Is this funky bike cage being used?

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Just outside the train station in Guimarães, Portugal, along the cycling pathway that runs parallel but separated from the R. Eduardo Manuel de Almeida, a small bicycle storage cage was built. We just happened to bike by it and naturally, I had to check it out.

Guimarães, north east of Porto, is a very pleasant mid sized city. They have invested in connecting several destinations with bike infrastructure. It is a mix of a very nice lanes, a repurposed old railway track, a bit of repurposed sidewalk, posts and red asphalt for crossings (see above).

The large metal bike cage was left open so I could take a peek. There was not a single bike in it. I am not entirely sure how the system is supposed to work, but it looked to me it was an outrageously large and expensive bike rack to offer space for a grand total of ten bikes. From what I understand in the description on one of the doors, it is simply a free space to park your bike. But what good is it if it can’t be secured, other than with your own lock? Although, when you look close, it looks like the large door can be locked too. It was also quite heavy and awkward to open and close that accordion door.

I am not sure if this is a smart way of using tax payers money. It is screaming for backlash. If you start investing in cycling infrastructure, you really want to spend your money on functional investments, and less on fluffy stuff. I am not saying one shouldn’t never build nice bike cages, au contraire. This bike cage may have been a leftover of another project and someone simply converted it, but I doubt it.

A nice gesture though are the little personal lockboxes on the left hand inside the bike cage. But I doubt the cage is being used.

 Here is a look at some private storage sheds the Dutch build in their frontyards.