Wednesday 10 December 2014

Could this cycle escalator solve Brighton's hilly problem - Norway's Trampe CycloCable


Bicycle escalators could make cycling in hilly cities like Brighton easier - and a small Norwegian town is showing the way.

The Norwegian city of Trondheim became the location for the world's first bike escalator in 1993 when a commuter designed the Trampe lift, recently upgraded and reinvented as the CycloCable.

Cyclists place one foot on the escalator’s small angled platform and are pushed uphill at a speed of 5mph. Up to 5 people can use it simultaneously and it is not limited to bicycles, as it can carry basically any small wheeled transport with its owner, be it a kid with scooter or a mother with a baby stroller.

Trampe is the world's first bicycle lift intended for urban areas. The prototype was built in 1993. During its 15 years of operation, Trampe pushed more than 200.000 cyclists up the 130 m long hill Brubakken in Trondheim. It became one of the most popular tourist attractions in Trondheim.

In 2013, Trampe was upgraded to meet new safety regulations. The new industrialized version, CycloCable®, will be introduced to the international market by the French cableway company Skirail part of the Poma group.

Official website: http://trampe.no/en/home

User pictures: http://www.boredpanda.com/bicycle-escalator-cyclocable-trondheim-norway/