ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

A US bike service company has introduced self-cleaning handlebars and brake levers on its bicycles to help protect users from the coronavirus.

Wheels usually runs a shared bike service, but has had to halt this operation in a bid to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

"Before we temporarily paused our regular service we were taking all the appropriate actions to keep our bikes clean," writes Wheels in a blog post. "Among other things we were frequently and thoroughly cleaning our bikes with disinfectant and wiping them down with a microfibre towel.

"But with shared scooters and bikes being ridden by many different people every day and no operator able to manually clean each device prior to every ride, we believed a more comprehensive solution was needed."

The company is now renting its bikes on a weekly or monthly basis to gig workers, restaurants, not-for-profit organisations and delivery riders but has introduced self-cleaning NanoSeptic technology to prevent cyclists from becoming infected via the handlebars or brake levers.

NanoSeptic technology is powered by light and uses mineral nano-crystals to create an oxidation reaction that is claimed to be stronger than bleach.

The antibacterial coatings come in the form of skins that can be applied to any flat, tubular or uniform surfaces via an adhesive backing, while the oxidation reaction is powered by any type of visible light including incandescent, fluorescent and LED light. And the skins are said to be capable of killing bacteria, viruses and fungi on an ongoing basis without the use of chemicals or heavy metals.