FalcoPod-Cargo Hangar

Cargo, Adaptive and e-Bikes

Already very common across Europe; cargo bikes, adaptive bikes and e-bikes are now making a real impact in the UK. With the recent uptake in cycling, coupled with more investment in cycle infrastructure, the conditions are improving for all cycling modes and that includes cargo, adaptive and e-bikes.

This theme is echoed in two key documents; the Wheels for Wellbeing ‘Guide to Inclusive Cycling’ and the latest guide from Sustrans ‘Cycling for Everyone’. These guides cover a number of themes including creating infrastructure which suits non-standard bikes - adaptive, cargo, recumbent, tandem, tricycle, oversized, upright … all these have one thing in common, non-of them follow any standard bicycle silhouette.

One Size Fits All

So a key element of the design brief for the new FalcoPod bike hangar was inclusivity and to meet this need we have developed the FalcoPod-Cargo, a ‘naked’ Bike Hangar with locking points ideal for non-standard shaped bikes. The focus here was twofold; the additional space not only provides for a ‘one size fits all’ capacity which accommodates virtually all non-standard bike profiles e.g. with an upright seating position or a wide tandem, but also the addition of flexible locking bars on the hangar frame makes the FalcoPod much more compliant in terms of accommodating the diverse locking requirements of the adaptive family of bikes.

Features and Benefits of the FalcoPod-Cargo bike hangar:

• Size - Houses most non-standard bikes in half a car parking space.
• Cargo / adaptive bike option is available along with the e-cargo hire scheme.
• E-bikes – the FalcoPod has the option to integrate charging points for the latest e-bike designs.
• Family inclusive – with an ergonomically better designed space - the additional space/height means there is no need to remove child seats from the back of some bikes or baskets and seats on the front.
• Bike security – uses Sold Secure Gold Taurus Anchor points.
• Environmentally sustainable - manufactured from 100% recyclable hot-dip galvanised robust steel to BS EN ISO 1461.
• Colour options - the FalcoPod is delivered with a powder coated roof cladding to your specification, choose from any of the 192 RAL colours.
• Visibility – the hangar is fitted with highly reflective marine grade Solas tape to each corner of the frame.
• Personalise - the FalcoPod by adding logos, graphics, maps - the flat surface is much better able to receive graphics and vinyls than corrugated cladding.
• Safety - the FalcoPod has been successfully impact tested at 20mph to ensure it will withstand a low speed vehicular impact and is much more robust that current products for on-street use (see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGGms4CnD7s&ab_channel=FalcoUKLtd).
• Meets European CPR Regulations EN 1090 for snow loading.
• Cladding – can be fitted with ‘solid’ sheet, pierced steel or mesh (standard) side cladding.
• Manufactured in accordance with ISO 1461 Hot-Dip Galvanising, ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and EN 1090 CE Mark. 
• Lock options – the FalcoPod accepts a number of futureproof locking options including:

• Latest high security anti-vandal lock.
• Master key (single key for all bike hangars).
• Electronic smart phone ‘App’ access option, please see our video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeCg4MrHc-E&ab_channel=FalcoUKLtd - as mentioned the lock fitted to the FalcoPods is capable of being upgraded to the electronic version (rather than having to swap it out completely) if at some point you would wish to go to this option.

FalcoPod Bike Hangar for e-Bikes

A second segment of development is of course the growth in e-bike sales and here the FalcoPod borrows from other Falco products by providing either e-bike charging points and/or a secure battery charging store where the potentially unstable Lithium batteries can be deposited in a secure fire-proof charging locker. Already available on our FalcoCrea-Plus lockers, the addition of bike charging points is a natural response to this demand and is easily accomplished with the FalcoPod bike hangar.

Download the Wheels for Wellbeing ‘Guide to Inclusive Cycling’ here:

https://wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FINAL-v3.pdf

Download the Sustrans guide ‘Cycling for Everyone’ here:

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/media/7377/cycling_for_everyone-sustrans-arup.pdf).

E-bike Storage Solutions and the Green Deal

Falco welcomes the Government's recent ‘Green Industrial Revolution’ announcement, which has a key sustainable transport pledge: “Making cycling and walking more attractive ways to travel and investing in zero-emission public transport of the future”. This is coupled with an important extension of the e-bike incentive scheme with “additional funding being announced to extend e-bike hire schemes, which will allow those who are retired, studying, self-employed or looking for work to access the physical and health benefits of e-bikes." With the FalcoPod-Cargo (CargoPod) is design specifically for parking and storing cargo bikes in.

As with all Falco cycle stores and lockers, the FalcoPod-Cargo can be fitted with the FalcoSmart app based locking mechansim, completely removing the need for physical keys.

The FalcoSmart app-based locking system uses Bluetooth technology to activate the locking mechanism from the users smart phone or tablet with the benefit that they no longer need to carry keys or fobs. Cyclists are able to apply for access to the hub and having downloaded the ‘App’ are given access rights to the FalcoPod-Cargo for a period of time depending on their subscription.

The system has a fully automated back office enabling the administrator to register new locks for new cycle stores as well as adding new users and creating groups and assigning rights. A huge benefit to the operator is that they are able, for the first time ever, to assess usage of a cycle parking facility, directly from the back-office app information.

The FalcoSmart app-based locking system is designed to work with any cycle parking facility; from bike hubs to bike hangars and from padlocks to existing facilities, with a range of locking options all linked to the app and back-office. Each of the facilities enable the user to access any facility for example, their local bike hangar and their commutable hub without the need for multiple keys or fobs – everything is on the app. As a result of its importance to Falco and our clients we now have a patent pending on this concept (application number GB2012118.2).

For more information about the FalcoPod-Cargo Bike Hangar please contact our helpful sales team on 01538 380080.