From niche product to everyday life in a mobile society

"Many specialty bikes have long had an enthusiastic but also relatively small fan base," explains Gabriel Wolf, managing director of bike manufacturer Wolf & Wolf and organizer of the SPEZI Special Bikes Show. "Recumbent cyclists:inside, for example, were long considered a sworn community. But now more and more people are recognizing the potential that specialty bikes offer them in everyday life."

This change from a niche to an everyday product is particularly obvious in the case of cargo bikes. They are replacing cars for a growing number of private individuals and businesses and are thus becoming an everyday means of transportation - even without nationwide government subsidies.

The industry provides its puzzle pieces for the success of the transport turnaround

Wolf compares the current picture of our mobility to a jigsaw puzzle with gaps: "In the cities, some of the pieces have already come together. There, people already have numerous options for using suitable means of transportation depending on the situation - from bicycles for everyday journeys to public transport, for example in bad weather, to car sharing for long distances. But there is still a lot of empty space in rural areas. This vacuum is currently filled primarily by the private car. "But special bikes could fulfill specific mobility needs and do something for the environment and health," says Wolf.

Wolf describes special bikes as "pieces of the puzzle that can contribute to the success of the transport revolution - and enable a large number of people to enjoy healthy mobility."

• Thanks to their additional electric drive, e-cargo bikes also provide useful services in rural areas. This makes it possible to do the bulk shopping in the neighboring town without a car.

• S-pedelecs are e-bikes that provide electric assistance at speeds of up to 45 km/h. They are ideal for commuting, even over medium distances, thanks to their long range batteries. Thanks to their long range batteries, they are ideal for commuting even over medium distances.

• Tilt-resistant special bikes with three ("trikes") or four wheels ("quads") also enable people who feel unsteady to be mobile under their own power - especially in combination with an additional electric motor and attached weather protection.
  

The technology and the will to change are there - but wishes remain

Special bikes impress with their clever technical concepts and the innovative strength of their designers. Rising sales figures prove that special bikes serve needs and provide riding pleasure. "But many people are hesitant about switching to bicycles as their main mode of transportation," Wolf explains. "They feel deterred by legal requirements or lack adequate infrastructure to allow all bikes, not just specialty bikes, to be used comfortably and safely."

The expert therefore hopes that the conditions will be created for the mobility transition to succeed: "People want to use bikes: Special bikes open up unimagined possibilities for individual needs. We want the same from politicians." The wishes of the SPEZI include, for example, wider cycle paths that make it easier for cyclists to pass each other and are also suitable for cargo bikes. According to Wolf, neither cyclists nor motorists understand why S-Pedelecs are not allowed to ride on cycle paths: "In Switzerland, this already works and, what's more, a Porsche that can potentially reach speeds of over 300 km/h can also be driven outside the highway - in the knowledge that the riders will adhere to the legal rules. We want the same for S-Pedelecs!" And while standard parking spaces for cars are to be adapted to the wider SUVs, even new bicycle parking spaces are often still unsuitable for recumbent or cargo bikes.

In any case, the industry for special bikes is "clear to the turn" - to the traffic turnaround. The Special Bikes Show follows this sailing motto and shows the many possibilities of sustainable mobility.