Parking problems are a classic car driver concern. Or are they? In cities in particular, traditional bike racks are often not sufficient in good weather, the pavements are parked up - and lampposts or signposts where you can lock your bike are usually already occupied. However, owners of high-quality pedelecs in particular need to think about a suitable parking space. This is because the risk of the e-bike being stolen or wilfully damaged is high in large cities - especially in the evening and at night. You should also pay attention to the sensitive battery if you leave it parked for long periods. "Extreme cold or heat damage the battery," says Dirk Zedler, an expert for bicycles and electric bikes. "If you leave your pedelec against a wall in the blazing sun, it's a disaster for the battery. That's why it makes sense to park the bike so that it is protected from the weather."
A good solution is offered by special bicycle car parks - as they have been known for many years in the cycling country Holland. Guarded bicycle car parks (Fietsenstalling) can be found at around 100 railway stations in the Netherlands. The stations usually have more than 1,000 parking spaces, although not all of them are guarded. The three-storey bicycle car park on stilts above the water at Amsterdam station is particularly striking. And in Utrecht, the fourth largest city in the Netherlands, a huge, futuristically designed car park for 12,500 bikes is currently being built and is due to be completed in 2018.
But things are also happening in Germany. As early as the mid-1990s, the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia took up the idea of its Dutch neighbours to set up bicycle stations at railway stations. In 1999, a bicycle car park for 3,300 bikes was opened in Münster. It is still the largest bicycle car park in Germany today. Managing Director Georg Hundt explains: "At the time, the city of Münster had to find a solution for the many thousands of bikes that were parked at ground level around the station." The bike station was the perfect solution.
But the Radstation Münster is more than just a car park: you can also hire bikes and pedelecs here and even have your bike serviced and repaired in a workshop. There is even a bike washing facility (also for e-bikes) available to users. Around 80 per cent of the bicycle parking spaces at the bike station are rented out to long-term parkers. A parking space costs 70 euros per year, a day ticket costs 70 cents.
Full service for bicycle parking
The concept of bike stations with guarded car parks, hire bikes and repair services is proving its worth. There are currently 64 bike stations in North Rhine-Westphalia (www.radstation-nrw.de). But cycle stations have also been established in other federal states, for example in Augsburg, Bremen, Hanover, Ludwigsburg and Potsdam.
There are also small but excellent fully automated bicycle car parks in Germany, such as the "Radhaus" in Bamberg. It was set up in 2012 in a listed former Deutsche Bahn office building and offers space for 330 bicycles in a double-decker system. Access is gained via a turnstile - a sensor mat recognises whether you really have a bike with you. The bright car park is monitored by video cameras and offers lockers where you can also charge your e-bike battery. An average of 1,900 bikes are parked here every month. The convenient, secure and weather-protected parking space costs 50 cents for 24 hours. A monthly pass is available for eight euros, the annual ticket costs 70 euros.
If a city's budget is not sufficient for an entire bicycle car park, there are of course also smaller solutions. This year, for example, the cities of Mönchengladbach and Hagen have decided to equip seven railway stations with a total of 84 bicycle boxes. They are to be equipped with an electronic locking system that can be opened with a chip card. A reservation system will allow users to see from home whether a box is free - and then book it directly.
One of the leading manufacturers of bicycle parking systems in Europe is WSM - Walter Solbach Metallbau GmbH in Waldbröl. Andreas Hombach, Sales Manager for roofing and bicycle parking systems, explains: "The demand for bicycle boxes has increased significantly in recent years. We also attribute this to the boom in pedelecs." Bicycle garages are used in the municipal sector as well as for tourism and catering. Hombach: "More and more secure parking facilities for bikes are being created along popular cycle routes. On the Ems Cycle Path alone, there are over 100 bike boxes available - usually free of charge." In addition, more and more companies are supporting employees who cycle to work. In addition to changing rooms and showers, the incentives also include secure parking spaces for bicycles. Andreas Hombach: "Our customers include companies such as Audi, Adidas and Siemens."
Bicycle garage for at home
But you also need to store your pedelec safely and dryly at home. If you don't have an accessible cellar, space in a car garage or a garden shed, you may be able to install a bicycle garage on your private property. The galvanised sheet steel construction "Bikebox 3" from WSM, for example, is available from specialist bicycle retailers. The 82 x 140 x 205 centimetre bike garage weighs around 80 kilograms, is supplied complete and can be mounted on paving stones or a gravelled surface. In grey powder coating, the Bikebox 3 costs around 1,000 euros including delivery, and can even be painted in the colour of your choice for an extra charge of around 200 euros. A pedelec charging device is available as an accessory: a folding table for the charger plus a power distribution box with its own fuse protection. At low temperatures, however, the battery should be stored and charged indoors. The e-bike itself can be stored in the bike garage without any worries, even in winter.
