This is what I call a most practical invention – the world’s first bicycle lift for climbing steep hills. While many of us bicyclists like to think we are physically fit, even the best of us has difficulties climbing steep terrain, especially when you cannot get momentum going ahead of time. Leave it to the Norwegians to come up with a practical solution. The Trampe Bicycle Lift (or CycloCable) helps cyclists reach the top of 130 meter/428 foot high Brubakken Hill in the city of Trondheim.
Below is an interesting video about the lift that originally opened in 1993 and was updated with a more advanced technology in 2013 followed by some photos. Kudos to the City of Trondheim, Norway and its amazing bicycle lift. Hopefully, a few other cities around the globe will latch onto this gem of an idea – just here in the United States a bike lift would come in handy in hilly cities like San Francisco, Duluth, Pittsburgh, Roanoke, Chattanooga, and Asheville. It is certainly one of those inventions where we all say to ourselves, “Why didn’t I think of that?”