Trials of Cyclehoops - stout steel rings that clamp onto existing street signposts, instantly creating secure bicycle stands -have recently started at 37 different locations in the London boroughs of Islington and Southwark.
Current locations include including Southwark Tube station, Borough Market, Union Street and Goswell Road.
The Cyclehoop first sprung to cycling prominence as a winning design at the Reinventing the Bike Shed competition, part of the 2006 London Architecture Biennale and was the brainchild of 27-year old designer Anthony Lau. He was motivated by the inadequate bicycle parking and the abundance of street signposts in London.
Cyclehoop claims several advantages over standard U-shaped Sheffield stands: less space is required, the pavement doesn’t need reconcreting and they can be easily installed within minutes using a special set of tools. Perhaps most promisingly there are countless opportunities for attaching them to signposts.
The low height of the Cyclehoop is said to discourage cyclists from locking to the top tube only – a contributing factor to theft – and the circular shape allows the cyclist to lock through the frame and both wheels.
John Grimshaw, former Sustrans supremo has already spoken in favour of Cyclehoops: “I like this – it’s making the most of what’s in the street already, because they would be everywhere and so where you need them, and because they would legitimise cycle parking where you might be uncertain, for example in Central London.”
Lau is currently working on versions of Cyclehoop that will fit other types of street furniture.