Bike ring has everyone bent out of shape
A bent-over bicycle locking ring is still doing its job, but could use some straightening out.
Of all the stuff that competes for space on Toronto’s mean streets, few things are taken for granted more than the post-and-ring lockup. Many people barely notice them, but cyclists depend on them to secure their bikes.
It is not a misplaced trust. Upwards of 15 years ago, there were complaints that the original bike rings, designed in the 1980s, were susceptible to theft.
In 2010, after accounts of how they could be pried out of the sidewalk with some muscle and a two-byfour, I set out to determine if that was the case. I tested 550 bike rings across the city but found only two that could be lifted out of their holes.
The complaints still prompted a Great Reset that resulted in new rings that replaced thousands of the old ones, along with heightened trust on the part of riders that they aren’t susceptible to hijackings.
Right now, there are about 17,200 bike rings in Toronto, including “close to 11,300 that feature the old post-and-ring design,” according to the city’s communications colossus.
In an email, it said: “Each year, the city repairs approximately 750 bike rings, installs 450 new rings (the new design with the sleeved ring on the post) and retrofits 850 units. Retrofitting includes replacing an older style with a newer one.”
But they are vulnerable to damage from vehicles that mount the curb and smash into them, as seems to be the case with one on the north side of Bloor Street, just east of Dufferin Street.
Mark Klein emailed to say that “this bike locking ring looks like it got hit by a truck. It’s at a 45-degee angle. I was nearly injured when I accidentally walked into it.
I went there and found a bike locked to it, even though the ring was badly bent over. The damage suggests Klein is quite likely correct in concluding that it was bent over by a vehicle that mounted the curb. Status: I sent a note to the city and got a reply that said, “Yes, bike rings can be fixed or replaced. Residents are encouraged to report broken or damaged bicycle lock rings to 311 so city crews can prioritize them for repairs … The location you shared has been prioritized for an emergency repair.”