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All Norway Trondheim Trondheim CycloCable

Trondheim CycloCable

The world's first and only escalator for lazy bicycles and their daunted riders.

Trondheim, Norway

Added By
basaltena
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Trondheim CycloCable   Camilla Hoel on Flickr
Trondheim CycloCable   Camilla Hoel on Flickr
Trondheim CycloCable   AlanFord on Wikipedia
Trondheim CycloCable   Hubar on Wikipedia
Information sign   willandbeyond / Atlas Obscura User
Instructions on how to use the CycloCable   hrnick
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About

Anyone who has ridden their bike in a city for any amount of time has run across that steep hill which looks like it would be impossible to surmount, but in the case of Trondheim, Norway's Brubakken Hill, riders have nothing to fear thanks to the city's unique CycloCable.

First introduced in 1993 as the "Trampe," the bike escalator was invented by a Trondheim cyclist who was simply tired of exhausting himself climbing the hill to work each morning. To fix this issue, he developed a system by which, at the push of a button, a footplate emerges from a track in the ground to push riders up the hill. A cyclist, staying on their bike, places their right foot on the plate and it ferries both the cyclist and their ride all the way up before disappearing back into the track.

The first version of the lift was taken out in 2012 and replaced with an updated version in 2013 going by the sleek new name of "CycloCable." The new escalator included a number of safety improvements and a promotional push to increase interest in cycling in the city. The system is also being shopped to other major cities around the world so the strange lift may become more commonplace in the future. However, the prohibitive cost of the rail system (between $2,400 and $3,200 a yard) might keep the system limited to Trondheim.

Each day the lift is used as a commuter transportation by travelers on bikes, riding their strollers or scooters, really anything with wheels that can support a rider. However, the question remains: why they didn't simply install an escalator? 

Related Tags

Transportation Bicycles

Know Before You Go

During the summer season the lift runs 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. It is closed during the winter. 

Community Contributors

Added By

basaltena

Edited By

hrnick, Blindcolour, willandbeyond, EricGrundhauser...

  • hrnick
  • Blindcolour
  • willandbeyond
  • EricGrundhauser
  • RoryW

Published

December 2, 2014

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Sources
  • http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/23469/can-a-bike-escalator-help-riders-up-15th-streets-steep-hill/
  • http://twistedsifter.com/2014/07/the-bike-escalator-lift-in-norway/
  • http://www.supercompressor.com/gear/norway-has-invented-the-trampe-cyclocable-bike-escalator
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trampe_bicycle_lift
Trondheim CycloCable
Brubakken Hill
Trondheim, 7013
Norway
63.428056, 10.403889
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

Rockheim

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

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miles away

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Trondheim

Trondheim

Norway

Places 2

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Rockheim

Trondheim, Norway

miles away

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Trondheim, Norway

miles away

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Ørland, Norway

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Trondheim

Trondheim

Norway

Places 2

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