#HTE

Urban Design Observations: Sidewalk Flush-Mounted Bicycle Anchor Lock

Early in the morning, I frequently walk my two dogs along Walker Street and into Tribeca. But today is the first time I noticed what you see in the photo below:

Here we see a hollow sidewalk, and even if the sign wasn’t there you’d know it was hollow due to the vault lights. But I wasn’t interested in those, I was interested in this thing:

Both the Kryptonite name and the clear function make it obvious what this thing’s for.

I looked up the exact name when I got home, it’s called a Stronghold Anchor Bike Lock. You install it yourself by drilling into the concrete. Your building owner might have something to say about it, which is why you do it when they’re in the Hamptons, spending your rent money on upscale seafood served by a waiter that they call by his first name.

The fact that I’ve spent most of my life here, but have never noticed one of these before, is a testament New York’s visual density. You can literally see something new every time you leave the house.