I live up 4 flights of stairs and live in the city and I still think biking is the fastest and easiest way around the city. :)

When you feel brave enough, give it a shot. It's worth it.

So what do people who DO bike around town like?

How can one be petrified of biking?

Our bikes are proudly displayed on our dining room wall :-) but not for much longer!
http://craftscafe.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/bike-wall-art/

@Termolux, the author isn't petrified of biking, she's petrified of biking in San Francisco. I am, too! I biked everywhere in college but I won't bike here. The drivers are insane and a number of the cyclists are even worse and there's a huge amount of tension between the two groups (look up Critical Mass sometime). I don't even like being on the road in a car here. Fragile little me on a bike on these roads? No thanks!

I find San Francisco's Bike To Work Day kind of amusing since it's impossible to actually bike to work from the East Bay. You have to bike to a bus stop, catch the bus and then bike from the bus stop to your destination courtesy of the Bay Bridge.

get some more examples that aren't single speed hipster bikes. those things are death traps! NO BRAKES NO BRAKES! oh wait, for some reason i wanted that...

all of these seem like excess compared to a simple hook.. I'm about to move to a place with a very narrow entry hall and trying to figure out the best solution, if anyone wants to weigh in.

http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Bicycle-Storage-Hooks-Card/dp/B00165Q4FS/ref=pd_sbs_sg_1

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/garage/sportsEquipment?productId=10000532

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Leonardo-Single-Bicycle-Vinci/dp/B000FGTTEW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1273769301&sr=1-5

I have my bikes hanging from a hook attached to the wall in my garage. However I have seen some of these other examples in apartments and they seem to work. I like the reclaimed wood bike rack.

We have a simple cantilevered bike rack (REI) in our living room. It holds the bikes by weight, so no drilling into the wall for us. I keep my road bike upstairs year round- road rides in the summer and cruising my trainer in the winter. My mother **hates** it but I remind her often that it is my house, not hers.

My ideal location would be an entry way, an attached garage, or a foyer. So if I ever find the apartment with one of those, I'm golden. In the meantime, it's the living room. But my bike is pretty!

BTW: re: the carrying of bikes upstairs. Is your landlord open to the idea of a covered bike parking spot or a bike locker? They are not expensive in the grand scheme of things.

My dad is a REALLY hardcore cyclist, but growing up we lived in a typical San Francisco flat - no garage. The solution? My dad suspended his ten bicycles from the ceiling of our long railroad-style corridor. It was an interesting first impression for any friends I invited over, needless to say! He finally rented out a garage/workshop, and I think everyone's happier (the hall suddenly feels HUGE!), but it was a great solution at the time.

Tiamat_the_Red, Critical Mass get things done in terms of seizing the streets for the lawful use of bikes. Because it's not an organization, there can be individuals in a Critical Mass event that make unfortunate headlines - but after the smoke clears the message that bikes are in the city to stay is evident.

I'm a 53 year old (plain-vanilla fiscally conservative socially pragmatic) guy, and have ridden peacefully and safely in plenty of Critical Mass rides over the last decade in Portland to help establish the right for bikes as a legitimate means of transportation. It was a little messy at first, but today PDX is a platinum bike city with one of the highest commuter rates in the nation.

The opportunity to ride is out there IF you take it, and withers away if you don't. Imagine what you want your city to be like, and be the change. If pokey guys like me and David Byrne can navigate Brooklyn, Miami, New Orleans, Amsterdam and Portland on a bike, young and vibrant you will be most welcome on those not-so-mean streets. Won't you give it another chance? The bus-to-bike thing is a great place to start!

businessgypsy - great argument and I fully agree with you, but I also understand where tiamat_the_Red and Jess are coming from. I live in Baltimore and would totally bike more if I felt safer. Our city has made many improvements to our biking infrastructure, adding many bike lanes (as well as the great idea of bike lanes that connect our numerous colleges and universities), and come Oct. the new 3ft law stating cars must maintain this distance from bikers goes into effect. But, while this is great, it's the crazy angry motorists that make me feel nervous. There is this feeling that motorists own the roads and some will let you know that bikes don't belong there! My significant other has been bike commuting in the city for 15 years and has more close calls than he cares to share with me, been in accidents, had a bike destroyed in an accident, and has even been sent to the hospital. The last two nights alone he was ran onto the curb by a van and in the other incident was nearly t-boned by an suv running a red light.

So while I really think you said it beautifully with, "The opportunity to ride is out there IF you take it, and withers away if you don't. " I am someone who does want to take it, but right now I feel way more comfortable riding with a partner than solo (well, at least if I'm headed downtown!)

I live in NYC and after a trip to Amsterdam decided I REALLY wanted to bike in the city. I was scared because, well, have you SEEN New York drivers?! So I bought a bike anyway. Turns out the city has a LOT of new bike paths (this doesn't help people in other cities, I know), and bike lanes and a commitment to build more. I started doing research, started my own blog (nycbycycle.com) to have a place to put things I learned...and maybe share with others -- AT posts have been linked to twice!) and found other resources like mapmyride.com and ridethecity.com (which is awesome....it plots safer, safe and at your own risk routes....and there are lanes....some protected...that I had no idea about). My friends are sick of me going all evangelist on them....but I'm telling you...I have realized it is AWESOME!!!!

All that being said -- my poor pretty bike lives outside because I live in a small 5th floor walk-up with no bike storage in the building....but it has a lot of company!

Does anyone know where I can find a Simplex Bicycle print as large as the one in the above photo?? I can't seem to find anything bigger than 17x34" online? I love that idea! Thanks!!

How do you store your bike? Do the handlebars ever get in the way? Duh!
www.flipphandle.com