An Elevator For Cyclists In Trondheim

Trondheim, that calls itself the Bike Capital of Norway, has re-opened its famous CycloCable. This innovative and clever piece of infrastructure is a self-service bicycle lift for hilly roads comparable to a ski lift.

Hilly urban landscapes are a topic that’s often put forward in discussions about why some cities are bicycle cities and others aren’t. Cities famous for their cycling culture, such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen, are flat, which makes moving around on a bicycle an easy thing to do. No-one likes to arrive at work completely soaked in sweat because he/she had to cycle up a steep hill. Now that’s where the CycloCable comes in. And it works, according to a 2007 survey about Trondheim bike lift users. 41% of the respondents said to be cycling more often because of the CycloCable.

Bicycle lift, Trondheim

Bicycle lift, Trondheim

The lift for cyclists was originally introduced in 1993 in Trondheim and had become a popular tourist attraction and a commonly used piece of infrastructure in the city — the CycloCable supported more than 200,000 cyclists to go up the 130-meter hill without causing any accidents. In 2012 the original lift was dismantled. A year later it was replaced with an improved version that meets new safety standards. POMA Group, the French company that built the new CycloCable, is now looking to sell the concept to other cities in the world.