Section 04 · Principle II

Remove friction.

People choose the bicycle when it is the easy option. Every bump, wait and search for parking is a small reason not to ride.

Four proposed responses to friction

Cobblestones

Precision grinding on technically suitable priority-route cobblestones, preserving historic appearance.

Waiting

Copenhagen-inspired footrests at high-volume signalised intersections.

Parking

Architectural bicycle parking that is secure, covered and part of the streetscape.

Access

A monthly Jelbi Bike add-on combining bicycle carriage, secure parking and sharing credits.

Comfort without losing character

Smoother historic streets

Close-up of ground cobblestones with visible surface grooves — PhotographTreated cobblestones: smoothing a historic surfaceDer Tagesspiegel, figure 17

The paper reports that 22.3% of Berlin roads are cobbled (La Mela, 2026). Precision grinding, piloted at Priesterweg, smooths stones while preserving their appearance and rainwater infiltration, and reduces traffic noise (Bezirksamt Tempelhof-Schöneberg, 2025). BCES would extend this to technically suitable cobbled sections on priority routes. Copenhagen’s standards also treat cobbles where historic considerations require them (City of Copenhagen, 2024).

The destination matters

Parking as part of public space

Landscaped bicycle parking hill at Karen Blixens Plads in Copenhagen — PhotographKaren Blixens Plads: bicycle parking within public spaceRasmus Hjortshøj / Dansk Arkitektur Center, figures 19–24

Waste, old furniture and abandoned items among bicycle racks at Warschauer Straße — PhotographWarschauer Straße: capacity alone does not make parking trustworthyPia Fredebeul / B.Z. (2025), figure 3

Karen Blixens Plads accommodates around 2,000 bicycles within landscaped “bicycle hills” (Cobe, n.d.; Dansk Arkitektur Center, n.d.). Berlin could adapt the principle at Warschauer Straße with visible short-term racks, secure weather-protected parking and repair services. Maintenance and perceived safety matter as much as capacity.

Interactive service concept

Jelbi Bike — three mobility choices

Jelbi already connects public transport and sharing services. Jelbi Bike would be a single monthly add-on offering bicycle carriage, secure parking or a shared bicycle. “Jelbi Bike” as described here is a student proposal, not an existing service.

For: Riders combining their bicycle with transit

Proposed redesign

1
Choose the proposed monthly Jelbi Bike add-on
2
Use discounted bicycle carriage on S- and U-Bahn
3
Continue the journey on your own bicycle

Proposed benefit: affordable carriage within the public-transport system.

Coordination, not another isolated offer

Implementation would require VBB, BVG, S-Bahn Berlin, infraVelo and private providers to coordinate the bundle. Discounts for bicycle subscriptions, inspired by the visibility of services such as Swapfiets in Copenhagen, could complement it. This is ecosystem-level value creation (den Ouden, 2012), supporting self-direction through flexible choices (Schwartz, 2012). No price or operator agreement is proposed as an established fact.

Current vs. proposed

Analysis · mechanisms and reservations

Explore the design logic

Theoretical interpretationProposed redesign

Source-grounded mechanisms, potential value and reservations. The proposed Warschauer Straße evaluation is not measured BCES evidence. Cross-level benefits require coordination and may conflict.