Adelaide may be experiencing monumental challenges due largely to the exit of large-scale manufacturing, but amid the doom and gloom a shining light is emerging in pedal-powered businesses.

Key points: Pedal-powered businesses expanding in Adelaide

Pedal-powered businesses expanding in Adelaide Unlikely to replace large-scale manufacturing employment levels

Unlikely to replace large-scale manufacturing employment levels Calls for more small business support from the public and government

EcoCaddy, a CBD tricycle transport fleet inspired by the petrol-powered tricycles of Shanghai, has grown from two trikes to seven in the space of two years, and now has 16 employees.

"In the last 10 days during the Adelaide Fringe Festival, we've moved 3,500 people," founder and chief executive Daniels Langeberg said.

Charging a flat rate of $10, the business transports people anywhere within the CBD all year round.

"We're effective on those short distances, those awkward distances where it's too far to walk, too short to cab."

Mr Langeberg was working as an urban transport planner in Shanghai when he visited Adelaide on holiday and saw an opening for short distance transport that complemented existing public transport.

He imported the pedal-powered tricycles and modified them to start a fleet that runs much like a taxi fleet, with dispatchers, modern technology and electric assist to help operators get off the mark and reach speeds of up to 25 kilometres per hour.

EcoCaddy CEO Daniels Langeberg hopes to increase his fleet in the next 12 months. ( ABC News: Malcolm Sutton )

"We're a highly coordinated fleet and it's not just one person out there fetching fares," Mr Langeberg said.

"We have a captain and riders that answer to those captains and are coordinated to work harmoniously as a fleet."

EcoCaddy has shifted about 25,000 customers to date and Mr Langeberg hopes to increase the fleet to 30 in the next 12 months.

He has also started a courier service for small to mid-sized businesses in the CBD.

Adelaide moving towards cycle-friendly infrastructure

Adelaide, like many cities worldwide, has experienced a push towards cycle-friendly infrastructure in recent years as governments work to reduce road congestion, pollution, and create more pedestrian-friendly CBDs.

Laws have changed to give cyclists a buffer from cars on the roads and allow them to use footpaths.

More cycling lanes have also been established — sometimes to the annoyance and inconvenience of motorists.

But it is perhaps this push towards cycling that has allowed another pedal-powered business in Adelaide to grow just as fast — Handlebar Adelaide.

Handlebar Adelaide launched 12 months ago and now operates four bikes. ( Supplied: Handlebar Adelaide )

It involves up to 16 people drinking beer and wine while pedalling a bike around town, with a bar attendant standing at the centre of the contraption in control of steering and braking.

Part-owner Jason Seris, from Melbourne, launched the idea with his business partner in Indianapolis in the United States where they now run six bikes.

He brought Handlebar to Adelaide with one bike 12 months ago. It has proved so popular the fleet has already expanded to four.

"I always thought Adelaide was such a great city, the perfect one to start something like this," Mr Seris said.

"It has a good, flat layout and is not too congested with traffic like other cities, and it seems a fairly bike-friendly city with lots of bike paths and that sort of thing. Plus the weather is great."

He said a lot of cities were trying to make themselves more cycle-friendly.

"People like getting outside and getting to the city.

"We get a lot of compliments because it's a great way to see parts of the city people wouldn't normally see."

Calls for more small business support

Until recently, South Australia suffered the highest unemployment rate in the country.

A mining downturn, high power prices and the impending exit of Holden car manufacturing from Elizabeth have all contributed to an era of bad news for workers.

Adelaide's CBD, however, has been experiencing a revolution in start-up small businesses, with small bars and food vendors hitting the mark and becoming increasingly popular.

Such start-ups are not expected to replace the high employment levels manufacturing offers, but it is a shining light in an otherwise difficult era of transition.

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Despite this growth, Mr Langeberg said it was incredibly hard to be a successful business and stay in Adelaide.

He also said Adelaide suffered in that many of its own people did not make enough effort to support local businesses.

"If you want Adelaide to be successful, then start buying Adelaide products, start using Adelaide services."

He added there was an attitude in Adelaide that many people assumed innovative new businesses came from somewhere else and, as a result, support from locals was not as strong as it could be.

"A lot of people who jump on will say: 'Where did this start? Did this start in Melbourne or something?'

"But there's heaps of smart people here doing some really cool shit.

"If you don't support them, they can't be around, and they'll either leave to carry on or they'll die."