Norway Has World’s First Bike Escalator

Bicycling is a cheap and healthy way to get around, but a steep hill can become a casual cyclist’s Achilles’ heel. Luckily, the Norwegian city of Trondheim has a solution to this problem – a bike escalator.

Invented in the 90’s by a commuter who grew tired of showing up to work sweaty and exhausted, the Trampe lift, recently upgraded and reinvented as the CycloCable, has already carried over 200,000 bicyclists up this 150m-long cyclist deterrent. The curious escalator has become a tourist magnet as well.

Cyclists who place one foot on the escalator’s angled platform will be 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.

Installing this invention is obviously a great way to boost cycling in hilly cities, but they’ll have to be quite busy – one meter of this elevator costs 2,000-3,000$.

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