"Bike Tree" Keeps Bikes Off Ground, Away From Sticky Fingers
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05.12.08
Bike parking takes less space than cars but can still cover a lot of ground. Then there is the rampant theft. The bike tree deals with both problems; Abhinav Dapke of Bahrain and India designs a "parking stand design for congested bicycle parking."
The control panel includes finger print recognition sensor with some controls for locking/unlocking the bicycle onto the stand. The panel branches out of the trunk at user friendly height.
For locking your bicycle
1. Place your bicycle in the vertical slots
2. Manually lock the rim
3. Press start
4. Finger print
5. OK/ CANCEL
For releasing bicycle follow the similar path. ::Abhinav Dapke on Coroflot via ::Swiss Miss
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Wow this looks like the coolest bike parking ever, barely beating the Treehugger video on Japan's crazy bike garage that looks like it was from the Matrix movie.
Although, this idea seems expensive and unrealistic; it's cool! I wonder if fingerprinting will ever make it, especially since no one does it. Is it easy to copy a fingerprint, CSI-style?
I'm no ninja (or maybe I am!) but I can climb telephone poles, light posts, etc. I don't know how much this new design really helps.
From the image, it looks like that guy could probably still rip off a wheel no trouble. Maybe add a few feet there.
This has been done before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcSD5MsQuVo
The advantage of this model is that it's protected from the weather as well.
Seems you've already reported on it, though:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/03/bike_tree_locke_1.php
Sweet! I would only add an umbrella on top. and its height makes easier to store recumbents! Amsterdam could use these...
doesnt that look like it's hard to mount?
it is a very nice idea... beautiful
But.... It exists always a but, that we never had in mind,... The But,... not that but,... this $$,...
I think,.. that with this idea, the bike's parking will start to being paid,... hum
Powered by solar? Solar panel covered rain shield? Companies should offer these in the US - once cities offer safe-sized bike lanes!
how about we have parking garage valet systems like they do for cars? you know-you bike in, you get a ticket-the person stores you bike in the back-you come back and pay for the number of hours you let them store it. i'd rather have live people protecting my bike then a "tree". since it's only a bike and they don't take much space, it wouldn't be that expensive although slightly inconvienent.
How about you just set a 5-digit password?
No passcards to carry around, etc, and seems more feasible than a fingerprint scanner. (Which I am assuming won't work when it rains, et.)
"welcome to bike tree, please set password". end of story, plus it's as safe as your PIN number.
Interesting idea.
Unfortunately, I can see someone damaging the console and rendering the "tree" inoperable. I'd hate to come out of some place to find my bike is stuck because somebody damaged the keypad.
Main problem i see with this is a durability problem. Electronics in fingerprinting mechanism and the motors to raise the bike would probably break down too often, stranding your bike and jack up the costs.
How about use physical cranks to raise the bike (elevate the bikes to reduce congestion, not for anti-theft measure). And have a secure way to attach a bike lock from the bike frame to the bike tree.
This would help keep cost down and eliminate troublesome electronics.
I would never, I mean never, lock my bicylce by just the wheel, which appears to be what's going on here. Wheels are always removable.
Never has so much been done to benfit so few. Let's see, it's motorized, has lots of electonics, and no doubt will need an army of programers. Im glad my carbon fiber bike is reducing my carbon footprint. A good sturdy lock and parking meter post do just fine.