Vienna has joined the growing list of cities to embrace the bicycle. What is it about the two wheeled contraption that has cities from New York to Paris and beyond moving to embrace the machine? Probably the environmental and health benefits, but whatever the case, Vienna is now a proud member of that exclusive club.

On the Praterstern, where cars, buses and trams converge from several busy streets on a road that loops around Vienna's central train station, a new digital counter stands under the eye of the Riesenrad Ferris wheel.

It's about the size of a bus stop advertising hoarding and picks out passing bicycle wheels from a sensor in the pavement.

With a rumpled grey overcoat over his suit and a cycling helmet covering his grey hair, Wolfgang Dvorak excitedly explains that the 2,072 figure on display marks the number of bicycles that have passed this point so far today.

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