Trondheim of Norway is the first and only city in the world with a lift specifically designed for cyclists. This bicycle lift called Trampe, gets you to the top of a very steep hill, where it is installed, on your bicycle without actually riding it. Since it’s opening in 1993, the Trampe has reportedly pushed more than 220 000 cyclist up the very steep hill BBrubakken.
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Bikes are available for rent for tourist who want to test run. To use the lift, the right foot is placed on the starting point (the left foot stays on the bicycle pedal) and keycard, which also needs to be bought or rented, is inserted in the card reader and one pushes the start button. After a few seconds, the user is pushed forward to the top of the hill. From the description, it doesn’t seem like a very comfortable ride since it pushes you and not the bicycle. But apparently, the Trampe is quite popular among students of the Trondheim University, as 90% of them uses bicycles as their main mode of transport because of the Trampe.
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Why pay to get a push up that hill when it could be easily walked by anyone healthy enough to use a bike as their primary mode of transportation to start with?
ReplyDeleteLet me ask you this. Are you healthy enough to walk? Now let me ask you this. Is it easier for you to walk somewhere or get pushed there?
ReplyDeleteAlso if you read the article, which I am assuming you have, it states that it is popular among the students of Trondheim University, of which 90% of the student body use bicycles as their primary transportation. After a long day of studying and bike riding and probably lack of sleep I'm sure exhaustion comes pretty fast, so something pushing you up a steep hill is probably a very welcomed novelty.
I love it! What a great idea. WE'd never see anything like this in the US, but it's still a neat concept.
ReplyDeleteAs I currently reside in Trondheim, iv'e seen Trampe many times, allthough I never tried it.
ReplyDeleteRead in the local newspaper the other day, that they want to build one in Belgium too. :)
Anders - I am trying to find how the lift has held up through years of use and winters. As a resident of Trondheim, could you offer any information on that? Thank you.
DeleteI think STUDENTS should be able to handle that hill without assistance. I see how it can help those who bike commute as a means of transportation, aiding those who can't handle hills, but STUDENTS? As in UNIVERSITY students? As in CHILDREN that SHOULD have all hte energy in the world? They should be able to ride that.
ReplyDeleteLazy Norwegians...that hill isn't THAT steep. Try SW Salmon St in Portland, going up to Washington Park--now THAT is a burn in your legs!
ReplyDeleteAs for Brian's comments: dood, you have to realize that all that cramming, drinking, debauchery, and class time take their toll on the student body...plus teen-to-twentysomethings are naturally lazy.
Would be useful to include the actual address so I can find it.
ReplyDeleteit starts just past the Gamle Bybro bridge on Brubakken. The lift was improved a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteI saw all shapes sizes & ages use this...and since most are on city bikes (which are heavy & undergeared) This is welcome relief.(I doubt BillinDetroit would want to walk up this, let alone try to push a bike up it).
It is there to encourage riding, but this hill is enough to discourage riding if the lift wasn't there.
@Ben...damn this is steeper than Salmon which is only around a 9% grade....this is nearly 20% (albeit only for 150m) .which is a pretty mean pitch, especially on a city bike..