Flying in the Red Zone

Eat rösti, drink a Swiss cocktail, play Swiss video games, climb a mountain, eat chocolate - you can do almost everything in the Red Zone. And since Saturday 27 July, we're offering a new activity to our guests: you can now fly in the Red Zone.

Carol Proschaska, who works for Biketec AG, came to London to present the FLYERs electric bike. Until 2 August, she is suggesting that visitors do a guided tour of the British capital by electric bikes. "Visitors to the House of Switzerland just love it, she says. In London not a lot of people know electric bikes. I only saw one in the city since I arrived."

The Swiss company Biketec AG is a pioneer in this industry. In 1995 the founder of the company, Philipp Kohlbrenner, invented one of the first ever electric bikes. Philipp Kohlbrenner was living in Emmental, a mountainous region of Switzerland. As he had to go over a hill every day to go to work, he had the idea to use a car battery and the motor from windscreen wipers to electrify his bike and go faster without any effort. He then constructed different models over the following years, and a company was founded later, in 2001. Today 11 different models are available and Biketec sells 50,000 e-bikes a year, making them one of the industry leaders in Switzerland.

"Our Swissness is what makes us different from other companies: the quality of our bike is the best and we are highly committed to sustainability," Carol emphasises. Another particularity is the availability of FLYERs around Switzerland. "Every summer, 2,000 FLYERs bike are distributed to hotels and others places in Switzerland, she explains. Tourists can take them to travel around the country. We always suggest that they go along the "Heart Route", a fantastic route through the Alps from Lausanne to Zug."

Her electric jewels are at the House of Switzerland until 2 August, and will be presented today at Swiss Innovation Day, during which other Swiss technological successes will be showcased. Who knows if the Swiss Olympic cycling team is going to pop in?

To see more pictures of the FLYERs bike, click here.