ARTICLE FROM THE BOOK:
Cyclists & Cycling Around the World – Creating Liveable
andBikeable
CitiesCyclists& Cycling
Aroundthe World
Edited by Juan Carlos Dextre, Mike Hughes & Lotte Bech
Published by Fondo Editorial, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 2013
ISBN: 978-612-4146-55-8

5. BicyclesT

his chapter contains two articles about special bicycles that are now on the increase
as a means of urban transport, public self-service bikes and cargo bikes. The firstarticle covers experiences with the development of a bike share system in Pariswith its accompanying challenges and the decisive influence it has had on the very large
increase in the number of cyclists. The other article explores the use of the cargo bikein widely different societies and shows how many different criteria determine peoples’
choice of transport and underlines the fact that cargo bikes will play an important role inurban mobility in the future.
In his article Public bike share system, Alexandre Fremiot characterises public bikes as a
key to urban mobility. Alexandre gives the reader a historical glance over the developmentof shared self-service bikes of the 60s and examines the two main models of self-service
bike systems that exist today, the privately financed system based on advertising revenue“advertising for bikes” and a non-advertising system for example, a government-typefinancing system with recourse to sponsoring. The system implemented in Paris, Vélib,has resulted in a very large increase in the number of cyclists in Paris, both commuters
using the service on a daily basis and more casual users, including large numbers offoreign tourists. The service was handed over to a private company, which, on the launchday in 2007, provided more than 11,000 bikes. The author goes into the key figures ofthe development but also looks at the numerous problems, such as vandalism anddistribution of bikes that had to be overcome. The Vélib success factors involve a very
dense network of stations and a large number of bikes, simple, understandable tariffs andease of subscription as well as the mass effect by making bikes highly visible. Alexandre
states that the self-service bike is a formidable tool for re-legitimising bikes in the city,and an essential link in the urban mobility chain. He argues that it is complementary toother means of public transport and therefore cycling policy should be the responsibilityof the transport authorities.
In the article Choosing the cargo bike, Jeppe Mikél Jensen tells the readers about
experiences from Kisumu and Copenhagen in using cargo bikes. Jeppe explores the useof the cargo bike in widely different societies and backgrounds and concludes that cargobikes can provide new solutions and opportunities for commuters in both developing

187and developed countries. The author makes a fascinating analysis of the ever changingpopularity of the cargo bike in relation to the economic background prevailing in thecountry at the time. Cargo bikes enter into a “mobility battle,” competing with vehicles
capable of carrying goods. Jeppe focuses on cases from two very contrasting cities –Kisumu in Kenya and Copenhagen in Denmark. He gives concrete examples of one family
from each city who benefit from using their cargo bike: one provides a low-cost solution
for waste collection and is empowered to earn a better income while the other a familywith children choose a low-cost urban mobility solution, maintaining a more sustainable
and flexible life style. The organisation “Cycling out of Poverty” has developed the project
Bike2Clean, which comprises the design of a converted bicycle that allows small andmedium sized enterprises to carry double the amount of cargo, which can double theirincome. Jeppe also cites a case from Copenhagen where the cargo bike is used by alocal craftsman to carry his tools around quickly, easily, cheaply and using a green formof mobility which fits in with the overall company policy. In both cases the cargo bikeprovides an alternative to a car.

188