spolcykel

Spolcykel is a term used in Danish (and in some Norwegian contexts) to refer to a bicycle-mounted device used for street cleaning and flushing. The word combines spol, meaning to rinse or flush, with cykel, meaning bicycle. A spolcykel typically refers to a standard bicycle that has been modified with a small water reservoir, a pump, and a spray nozzle or wand to direct a jet of water onto pavements, curbs, and nearby surfaces to wash away dirt, salt, and debris.

Historically, spolcykler were used in several Nordic cities as a low-cost, flexible method for maintaining sidewalks and public spaces. Their compact size allowed access to narrow lanes and pedestrian zones where larger cleaning vehicles could not easily operate. Mechanical configurations varied: some bikes used pedal-powered pumps, while others employed small electric pumps powered by batteries or attached generators. Water supply could come from onboard tanks or municipal mains, and in some cases cleaning agents were used according to local guidelines.

With advances in urban cleaning technology, spolcykler largely declined as motorized street washers and larger municipal vehicles became more common. Today, surviving examples are mainly of historical interest and may appear in municipal history collections or museums. In contemporary usage, the term can also appear informally to describe any bicycle-mounted cleaning device in limited regional contexts.