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What's peoples opinions on this? I feel like it should be totally acceptable to bring your bicycle inside a shop with you if you're careful with it rather than being forced to lock it up outside. I cant tell if people have a dim view on this or not though.
There are very few shops I can think of that would have enough free floor space for one, let alone a number of bikes. Shops are for selling stuff, they want to have as much on display as possible. Any other space is for customers walking/standing around.
Shopkeepers don’t want to risk a muddy carpet/dirtied stock, blocked shelves or have to explain that they aren’t responsible if some scrote robs your bike whilst you’re looking elsewhere.
But surely its smaller than a trolley?
Do it all the time.
With my Brompton, anyway!
I wouldn't even consider doing it. I suppose it might be ok in a bike shop but I still wouldn't
Would you expect to take your car in too, if that was how you chose to get to the shop ?
Iainc how is that even remotely similar ! I sometimes use my legs to get to the shop and I can take those in!
But surely its smaller than a trolley?
It’s a fair bit longer and about as wide if you have modern MTB bars. Not on casters either, so much harder to move out of the way. Put a bike by the sink in your kitchen and see how frustrating it is to move about.
Iainc how is that even remotely similar ! I sometimes use my legs to get to the shop and I can take those in!
Because the shop is a business who are sustained by selling things. How people get to their front door is nothing to do with them. If they are accommodating they may assist with somewhere to park a car, or a bike rack, or a crèche, or even somewhere to tie up your dog.
Twin buggy or pushchairs are massive... you suggesting they should be refused entry too?😉
I got told off for taking my bike inside a shop once. It was a bike shop, and full of bikes!
I take my bike(fixie) into my local tsb no drama
I was fine with people bringing bikes in to my coffee shop. Not sure I'd have felt the same if it had been a clothes shop or similar.
JP
I once rode my hardtail in through the revolving doors at Braehead Shopping Centre, to the vast amusement of my pals. I timed the pedalling perfectly, half trackstanding as the doors turned, and then went in, rode a wee 30 second loop, and out again. All of this at 21:55, just before they closed.
So yes, it can be done.
Once saw a guy prop his bike up inside a Heron foods store, I was in the queue as it slowly started slipping then slam, hit the deck, knocking over a display cage, caused a woman to land on her arse and damaged the window, the guy was African, barely spoke english, it was like a hidden camera show, total disaster.
I have a KOM in our local M&S
Very proud of a lifetime ban i was given at a Tesco near me for taking my bike in. Waitrose have no issue with it at all (clean road bike, discretely propped in spacious cafe area).
I got told off for taking mine to Tesco, yet oddly Waitrose are generally fine.
Not tried any other shop, though my Barber lets me leave it in the shop whilst I have a trim.
Wouldn't even consider it with a normal bike as i think it'd be a pretty contentious in most shops so why go looking for a potential argument. Taken my foldup bike in lots of shops & supermarkets, always folded up though.
Brewery's allow it
And bike shops
We've had one girl bring her racer in and lean it against one of our display units.
I thought she was taking the piss but she soon left.
We do offer bike liocks to those that need them.
Bitd Morrisons allowed me to wheel in on my inbred
Tescos locally allow me to in order to get my nicotine fix 😜
Took my bike in the pub last Friday closing, was about sober enough to pick it up on the Sunday. Land lord was fine.
Our local Sainsbury's express has a security fellow, I've seen him stop people taking bikes in but promise to watch them.
I often take mine to my lbs whilst I shop on the high st. It comes in the pub on a summer week night. Was asked to remove it from a newsagents this year, put my goods back and went next door to the off license.
I’ll try Waitrose next week. 🙂
I have trouble negotiating some shops with my sons wheelchair due to the clutter/ end displays. Think it would be worse with a bike.
Taken my bike into Currys / PC world to pickup a package. No problems but it was a road bike rather than a massive gnarrpoon mountain bike.
No one owns bike locks these days. I've seen folk doing this. Always makes me think. Self important walloper.
I've taken mine into the car dealership when picking up the car after a service. As long as you don't rest it on a new car they are fine.
My local Wine Rack told me to bring mine in! Needless to say I now buy all my booze from there.
My local Wine Rack told me to bring mine in!
Now that's service. That's very different from presuming it's your God given right to take the bike in.
I’ve taken mine into the car dealership when picking up the car after a service. As long as you don’t rest it on a new car they are fine.
Back when my car was new and had a free service pack I used to drive to the garage with the towbar rack on, go for a ride in the local woods while they serviced it and return all muddy then drive back home. Except one time my car needed to stay in overnight as they'd broken a clip for the handbrake cable. They gave me a courteousy car and a seat cover but were a bit stumped about what to do with my muddy bike. That was until the young girl on the reception suggested putting it in the bike rack on top of the Yeti in the main showroom. So I went home with an Octavia Vrs for a few days and my bike was a bit of a talking point for the staff. Returned 3 days later and the guy on the service desk said they'd sold 2 Yeti's to outdoorsy people in that time purely because it had a muddy bike on the roof!
I usually leave mine the foyer of big shops, B&Q, Tescos that sort of thing, the space between the first doors and the second doors, just a bit less obvious than one left outside. Small shops would be way too crowded to manouver. Went to a meeting in someone else's office a couple of weeks ago, asked if they had a yard round the back I could leave it 'Oh just bring it in, it'll be fine'
My local bike shop (sadly closed now 😥) was always ok with me bringing a dirty mountain bike in and leaning it against the window or counter. In my experience bike shops are usually ok providing you ask first, I'd never take the bike in a normal shop though.
Our local Sainsbury’s express has a security fellow, I’ve seen him stop people taking bikes in but promise to watch them.
I was leaving my local Tesco Express a few weeks ago when a guy tried to take a road bike in. The security guard did the same thing but the bloke with the bike insisted he was taking it in and started saying things like don't you know how much this is worth etc etc. He made himself look like a massive bellend 🙄
Asda let me and a mate take our bikes through the shop and up The stairs to the cafe for a fully cooked breakfast. felt a bit weird but the staff were totaly cool with it.
My local Sainsbury's Express is fine with it - there's actually a convenient space right by the enormous hulk of the cash machine so every once in a while you'll see someone just tuck their bike in there for a few minutes.
Most of the shops in the town though are small family run places that simply don't have the space to accommodate a bike. One of the cafes is OK with it and a couple of the pubs. One pub is routinely used by a group finishing a night ride and the back room of the pub ends up with about £50,000 of MTB in it!
I have on occasion asked if I can take my bike into shops but generally? No.
What I do have is a proper lock and use it properly. I have no fear of the bike being stolen
Generally no. Exceptions are the local Edinburgh bike store. And the local café my wife runs!
In my job, I sometimes have to do home visits, usually on my bike. Generally will lock the bike to a gate/post etc in the front garden, but sometimes there's nowhere secure to lock it to. Some people invite me to bring it into the house!
I walk my bike into a medium size Tesco when I want a bag of coffee on the way to work in the morning from time to time. 0745, no one says a thing, coffee in the pannier and off I go again. My lock is on the rack at work you see. Some day there may be a bugger who takes issue but as long as I don't hit one of the staff stocking shelves or the three other customers what's the problem?
If the owner say aye, go for it, if the owner says no, don't do it.
Fairly simple I'd think. If you are unsure, ask first.
Bikes are welcome in my shop especially as there is almost always mine in there....however as it also has around 100 kayaks/opens in it there is plenty of space. Dogs welcome too.
I take my road bike into shops all the time. It is very unusual to be questioned. Of course one is polite, careful and generally well mannered. The bike is an obvious high end piece of bling that most people can tell is not a gnarpoon or dirty pub hack.
The staff in my local Boots are lovely. They look after it when I leave it behind the door. My local small Tesco have no issue either. I’ve also taken it into restaurants.
Rule 1 isn’t it.
The Local is cool with bikes.
A LBS told me off for bringing my bike in. I decided not to bother ever going back there.
How do LBS’ that don’t allow bikes in the shop book service work in?
Decathalon (Kensington High St) is cool with bikes inside. It is now a too convenient stop off on the way home. Holding on going down the escalator feels odd.
The Spar near us has a dedicated area right in front of the door where you just lie your bikes down in a pile.
I'd just like to point out that I always ask permission first before wheeling the bike in.
I think it's rude taking a bike ( not Brompton ) into a store. loads of crud usually on the wheels. Mind you I did try and take my bike though the maccys d's drive through once and got refused service on health and safety grounds.
At Halfords once, and the guy on the till who saw me locking it up told me to bring it in if I preferred... only time I've taken a bike in a shop unless it was a LBS and I was wanting it worked on.
Very proud of a lifetime ban i was given at a Tesco near me for taking my bike in.
Is this connected to......
I was leaving my local Tesco Express a few weeks ago when a guy tried to take a road bike in. The security guard did the same thing but the bloke with the bike insisted he was taking it in and started saying things like don’t you know how much this is worth etc etc. He made himself look like a massive bellend
🤔🤔
ind you I did try and take my bike though the maccys d’s drive through once and got refused service on health and safety grounds
that happened to me, no other vehicles in the queue though. the huy at the window said it was ok to wheel the bike in through the front door though. never mind the store users health and safety
At Halfords once, and the guy on the till who saw me locking it up told me to bring it in if I preferred
Yes, ours has a load of space inside the door and wheeling bikes through the doors is exactly how people get them in and out for service and after they've bought them, so you'd have to be a right git to refuse that.
Molgrips - happened to me once too. Never been back!
I rode into the shop round the corner from school once (about 40 years ago...) - tried an endo turn and fell off - knocked s load of stuff over - the shopkeeper helped me up and was very good about it. Wouldn’t do it now though!!!
No taxi, mine was a town bike back in 2003 and I didn't even get a chance to state my case to the security guard, he went straight for the ban. I said he'd done me a favour, smiled and left.
I think my measure of acceptability with bikes in shops is whether its a shop that has trolleys, so the principle of outdoor wheels being ok is established.
My local Tesco Express allows me to wheel my bike inside - I lean it against the trolleys, buy whatever I need, and leave as quickly as I can.
I'm very grateful for their indulgence :o)
Evans in Havant have an area inside for storing bikes. I think Cycle Surgery down the road do too (but they're the bastards who wouldn't lend me an allen key!)
Argos manager once told me to bring my bike in, there is a big empty space by the doors. I often collect ebay deliveries from Argos on my way home, so it's nice to not have to carry a lock.
Our local Sainsbury’s express has a security fellow, I’ve seen him stop people taking bikes in but promise to watch them
This reminds me of my Grandma a few years ago. There was a new Morrisons and never enough space for all the bikes. She had complained a few times, spoken to the store manager and tried to get them to install more racks. One morning she turned up and there was no spaces. Wheeled her bike in and asked to speak to the manager again (in a nice old lady way with a smile). When he came out she handed him her bike and said he could look after it while she got her shopping. He was still stood there with it when she returned 10 mins later, and was very apologetic!
They got some more racks shortly after.
I did try and take my bike though the maccys d’s drive through once and got refused service on health and safety grounds
I used to cycle the kiddyback tandem through on a Sunday evening.