Cyclepods build a better bikerack

July The problem with most public bike racks is that if you did lock up your pride and joy, you’d come back to find the wheels had been liberated. Cyclepods offer a unique cycle storage system manufactured from recycled materials, which allow eight bikes to be secured in a two metre diameter space, approximately half the space that traditional bike racks require for the same number of bikes. Cyclepods also encourages sustainability not by just being made from recycled materials, but also by encouraging people to cycle through design – the Cyclepod locks the bike frame and the wheels, securing the most expensive and highly targeted parts of the bike from thieving scumbags (yes, we lost one recently). Cyclepods’ founders, James Steward, 24, and Natalie Connell, 22, (pictured) recently won the UKP10,000 first prize at the UK final of the 2006 Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneurs of the Year Awards.

Launched in October 2005, Cyclepods has attracted huge interest and has been sold to corporate clients including Reebok and Pepsi – the roof cover has lots of space for advertising and as they look very space-age, there’s some nice visual brand values to piggyback.

The company is wasting no time in developing the concept and has a similarly clever space-saving locker arrangement named LockerPods hitting the market too, in addition to a full range of CyclePods on the way, including the Half Pod which can be installed against a wall to secure four bikes the Mini-Pod for children’s bikes, a rotating Pod and a Wall Pod which will all be available later in the year.

Cyclepods is seeking international distribution and can be contacted here.