Two-Wheelers – The Backbone for a Sustainable Transport System in Cities

The bicycle was the first technical sustainable intervention for mechanical modes after 7,000 years of pedestrian mobility, horse-drawn and ox-drawn carts. This 18th century intervention went through different forms in the 19th century till it got its finale version which is the common bike of today around hundred years ago. Rubber tires and chain transmission enhance human speed for mobility three to four times of a pedestrian on the same body energy level. The bicycle is the only mode, which can theoretically compensate the energy needed for construction and maintenance by saving human body energy in the whole transport system. Riding a bike for more than thousand kilometers compared to walking gives this “breaking point” for system energy. But if the opportunity to carry goods is added into this calculation, this break point – distance is far much shorter.