Test of the First Fully Automatic Bike Wash Enters the Next Round

At the end of last year, the Austrian mechanical engineering specialist Wintersteiger Sports placed one of its fully automatic bike washing systems at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien for public testing. This was primarily to gain experience of usage behavior in collaboration with students. The knowledge gained has been incorporated into the further development of the machine over the winter months and the next version of the Velobrush is now available for everyone to test in front of the Technikum.

The bike washing system can be used from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm. There are plans to extend the operating hours to weekends in the future. It will be located in the publicly accessible area of the UAS Technikum Wien (Höchstädtplatz 6, 1200 Vienna, between the two main buildings). A bike wash costs € 3.90 or € 5.90 – depending on the length of the wash cycle. All single-track bikes with a wheel size of 20 inches or more can be washed. Special bikes such as cargo bikes or tandems are unfortunately excluded due to their length. The machine is suitable for e-bikes due to the low-pressure technology used and washing with rotary brushes.

Positive feedback and easy handling

“A fully automatic bike wash is something completely new. People are curious and want to try out the machine. They want to know how clean the bikes get, they want to see the washing process. Our last test in December 2023 showed us that this type of bike cleaning is well received, says Patrick Hackl, Head of Bike Services at Wintersteiger Sports.

The principle of the machine is simple but effective. Similar to an automatic car wash, rotating brushes made of soft material clean the bike. The bike is “sprinkled” with water from above – this ensures that no water can penetrate sensitive components and the bike is not damaged. The cleaning result is more than impressive. The mechanical treatment with the rotating brushes removes dirt thoroughly and gently.

Future potential and ecological aspects

“In the further development of the Velobrush, we have focused on self-service. We see great potential for the machine in urban areas in particular, where it can make an important contribution to the further development of the bicycle infrastructure. However, the wash must be quick and the wash system must be self-explanatory – just like a car wash,” continues Hackl. Payment is made via an EC card terminal.

“As in the first test phase, our students will investigate the usability as part of projects and collect feedback on the use of the box,” says Markus Eckelt , Head of the Sports Engineering, Biomechanics & Ergonomics competence field in the Faculty of Life Science Engineering. “We are excited to see whether the optimizations and improvements, some of which are based on our findings from the last test phase, will also be reflected in the new measurement results.” The Velobrush works with a closed water cycle. The water is filtered and recycled. Water consumption is therefore low and the ecological conscience also remains clean. In addition to the fully automatic Velobrush washing system, Wintersteiger Sports also sells another solution for cleaning bicycles called Veloclean Pro. In the Veloclean Pro, the bike is cleaned manually using a conventional washing lance. Here too, Wintersteiger uses low-pressure technology to protect the bike. However, the Veloclean Pro works with hot water. This dissolves the dirt better and washing the bike only takes 1 – 2 minutes.

Information about WINTERSTEIGER Sports GmbH:

WINTERSTEIGER Sports GmbH employs almost 175 people, including subsidiaries in France, Italy, Switzerland and Norway as well as a branch in the USA and Canada. The entire product range is divided into 4 areas: “Rent & Service” includes ski service machines, stone and belt grinding machines, binding adjustment, waxing and base repair equipment, storage, depot and drying systems through to rental software and store equipment. “Bike Services” includes manual and automatic cleaning systems, software for bike assembly and rental and drying solutions for sports equipment. Retail stands for the extensive boot fitting range with foot analysis devices, insoles and compression socks, which are sold under the BOOTDOC brand, as well as HOTRONIC warming systems. “Dry & Protect” includes open and closed solutions for the hygienic drying of clothing and shoes as well as Cubusan devices for indoor air disinfection. In 2023, WINTERSTEIGER Sports GmbH achieved a turnover of 87 million euros.

WINTERSTEIGER is the global market leader in the Sports, Seedmech and Woodtech divisions. The headquarters in Ried im Innkreis, 30 sales and service branches and 60 representative offices supply a total of 130 countries. The company employs around 1200 people worldwide. Further information: www.wintersteiger.com

Information about UAS Technikum Wien:

UAS Technikum Wien is Austria’s university of applied sciences for technology and digitalization. Since its foundation in 1994, it has produced around 18,000 graduates. Currently, more than 4,700 students are being trained in more than 30 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs to become top professionals for the economy.

The degree courses are offered in daytime or evening form. The courses are scientifically sound and at the same time practice-oriented. In addition to a high-quality technical education, great importance is also attached to business and personal development subjects. Excellent contacts and cooperation with business and industry open up excellent career opportunities for students and graduates. The interlinking of theory and practice is a top priority in both teaching and research.

UAS Technikum Wien is a network partner of the FEEI – Association of the Electrical and Electronics Industry and a member of the Alliance of Sustainable Universities.
Further information: www.technikum-wien.at

Printable pictures of the bike wash:
https://cloud.technikum-wien.at/s/Eqo672CDgxGL5jZ
Photo rights: WINTERSTEIGER Sports GmbH, free of charge

Image 1: The new automatic bike wash is now available to everyone.

Image 2: Payments can be made at the card terminal using an EC card or smartphone, as shown here.

Image 3: Practical: automatic bike wash completed in just a few moments

Photos around the FH Technikum Wien:
https://cloud.technikum-wien.at/s/WdHJJsCS7MWo5Df

Further information:

Hannes Huber
FH Technikum Wien, Marketing & Communications
+43 664 889 609 58
hannes.huber@technikum-wien.at

Axel Obermayer
WINTERSTEIGER Sports GmbH, Head of Marketing & Communication
+43 7752 919 850, + 43 664 80 919 850
axel.obermayer@wintersteiger.com