The facility works the same as a similar one for cars: the bike is placed in the system and a button is pressed - then the system works completely autonomously. "We are proud to be the first company in Italy to operate such a self-service facility with patented and environmentally friendly technology," emphasized Christoph Engl, CEO of the Oberalp Group, at the opening of the "Salewa Bike Wash Station" in Bolzano South. The Oberalp headquarters is located close to the bike path, from which it is very easy to reach the SALEWA Bivac as a welcome refreshment station in the countryside. At the opening event, press representatives and Oberalp Group employees had the opportunity to wash their own bicycles or e-bikes on site in five-minute intervals and then stop for a coffee at the bistro Salewa Bivac. "This is how we envision it for all cyclists: Stop in at the Bivac and have your bike washed fully automatically," says Heiner Oberrauch, who is delighted with this new service. Oberalp Group employees have always been encouraged to use bicycles. "We provide good bicycles and e-motor scooters. In addition, an award is given every year to the most diligent bicycle user," says CEO Christoph Engl. "So, it was obvious that we wanted to have this facility at our company."
The Oberalp Group opened the new self-service and fully automated bike wash station with closed water circuit. With the new facility, the Oberalp Group offers bicycle enthusiasts from now on the possibility to wash bicycles or e-bikes in the short-est time in an environmentally friendly and professional way - and thus extend the life of the bikes through proper care. As part of its "Contribute" sustainability strategy, the South Tyrolean mountain sports company is committed, among other things, to ensuring that products last as long as possible and to promoting bicycles as a sustainable means of transport for the future. Oberalp President Heiner Oberrauch, himself a passionate recreational cyclist, had already installed a charging station for e-bikes at the opening of the Group's new headquarters in 2012 - at that time still a very rare investment. This facility has now also been adapted to the new requirements.
Innovation has always driven our company. That's why we are now offering the cycling community the latest on the market, and for the time being, at no cost to the user.
The novel bike wash project was realized by "cycleWASH," a Cologne-based start-up and market leader in the field of self-service automated bike washing. At the push of a button, the bicycle is automatically cleaned from both sides inside the system using rotating brushes; tires and high-quality carbon rims are treated particularly gently using patented ultrasonic cleaning. The system also features a patented drying system for bicycles and e-bikes. The entire cleaning process, with a peak output of just 2.4 kW during the washing process, is not only energy- but also water-saving: in Eco mode, the bike washing system does not require a fixed water connection but works with an internal tub of 210 liters of cold water and also without the addition of cleaning agents. Thanks to a closed water circuit with filter system, the water in the tub is constantly circulated and cleaned. The resulting dirty water is pumped out separately and disposed of properly.
The washing of the bike will be offered free of charge by Oberalp until the end of this year and the system will only work during the opening hours of the SALEWA Bivac. After the experiences made, it will be decided whether the facility should be made usable around the clock.
More information about the "Salewa Bike Wash Station" can be found in this year's Oberalp Group sustainability report #Contribute.