Bike Tree Locked Bicycle Storage

We’re firm believers in the two wheels good, four wheels bad adage. But when we trip over bikes that are cluttering up the sidewalk, we’re not so sure, and when our bike gets stolen (again) we’re just mighty pissed off. Bike Tree (see extended post for another view) is a space efficient solution to the chain-it-up parking approach favored by so many municipalities. Rather than hitching your bike to a post at street level, swipe a smart card, enter your PIN, and your cycle is taken up the “trunk” of the tree to a dome that protects it from thieves and the elements. The tree’s footprint is minimal, which helps keep space open for pedestrians (and the dome shields them from rain, too). The system—first installed in Geneva—can also be configured as a bike rental kiosk. And just where does it get the energy to be whooshing bikes up and down? Solar power, baby. Thanks to Richard LaRue for the tip! ::Bike Tree [by KK]