Davis Bicycle Racks At The Intersection Of Art And Function

DAVIS, CA — On first glance, Davis’s many bicycle racks appear to follow a simple form-follows-function approach. But, take a closer look and you’ll notice that there is distinct architectural attention given to the racks’ design. Though there may be a schism between what the architect and the cyclist consider to be a “good” bicycle rack. At the end of the day the diversity of design yields a inspiring examples of ingenuity and craft. What on first glance may appear to be just a practical arrangement of metal tubing, actually reflects trends in design, city principles, and structural beauty.

The City of Davis uses some specific guidelines for the bicycle racks they install. They claim the goal of all bicycle racks is to “enhance convenience and maximize security”. David Takemoto-Weerts, former UC Davis bicycle program coordinator, says that campus’s bicycle racks have come a long way since he studied at UC Davis. “When I was a grad student nearly all of the bike parking was bike pods. There aren’t many left.” The “pod” design Takemoto-Weerts refers to were the choice of architects because of their low profile. But the design proved impractical for bicyclists,. “They were awful for security and they caused bent wheels.” Takemoto-Weerts said his criteria for bicycle racks are that they will not cause damage to the bicycle and that they allow the rider to secure both the frame and front wheel.

While most bicycle racks succeed at this goal, many also add architectural flair to the city and have an indisputable effect on the landscape.

UC Davis junior Allegra Vanderlaan believes that bicycle racks can function artistically. “Bicycle racks are made with functional intention, but as is evidenced by our wide range of racks in Davis, differ greatly in form and placement. In this sense, bicycle racks are forms of public installations-- they punctuate our urban and suburban environments with wavy shapes and jagged edges.”

“I think bike racks add character to the community I’m based in,” said Catherine Lopez, UC Davis senior. “It’s clear Davis is the type of city that promotes people to use bikes more based on the amount of racks on campus and in the city.”

The “character” Lopez speaks of is exhibited by the wide range of bicycle racks on view in Davis. Here are a few.

This pared-down design, often called “lightning bolt”, is one of the most common bicycle racks in Davis. With an easy place to hold your front wheel and a loop for your lock, this type of locking structure is simple to use.

Another type of rack, common on campus, displays an interesting sculpture-like structure. This rack offers many locations for locking on one large structure. Known as “coat-hanger racks”, due to their shape, Takemoto-Weerts noted, “when I first discovered these I realized they were really good racks in terms of our criteria.”

Here we see a design that is a hybrid of the first two designs, above.; There’s a place to put your wheel and a loop for your lock. The rack offers many parking spots in a massive structure.

This type of rack only offers support to the front wheel, making it more difficult to lock both your frame and wheel to the rack without a cable. However, the design is simple and compact.

“Architects like these because they look sculptural. Cyclists hate them because they're poor at supporting the bike. The bike is leaning against one point of contact. You need more for the bike to be stable,” Takemoto-Weerts said of this type of bicycle rack.

Outside Davis City Hall on Russell Boulevard is the home of this structure, which is a great example of the gray area between art and a practical place to lock your bicycle. The structure seems like it could be either a public art piece or a bicycle rack. The abandoned U-lock shows that someone definitely used it as the latter. “It’s interesting to observe how people use them,” Takemoto-Weerts said of sculpture-rack hybrids such as this one. “People tend not to use them because people think they’re sculptures.”

Also outside Davis City Hall, in close proximity to the above, is this piece of art. Again, there is definite ambiguity on whether or not it is okay to lock your bicycle to this piece of metal, considering its resemblance to the one above. Either way, both sculptures are symbolic of Davis and its history as a bicycle-friendly city. The old-fashioned bicycle is the City of Davis’s logo.

“In Davis, biking is recognized as a key component of the city's identity,” Vanderlaan noted. “I see bicycle racks evolving with the city to fit changing aesthetic preferences and functional needs.”

Lack of space to lock bikes on campus, combined with rushing to class or an appointment, causes people to lock their bikes to things that clearly are not bike racks.

Anywhere you can find a metal bar somehow securely rooted to the ground, people will find a way to lock their bicycle to it.

In other cases, nature serves as a bicycle stand.

“I am amazed and inspired when I see bike racks that are not intended to be such, like at the Wednesday farmers’ market at peak time. People will lock their bike to other bikes that are locked to other bikes that are locked to themselves,” said Vanderlaan. “In this way, the bike riders of Davis engage in creative interactions with their environment, facilitated by a need for rack or structure space.”

Bicycle racks in Davis blur the line between practical utilitarian structures and public sculpture installations. Like all art, their beauty and presence may be controversial. However, their impact on the Davis terrain is undeniable and an integral part of daily life for Davis residents. “Especially on campus, they’re a very visible part of campus that we sort of take for granted,” Takemoto-Weerts said of bicycle racks as a part of daily life.

Regardless of one’s opinion on the artistic nature of the racks, the diversity of bicycle racks in Davis show a collective desire to lock our bicycles securely, practically, efficiently, and to do so in a way that honors the city of Davis and blends the needs of cyclists with our city values.