This airport has a pool of 276 20’’ tired bicycles which are spread over many stations. Inside the terminal, Airport and Airline staff use these bicycles to move through the departure area and the gate wings, doing their duties. Both Airport and Airline staff use these bicycles to quickly move in between check-in counters and boarding gates thereby helping passengers and keep the airport functioning 24/7.
Imagine a buzzing place where people are rushing against time and you either have to walk or run. The Frankfurt Airport in Germany is one such place. It is the busiest airport in Germany and the 4th busiest airport in Europe. To tackle time crunching internal movement of airport employees the Airport’s operating company came up with an excellent solution – Cycles!
These bicycles are equipped with a simple single speed drivetrain. Braking is taken care of by a Sturmey Archer drum brake equipped hub up front and a simple coaster brake at the rear. The front hub is also equipped with a dynamo that powers a small headlight and taillight. A front basket and a rear rack helps carry things around the airport. The wheel lock will keep the bicycle safe so that no passenger can just take the bicycle to get to their gates faster. But there are plans to bring in a secure system to let the passenger use these cycles to get to their gates when only carrying their hand luggage. Both the chain guard and mudguards help the staff keep their uniforms tidy. The unique number plate on each of these cycles help keep count of the large fleet.
Conclusion
First cycling for fun, then shopping, then commuting to work, then to carry on a commercial activity at a place of doing business. That is progress, as it expands the usefulness of a bicycle and in turn staying fit.
