How useful are cargo bikes in natural disasters and wars?

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The bicycle characteristics are ideal when natural disasters impact human livings. As I exposed when writing about bicycles after the DANA in Valencia (Spain), in 2024, bikes and above all cargo bikes are narrower than cars and transport first needed food to where is needed.

The concern about climate change, natural disasters and even wars has created initiates to share ideas regarding it. One example is the Kollapscamp in Wittstock (Germany). Contrary to what the name suggest, it is not a pessimistic camp for bikes. This event attracted 900 people to contribute to a platform to learn and share ideas about how bicycles can help overcome natural disasters and social crisis through workshops and talks. It also promoted strong, self sufficient communities without centralized nets, psychology, social organization and logistics.

Previously, as back as 2012, some tests have been done. For instance, the Disaster Relief Trials (DRT) in Portland (USA) consisted in bike cargo tests as a drill for using this type of bicycle to bring food aid to a catastrophic area. They evaluated how good are cargo bikes in transporting water or assisting in paths full of mackerel. They concluded that non-electric bikes are the best as the good management of energy is not needed in such scenarios.

The Tolocar project, promoted by the XYZ Cargo in Hamburg, has suggested to reinforce the supply routes with cargo bikes in Chernígov (Ukraine). XYZ proposes modular systems to adapt cargo bikes in few time.

What does a hotel need to be biketourism friendly?

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As there are more and more bikers, bike tourism has increased over the last years. This alternative way of making tourism allows enjoying places from a calmer perspective, being in close contact with local populations in a higher degree and protecting environment in comparison with the traditional tourism. Even today the number of hotels prepared for bike tourism is still narrow because they were not built to taken into account bikers.

Some tips to make hotels biketourism friendly are the follows. These hotels have to have a specific space, indoor or outdoor, for bicycles. It should be large enough as to allow this way of transport plus the saddlebags. If outdoor, it has to be secure, i.e. be closed, have a robust, unique door wide enough for bikes and if possible CCTVs with banners to avoid thefts. The hall should be large in order to allow all bicyclers and their luggage since bike tourists can pedal in big groups. As for the room, it is enough to have a bed, a wardrobe and a bathroom. Not surprisingly, the bathroom should have a shower tray as taking a shower rejuvenate a body after pedaling many kilometers. It is advisable to count with a green area within the limits of the hotel for such bike tourists who prefer camping instead of sleeping in a room. Finally, the hotel menu should consist in energetic food due to the fact that bikers will burn the total calorie intake during the next bike tourism day.

Can I afford a cargo bike?

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Over the last years, cargo bikes are becoming more popular. They can be used to carry groceries, children or even a piano. A person who has not had a cargo bike previously can think “I want it, but can not have it”. The main problem is where will be saved this bike as they are larger than traditional bicycles. This can constitute a prejudice since a car or a motorbike is also large, but people usually find a place for them. If you have two cars, get rid of one of them and now you have space for the cargo bike. Additionally, cities should modify the urban design to incorporate more spaces for bicycles (including cargo bikes) and people, and take it off to cars. For instance, if living blocks will be obliged to dedicate a space within the buildings for them, bikers will have a specific space for their bikes. Again, councils can build public bike parking that has been demonstrated effectiveness in other cities.

What makes successful a public bike sharing system?

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Many cities around the world already have or are implementing a public bike sharing system as their citizens demand more and more bicycle advancements. The bike movement can not be stopped, only delayed. Among all those sharing systems, there are some that have a great success and some others which need a push.

What are the key points in a good public bike sharing system? Knowing  the characteristics of the city is key. If they city is flat and small or medium size, bicycles should not be electric since there is no need for that. Indeed, less e-bikes means more exercise, better health and less costs. Next, it is common that such system are used slightly more by women, so it is a good idea to design them under a feminine perspective. On the other hand, the more difficult step is the first one: to implant the first bike sharing stations and bicycles when the city has few cyclists. Do not worry, as more people pedaling, much more will like to do it. If new bike infrastructures like segregated bike lanes, the better. At the beginning, councils can doubt between doing the bike sharing system themselves or hire a private company. The final decision will depend on several factors such as budget, public workers knowledge on biking or if there is at least one urban biker among the councils workers. This last point is extremely important due to the fact that bad bike sharing systems and bike lanes had been built in the past, and new bicycle viewpoints thanks to those public workers over the years have promoted alternative, bike-friendly redesigns of them. Implementing these innovations costs money and time.