Most of my bicycle trips are between home and the office, where there’s a locked room to park bikes. I’m loathe to cycle anywhere else around Greater Victoria, especially downtown, because of the risk of theft and vandalism.
I might be needlessly paranoid. But I’ve been stung.
I don’t ride and park downtown that much, but despite that infrequency, I had a front-wheel nut stolen on one occasion — a likely precursor to removal of my wheel — and a rear light another time. Whenever I bicycle downtown, I lock my bike with a sturdy lock to a sturdy stand, and remove my front and back lights, except for that time I forgot.
A colleague who rides more frequently than me refuses to take his “real” bike downtown. He has a clunker for those trips. A bike shop operator told me that he gets a steady flow of business from people who have had pieces of their bicycles stolen.
The City of Victoria says it has 100 bicycle parking spaces at the entrances and exits of its five parkades, suggesting that those places would offer some security. I’m going to try them out.
There are also bicycle lock-up rooms in several downtown buildings, but they are mostly reserved for tenants. Some bicycle shops might let you park in their store, especially if you offer money or if you bought your bicycle from them.
I sense a business opportunity: bicycle lockers at spots around downtown, big enough to completely enclose a bicycle. Or something like that. I would pay a few dollars an hour for the service, or enrol in a locker membership. Someone with more entrepreneurial spirit than me should do some calculating and give it a whirl.
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The Downtown Victoria Business Association has advice about parking your bicycle.
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