THE “world’s biggest” bike graveyard has mountains of cycles left for scrap – and a bizarre reason they’re all the same colour.
Hundreds of thousands of bicycles have been dumped in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, as well as other sites across the country – including the second city Shanghai as well as capital Beijing.
CatersHundreds of thousands of identikit bikes have been dumped across China[/caption]
The huge piles come after the collapse of the country’s once-thriving cycle-sharing industry, after ministers launched a major push to prioritise cars instead.
More than 70 different bike-sharing hire businesses are believed to have competed for control only to “over-saturate” demand.
And that explains why many of the now-discarded bikes come with identikit designs and colour schemes – with only minor amendments in shade between rival firms.
Film-maker Wu Guoyong devoted his time to photographing and filming bike graveyards across the 1.4billion-population nation.
His CBC documentary The Gig Is Up included what’s been said to be the largest, in Shenzen in the southern province of Guangdong – as well as those in other major cities.
He told how the biggest “graveyards” like this one would have more than 200,000 bikes – compared to 40,000 or 50,000 elsewhere, with 18million reportedly on the streets beforehand.
He said: “Over 70 brands were competing for dominance, including many small companies.
“Everyone could see the money to be made – all that competition led to market saturation.”
Footage showing the vast swathes of abandoned bikes has now been shared on Instagram by the international Bicycle Film Festival.
And viewers have been angered by the apparent waste.
Peter Eagleton posted: “These bicycles could have been sent to developing nations to help people in basic transportation. A real shame.”
Another commenter wrote: “This is just one of hundreds if not thousands of city bike junkyards in China. This situation is ridiculous.”
Other responses included: “I don’t understand why they couldn’t donate or sell these bikes to another country that could use them. Irresponsible.”
It was also suggested: “When society collapses, this is where I’m going for my bike parts.”
And an unimpressed viewer added: “There has to be one cool bike in there somewhere.”
Elsewhere, a Nebraska collector has admitted having so many old trucks – some dating back a century – he forgets where they’re kept.
Another classic car “graveyard” has recently been discovered in the French countryside, with 50 vehicles left to rot.
Vintage motors such as a £44,000 bulletproof Mercedes and 1947 Harley-Davidson were meanwhile found at a California castle.
And a field of classic cars was bought having been abandoned for decades – while two iconic sports motors, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini were discovered in a barn.
CatersChina’s second city Shanghai has seen many of the bikes discarded in piles[/caption]
CatersThe collapse of the country’s cycle-sharing industry has been blamed[/caption]
CatersSome 70 different firms have been getting rid of bikes in their company colours[/caption]