Advertisement on wheels
Cycling around the city in order to display someone’s advertisements – that’s the goal of a job we can call bike advertising. The idea was inspired by companies doing similar business with car owners. The main difference is sustainability at almost no cost. You can even start your own bike-advertising company by using products by the Romanian company Bizz on Wheels. Apart from providing the clients with bespoke food carts or custom-made electric cargo bikes, they also sell bike-drawn trailers to carry billboards through the streets. Called AdBicy, they promise clients to address customers directly and cost-effectively. The clients are encouraged to choose from three sizes of advertisement panels. Big companies in over 70 countries across the globe have made use of the AdBicy service so far.
Fast emergency
The streets of London are cruised by paramedics who use bicycles to respond to medical emergencies. Providing first aid by bike is fast and effective mainly in areas where deploying a road ambulance would create a delay. The cycling paramedics of the London Ambulance Service can also cover a remarkably larger area than responders by foot. Patients in an emergency can benefit from cycling responders at airports and shopping centres or in city centres affected by traffic congestion. Their equipment consists of basic life support kits including an oxygen supply and a defibrillator. Inside their panniers, the medics also carry airway management equipment and drugs to be used in need.
Hauling laundry by bike
In three big US cities, you can meet cyclists pulling branded trailers full of laundry. Called Wash Cycle Laundry, the Philadelphia-based company transports laundry from and to the clients by an army of cargo bikes. With the notion of sustainability in mind, they began in 2010 with a single bike and trailer for deliveries in West Philadelphia. Pretty quickly, they became a presence on the streets of the city, serving fitness gyms, hair salons, hotels, restaurants and homes. Every year, they manage to haul millions of kilograms of laundry by bikes. Over the last few years, Wash Cycle Laundry expanded and now the company operates not only in Philly but also in Washington and Boston.
Moving furniture by cargo bikes
In Malmö, Stockholm or Gothenburg, you can see bikers towing large green boxes full of furniture. MoveByBike is a moving company from Sweden that employs over 110 cyclists in 6 cities. The company offers their customers a greener choice of not using a motorised van and hiring a cargo bike instead. Obviously, the company focuses mainly on people that need to move a short distance. Bicycles with trailers can take advantage of operating in narrow city streets or taking shortcuts where cars could hardly pass through.
Offering drinks from a bike basket
In 2012, Edward Godden and Joseph Lewis launched The Travelling Gin Company that serves drinks directly from the baskets of their delivery bicycles. For a decade, they have served outdoor events, parties and weddings in and around London where they live. Besides the time-proven gin&tonic, they can mix a variety of cocktails to suit their customers’ tastes. In the meantime, you can see them pedalling between venues.
