs with multiple support points over wheel-benders.

Wild Oats' Development Manager, Bud Anderson, contacted me and asked for 
more information. I pointed him to various websites, including Denver's 
"Rules and Regulations for Bicycle Parking" as a desirable example to 
follow.

 http://www.denvergov.org/Bicycle_Program/template2606.asp

After some study, Wild Oats changed their corporate design standard to 
specify the inverted U. Not only that, they replaced the wheel-benders 
in Superior with better racks. Here's the response I received from Wild 
Oats:

  Well, after working with the developer, the city, and the
  general contractor, we at last have "Inverted U" bicycle
  racks at our Superior store. The process actually wasn't
  too bad, just took a little time, and I think they've
  actually been in place since late July or so. I want to
  thank you for your inquiry into this, as it afforded me
  an opportunity to  educate myself on a matter that affects
  a significant portion of our stores' guests.

  Best wishes to you,

  Bud Anderson
  Plan Development Manager
  Wild Oats Markets Inc.