Urban Cycle Hub: Redefining urban mobility through multipurpose bicycle hubs

By

23 Nov, 2020

RD Cycle Solution win third place at European Cyclists’ Federation’s first ever Hackathon, organised in association with the European Institute for Innovation and Technology’s (EIT) Urban Mobility department. Their proposed solution, ‘Urban Cycle Hub’ (UCH), will encourage more cycling in cities by creating multimodal bicycle parking spaces with exciting facilities for cyclists.

“The jury was very impressed by the way that you combined a solution for a practical problem – bicycle parking – with making it bigger and giving your parking solution a number of other functions, including a social function.”

– Henk Swarttouw, ECF Vice-President & Hackathon Jury Member

This was certainly the ambition of RD Cycle Solution. The talented team of four, which consisted of Renato Moro (Italy), Dilip Kumbham (India), Niccolò Minotti (Italy), and Adnan Cangir (Turkey), based their solution on the concept of secured bike parks.

Each UCH offers special cycling facilities, such as open access bicycle parking for short term parking; digitally secured bicycle parking for long term parking; commuter cleaning facilities, including automated toilets and changing rooms; bike sharing and repair stations; and business areas, such as cafés and bars.

Its modular design means that each hub is easy to build, consumes little space, and has a low carbon footprint due to its reliance on transparent solar panels. RD Solution’s ambition is for UCHs to become points of reference in urban neighbourhoods, offering spaces of hospitality and social engagement, as well as opportunities for employment and commerce.

The project's modularity allows hubs to be installed in several cycling hot spots in city centres, as well as peripheral areas where people from outside or outskirts arrive. UCH is therefore an excellent solution for promoting transport intermodality amongst commuters. To find out more details about UCH, click here.

You can also read more about ECF's first ever Hackathon here, as well as our 2nd place runners-up, Urban Laab, by clicking here, and 1st place winners, Cycle AI, by clicking here.

“I am honoured to have been able to take part in this Hackaton. Our intention is to promote the concept whilst trying to find the right channels to propose a series production. We shall follow this up with the realization of a prototype, which can be used to promote the merits and functionality of the idea.”

– Renato, RD Cycle Solution

As we enter the new year, more funding is due to be made available for cycling from both the European Commission and the European Investment Bank. Therefore, it is important that innovative ideas which encourage more cycling are showcased and promoted. We at ECF are committed to doing exactly this and after the great success of our first ever Hackathon, we are excited to do more to ensure that our cities continue to include more cycling!