The S.W.O.P. Bicycle Box Anti-Theft Project: Vienna

Of all bicycle thefts reported to the police in Austria in 2011, 60% took place in the country’s major cities. In the same period, around 7,800 bicycles were stolen in Vienna alone. However, the police estimate that the number of unreported cases of bicycle theft is eight times greater.

To address this problem, we came up with the idea of the S.W.O.P. bicycle box.

The aim of our product is to store bicycles in order to protect them against theft, vandalism and weathering. The S.W.O.P. bicycle box is done in a combination of timber, aluminium and fibre-reinforced plastic. It closes with a roller shutter door. In public areas, the boxes are secured with a personalised locking system. When used privately or by a business, they can be locked and unlocked with a keycard or by means of near field communication. In addition, e-bikes can be charged while stored.

The combination of the roller shutter door and an electric motor ensures easy loading and unloading of the bicycle. Once the roller shutter door is open, an adjustable fastening system provided with the box must be attached to the front wheel of the bike. By closing the roller shutter door, the bicycle is pulled into the intended vertical storage position. In this way, the bicycle can be manoeuvred into place with minimal effort. The whole setup safeguards easy use of the S.W.O.P. bicycle box by everybody, regardless of physical strength.

The box is of trapezoidal shape and comes in different colours. The shape allows for a variety of arrangements to suit the needs of individual locations. Due to its interlocking design, the trapezoidal form makes the most efficient use of the available space. Compared to other safekeeping systems, the S.W.O.P. bicycle box only requires approximately 0.80 sq m per box. The dimensions of the S.W.O.P. bicycle box suit all conventional bicycle types and sizes.

The outer surface of the box is smooth and available in different colours. Its walls are ideally suited for advertising or artworks. Therefore the design of the outer surface could be left to young artists to design it individually and creatively depending on the location.

• Well-positioned bicycle boxes encourage the use of public transport systems, since they ensure the safety of commuters’ bikes. As a consequence, the volume of motorised traffic will drop.

• Increase of bicycle traffic

• Well-positioned parking sites widen the reach of specific bus or tram stops.

• Premium bicycle storage boxes lower the rate of bicycle thefts within cities.

• The S.W.O.P bicycle box replaces e-bike charging stations.

• Parking sites increase protection against weathering, vandalism and theft.

• The feeling of safety encourages the use of high-end and comfortable bicycles.

• e-bike users can simultaneously protect and charge their bicycles.