An e-bike parking and charging space designed for tight spaces

The units can be anchored securely to the street and can be wired into the local electrical grid, allowing riders to recharge their bikes

Spotted: One positive outcome of the coronavirus pandemic is the rise of biking. As people in urban areas have shunned both public transportation and gyms, they have turned instead to bikes for both transportation and exercise. And in particular, they have turned to e-bikes. Once heavy and unwieldy, the newest e-bikes are sleek and efficient. But they still need charging – and a safe place to park the expensive vehicles. Belgian company Street Waves may now have an answer to both needs.

The company’s HAVN parking unit is specially designed for e-bikes. It is a lidded, 55-litre stainless steel rectangular box, with a raised horizontal steel bracket at the top of the locker, and another bracket extending out from the bottom. The design allows riders to pull directly into an open spot without the need to lift the bike or remove a tyre to cram it into a narrow or awkwardly-shaped space. A strip of sustainably-grown wood on the face of the bracket protects the bike’s paint from scratches.

Each unit is also equipped with storage space for stowing gear and even includes a mirror so riders can check if they have “helmet hair”. To lock up, users run their lock through holes in the lid and the main body of the unit, then around their bike – securing the bike and gear with one lock. The units are also anchored securely to the street. Uniquely, the HAVN units can also be wired into the local electrical grid, to allow riders to recharge their bikes. A single car parking space will fit eight HAVN’s.

The company is dedicated to making riding and especially commuting, easier for ordinary people. They point out that one key to this is helping people to realise that biking can be just as easy as driving, saying, “Sustainable mobility is very important to us. Literally. Just like a healthy body and a healthy planet. That is why Streetwaves helps initiatives for a human living environment to grow. And yes, that is often about a change in mentality.”

The pandemic, concern for the environment and a desire to stay healthy are all contributing to an increase in cycling for transportation. And there is no end of innovations designed to help. At Springwise, we love cycling and have recently covered advances such as a conversion kit to turn regular bikes into e-bikes and a hydrogen fuel cell bike.