Japan is a tiny island nation with a massive population that can ill afford locked bikes crowding packed city streets and sidewalks. So the country began to dig down as ridership went up. This 23 diameter storage container stores up to 204 bikes nearly 40 feet underground.
Membership costs 2,600 yen (~$30) a month and students pay half price. Load your bike in the tray, swipe your RFID card, and your bike is lowered into the depths. Retrieval takes roughly 17 seconds.
The entire system is prefabricated and capable of withstanding the tremors which frequently hit the country.
All I know is that I need a mini version for my garage!
Via Giken