When I go to public events on Green Transportation, I am always surprised to learn that many people are discouraged about riding to work because there is no place to lock their bike.
As a solution, here is another funky bike storage system to check out (remember this?). The Bike Tree addresses several issues: it stores your bikes high up in the air, for all the world to see, and thieves to be foiled, it makes cycling accessible, and it keeps bikes protected from the elements.
How does it work? Simply. You use a smart card that identifies you, and a bike hook glides down. Place your front tire in there, and up the bike rolls until it’s securely stored above, with a dome over the top to keep it dry. What if you need an indoor location, and the ceiling is too short for such a device? They also have another one, that has a more elaborate locking system.
Who would use this? Individual commuters, bike sharing services and people who are already good about using trains rather then their car, but there’s the few miles between their house and the station.
I’m guessing that the Bike Tree hasn’t made it to market, or at least this is the first that I have heard of it. But regardless, an interesting solution to a common problem.
Source: Ecopreneurist
