Everything you should know about cycle and micro-mobility hubs

June 02, 2021

Micro mobility has become a fixture of the urban ecosystem. But the often dockless nature of these scooters and bikes has become a point of clutter among city officials and urban dwellers.

If you live in a city with a lot of cyclists and e-scooters, the sight of devices left across sidewalks, in streets, or dangling off buildings is likely a familiar sight. Are you left wondering what can be done to prevent this from happening across your city?

At Bike Dock Solutions, we think the mobility hub/cycle hub can be a solution.

What are Cycle Hubs?

Cycle Hubs or micro-mobility hubs as some would call are a relatively new concept in the UK. However, they are growing in popularity due to the recent growth in cycling.

Essentially, a cycle hub is a cycling center around which various facilities come together: e.g. cycle parking, bike repair facilities, cycling information – multiple services to support the cyclist. A core element is usually cycle parking and Bike Dock Solutions has been at the forefront of developing this concept over the last few years.

The concept behind a Cycle Hub is that it brings together a variety of facilities that will encourage and make life easier for a cyclist or micro-mobility user.

Secure and safe parking
Information
Repair facilities
Facilities i.e. lockers, showers, changing

At the heart of the facility is cycle parking. The type of parking depends on the environment and the space available. If a purpose-built unit then a secure compound is a good solution. It can be partially covered with a canopy or as part of an existing building.

Cycle Hubs also have access control systems enabling controlled usage by members as there is usually a charge for the service. The type of access control can be a keypad, swipe card, or a fob. In addition to the access control, most cycle hubs also have additional security such as good lighting and CCTV.

Cycle parking alone, whether access-controlled or not, does not make a Cycle Hub, however, and there needs to be a host of other facilities for the cyclist. If using a bike to commute then having areas where people can leave clothing, cycle helmets, lights, etc is essential. At some hubs, this is taken even further with the provision of showers and changing rooms.

Many Cycle Hubs have cycle repair shops on-site to provide essential repair services and parts such as pumps, inner-tubes, and cycle tools. Often these bike shops have extended hours to fit in with the likely needs of commuters who need the facilities outside of the standard 9-5 shop opening hours.

Cycle Hubs at Bike Dock Solutions

Eco Hub

The Eco Hub is a bespoke made enclosure where all bike parking requirements for a building can be kept. It comes with a waterproof green roof, enriched with wildflower turf. It’s ideal for those looking to improve their carbon footprint with an attractive and secure bike parking and servicing solution.

Microbility Bike Hub

The Microbility Bike Hub incorporates Bike/Scooter Parking, Garment Lockers, Showers, and Changing Rooms all in a modular configuration.

Our Microbility Bike Hubs are extremely secure, portable, and can be installed pretty much anywhere. They can also be double stacked to save on floor space.

We offer design, groundworks, installation & connections to services for our microbility hubs. Construction off-site means that there is less disruption, cost savings when compared to a traditional build.