What’s included and what’s not
I’ve scoured the local landscape to find only ‘Sheffield’ stands secured properly into the ground, or large ‘toast racks’ which could be considered immovable.
‘Wheel bender’ racks and similar, which only serve to keep a bike upright by supporting one wheel without easily allowing you to lock the actual frame, are not considered secure, do not constitute suitable cycle parking and are not listed.
Locations have all either been verified in person by myself or, in a few cases, by contacting businesses directly or checking multiple Google Street View captures.
Into the very urban areas, cycle parking is thankfully much more abundant so I haven’t pin-pointed locations there thoroughly. I’d recommend checking the dedicated cycle maps for Greater Manchester, Sheffield and Chesterfield.
Take care
Most pins on the map include a photo and perhaps some extra notes. Do note that, although I’ve been very ruthless with shoddy parking, just because I’ve listed a fixture here doesn’t mean it is 100% secure. You should always judge the fixture and location for yourself — and always do the “wiggle test”: give the stand a quick pull and push before locking.
If you’ve insured your bike (which can be done separately or often added to your home insurance with clause for “away from home” loss), make sure you follow the guidelines for a claim. Most will require at least a Sold Secure Gold-rated lock. And even if you’ve not insured, that’s the minimum it’s worth using, with D (or U) locks usually considered the best.
Once you’ve got a good lock, use it properly: it should go through the middle of the frame itself, and even better the rear wheel at the same time, reducing ability to move the lock or the wheel or easily cut it.
No cycle lock is undefeatable, but the best can certainly make a quick, quiet theft very difficult and any theft very unappealing. Other tips include using a second lock where you’re leaving your cycle for a longer period, and securing wheels or other easily-removed parts with a cable loop secured by the main lock. And of course, always remove expensive accessories like lights which can be quickly slipped off.
These tips also apply to storage at home. It’s astonishing how many people leave their expensive bikes unsecured in a shed locked only with a flimsy padlock. A basic Sheffield stand can cost less than £50 delivered (so you have to wonder why so many places struggle to install them) and could be fixed using a single £5 bag of Postcrete cement in your driveway or yard, say under a green roof, giving peace of mind at home.
Should the worst happen, a more recent trick can be to hide a GPS tracking tag such as an Apple AirTag somewhere on or in the bike frame.
Suggestions and updates
Found a top-notch cycle parking facility I’ve missed? The best way to let me know is to tweet to @peaksandpuddles. Likewise, if you’ve had trouble with a location or come across a disappearing stand (people sure do love to randomly remove cycle parking without a second thought), please do let me know.
Found this useful?
It took me bloomin’ ages to put this map together! If you’ve found it useful, please consider buying me a coffee or take a look at my Pocket Guides & GPX downloads. Thanks!