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In the future, ADAC will help with tire, chain, brake or battery problems on bicycles
Photo:
Sebastian Gollnow / dpa
The automobile club ADAC wants to gain new members by expanding its offer.
As of June 1st of this year, ADAC breakdown assistance will also be available "nationwide for cyclists," the ADAC announced.
At the association's general meeting in Wiesbaden, there was an "overwhelming majority" for this strategic course.
The ADAC, which claims to be Europe's largest club with 21.23 million members, wants to "develop further and meet the target of sustainability in its offers and corporate management," it said.
According to the ADAC, all members can use the bike breakdown service for their bike free of charge.
"ADAC says yes to mobility change and it supports its members in this," said ADAC President Christian Reinicke.
Reinicke has been in office for a year and recently made headlines with the request to leave the car at home and cycle to the bakery to save fuel.
"Even if someone is traveling by bus, train or bike, we want to be there for them," said Reinicke.
Specifically, the ADAC breakdown helpers should help cyclists who can no longer continue due to tire, chain, brake or battery problems.
If the repair is not possible on site, transport to the nearest suitable workshop will be organised.
According to the ADAC, the prerequisite for the assistance is that the location of the breakdown can be reached legally by car.
However, the ADAC did not mention a possible own bicycle tariff in its averaging.
Thus, the bike breakdown service should only be of interest to people who are or want to become a member of the automobile club because of their car.
Most damage is punctures
The bicycle breakdown service has been running as a pilot project in Berlin and Brandenburg since July last year.
"Our breakdown helpers are going well with us," said Reinicke.
In 75 percent of the cases, it's about punctures.
The repairs usually took just under 40 minutes - twice as long as with the car because the breakdown helpers were still gaining experience, said ADAC board member Oliver Weissenberg
In the future, more services will also be offered in the areas of health and home, some of which - such as the ADAC locksmith service - "have already been successfully tested in pilot projects".
sol/dpa/AFP