User guide for hybrid bike lane sweeper
This page provides information for operating and maintaining a hybrid bike lane sweeper. If you have any questions, please call or email us. The following video covers the main points of how to use setup and operate a hybrid bike lane sweeper:
Setup
- Attach the remote control to your bicycle handlebar.
- Attach the hitch to the bike. This requires removing the rear axle or left wheel nut and reinstalling with the hitch.
- Attach the sweeper to the hitch.
- Adjust the coupler on the sweeper (the part with multiple holes) so that in pick-up mode, the rubber lip at the front of the sweeper lightly contacts the ground. Different bike wheel diameters require different coupler height settings (there are settings for wheel sizes from 20 to 29 inches).
- If needed, adjust the brush suspension to raise or lower the brush (the instructions for this are at the end of the video, starting at 10:56). The brush pressure should be light. On flat ground, there should be little difference in force required to push the bike with the brush on and off.
- To switch the sweeper from pick-up mode to push-aside mode or vice versa, loosen the wing nuts that are on both sides of the sweeper (on the black side panels), adjust the position of the front guard, and re-tighten the wing nuts. Be sure to adequately tighten the wing nuts so that they don’t come loose in operation.
- In pick-up mode, the bins will need to be regularly emptied. To empty the bins, slide them out (one at a time), dump them, and slide them back into place.
- The towing bike needs to have a kickstand. Also, in hilly terrain, e-bikes are helpful.
- Optionally, if it’s known that the operator will encounter thick sand or leaf sludge that needs to be shoveled, a shovel can be mounted to the top-right of the sweeper where there are two latches. Any tool can be mounted there, but shovels are one of the more useful tools.
Operation
Sweeper storage
When storing the sweeper, make sure that it’s in the vertical storage mode (or horizontal storage mode) to avoid permanently deforming the brush bristles. Please watch the video linked in the introduction section to see how to set up the horizontal and vertical storage modes.
Turning the sweeper on and off, and storage
The switch for powering the sweeper on and off is on the battery. When you finish sweeping, turn off the battery. The sweeper’s orange light should turn off. The switch on the sweeper’s control box is for turning the brush on and off, which is useful if ever the wireless switch isn’t working.
Be sure to store the battery in appropriate conditions for lithium ion batteries (not in extreme temperatures, direct sunlight, or in rain or snow). Do not store the battery when it’s fully discharged – this can kill the battery. Ideally, store the battery with around 70% of charge. If the sweeper is stored for months, periodically check the battery level, and charge the battery if needed.
Sweeping speed
The recommended towing speed is 7 to 15 km/h (5 to 10 mph). When the debris is heavier, such as leaves or accumulated gravel, the speed should be lower, otherwise multiple passes may be needed. When there’s only loosely scattered pebbles or similar debris, the speed can be higher.
Dust management
In dry conditions, the sweepers can kick up dust. Be mindful of local residents and people in the sweeper’s wake. The best solution for dust is to sweep shortly after rainfall. Alternatively, in more urban environments, sweeping in the early morning or at night alleviates the issue. If operating the sweeper as a pick-up sweeper, the operator should wear an N95 breathing mask (or something similar) to avoid breathing in the dust from dumping the debris out of the bins.
Clothing and protective equipment
Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes (some pebbles bounce toward the operator’s legs). Also, we recommend wearing a high-vis vest to further increase visibility even though the sweeper has a high-vis flag and a light.
Debris management for pick-up sweeping
Here are examples of how to manage the debris in the bins from pick-up sweeping:
- dump the debris in designated dumping spots
- dump the debris in garbage cans
- put bags in the sweeper’s bins with the operator leaving filled bags off to the side of the bike lanes, with a narrow-body electric truck or some other utility vehicle later going along the same route to pick up the bags (this approach minimizes the operator’s exposure to dust because the bags can be tied up before removal from the sweeper’s bins); example compostable bags with a size of 28x30in (71x76cm)
- using a cargo bike to pull the sweeper, with a box or bag of debris in the cargo compartment, to allow for greater sweeping distances between dumping
GPS tracking
We’re developing GPS tracking functionality for the bike lane sweepers. Please contact us for login access to the following website where GPS tracking data can be accessed for your bike lane sweeper (https://trac.cognoquest.org/). To access a map with GPS tracking data, click on reports in the bottom left of the page, and then select a sweeper (in the “devices” dropdown), choose the time period, and click “show”.
Maintenance
Flat tire
To avoid flat tires, check the tire pressure every few weeks (should be 2 bar or 28 psi). The tire can be unmounted from the rims without taking the wheels off the sweeper, giving access to the tubes for a patch repair. Alternatively, the wheels can be removed from the sweeper with allen keys. This involves loosening the shaft collars that are on the wheel axle and then sliding the axle out the left side of the sweeper.
We have experimented with airless tires. These tend to be very rigid, and due to the lack of suspension between the wheels and the rest of the sweeper, airless tires may cause too much stress on the sweeper and create harsh feedback for the operator.
Brush
To prevent premature wear of the brush, be sure to correctly set up the sweeper for the bike that’s pulling it. The brush suspension should be adjusted to produce light brush pressure; when sweeping light debris, there should be little resistance to the forward motion of the bike and sweeper (see the instructions video linked in the introduction section). To prevent premature wear of the brush, be sure to correctly set up the sweeper for the bike that’s pulling it. The brush suspension should be adjusted to produce light brush pressure; when sweeping light debris, there should be little resistance to the forward motion of the bike and sweeper (see the instructions video linked in the introduction section).
Battery
Our bike lane sweepers are equipped with a high quality battery, but it’s important to treat the battery responsibly. Lithium ion battery fires are extremely rare but they can occur if a battery is mishandled. If a battery is crushed or receives a large impact, turn it off and stop using it immediately, and inform us of the incident. Never store a battery in extreme cold or heat. The battery can be exposed to rain during operation, but do not store it in rain or snow. The sweeper’s battery should not be charged unattended.
Storing batteries fully discharged can permanently damage them. Store the battery with approximately 70% charge and check the battery charge periodically to ensure that it’s not being stored with no charge.
Part names and identifying numbers
Given that we manufacture the bike lane sweepers, we’re well-positioned for offering excellent technical support. All of the parts on the bike lane sweepers can be replaced. The list below includes some of the parts with information that’s relevant to the user. A labelled photo is provided after the list indicating where the various parts are located on a bike lane sweeper.
part identifying number / part name / service notes
1 / brush / This is a wear item. Its replacement interval depends on usage condition, but our brushes have been remarkably durable.
2 / tire / Tires are normally a wear item, but they last very long on the bike lane sweepers.
3 / tube / If a nail or some other debris has punctured the tube, it may need to be patched or replaced.
4 / wheel bearing / Check that the wheels spin smoothly every year or so. There should be grease covering the bearings (underneath the wheel caps).
5 / wireless on/off switch / There is a small battery in the wireless on/off switch that will periodically need to be replaced. If ever the battery dies part way through a sweeping session, the override switch on the control box (on the sweeper) can be used for turning the brush on and off.
6 / battery / Be sure to store the battery in appropriate conditions for lithium ion batteries, such as not in extreme temperatures. Do not store the battery when it’s fully discharged – this can kill the battery. Ideally, store the battery with around 70% of charge. If the sweeper is stored for months, periodically check the battery level and charge the battery if needed.
7 / charger / The default charger that we provide charges with 2A of current. High current options are available.
8 / hitch / Additional Burley hitches can be ordered from us or from online vendors.
9 / bins and bin bags / The bins are tough and should never need to be replaced. They can be lined with compostable bags for pick up sweeping in urban environments where it’s desirable for debris to be contained in bags. Compostable bags can be purchased from local stores or online vendors.
10 / shroud / If the sweeper undergoes a large impact to the shroud, it may break (although this hasn’t happened yet). The shroud is made of impact-resistant polycarbonate. It’s a significant task to replace the shroud, but it can be done with standard tools.
11 / flag / We apply an adhesive to prevent the flag from coming off the flagpole. If needed, it can be removed and replaced with a custom flag.
12 / controller box / If any part of the controller box were to fail, the entire controller box can be replaced with basic tools. Also, the lid of the controller box can be unbolted if ever there’s a need.
