Sometimes you see something new and it just strikes you that it is a fantastic idea, just like a Bike Tree. It's a great way to clear bikes from street level where they take up lots of space and are vulnerable to vandalism and theft plus it's a good looking structure in it's own right.

Check out the demonstration video on the about page.

It makes sense to me as an automatic bike hire terminal: you can get off the train, swipe your credit card at the bike tree and then ride the bike for the day before returning it to the bike tree when you are ready to go home. If there were more bike trees in the popular business/commercial areas of the city then you are sorted for secure storage or one-way trips.

I totally get it.

UPDATE: See here also