Norway Builds World’s First Bike Escalator
“I want to travel. Maybe I’ll end up living in Norway, making cakes” — Eva Green
After that, you will see me on my bicycle, riding around a small town, or playing with the escalator. It will keep me in good shape, and keep my heart never stop loving Norway.
In the city of Trondheim, Norway lies a hill that’s big and steep enough to deter any casual cyclist. To help promote cycling in the city and give the environmentally friendly activity a “lift”, a bicycle escalator called the CycloCable was installed.
The lift was originally built in 1993 and has since carried over 200,000 cyclists without a single accident. At that time, the lift could only carry one biker at a time. Since the upgrade in 2013, the lift now can carry up to six cyclists per minute on a speed of up to 5 MPH. “The bicycle lift helps cyclist up the steep Brubakken hill near Gamble Bybro, almost all the way up to Kristiansten Fort. Don’t be shy, give it a try,” a local friend told me.
In fact, this escalator has helped make Trondheim one of the premier cycling cities in the world. According to City Clock Magazine, 18% of all trips in the city are made by bike. The re-invention is credited by Jarle Wanick, who hopes to see more bike escalators installed around the world to help promote casual cycling. Let’s take a look at how it works:
As bicycling is a cheap and healthy way to get around, many cities around the world have been inventing ideas/solutions to help cyclists bike up steep hills. The Copenhagen Wheel invented a motorized bicycle’s back wheel that attaches to any bike is an example. Also, in Japan, a different type of bike escalator helps integrate biking with their public transportation infrastructure. It’s called “Bike-A-Lator” (click here to see how it works).
“I don’t ride a bike to add days to my life. I ride a bike to add life to my days” — Unknown
And yet, every turn of the wheel is a revolution.
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