I Like Peeing

I just returned from a trip to Morocco, and I figured I'd show pictures of the awesomest bikes there. In my travels, I found zero fixed gear bikes, and zero road frames that were converted to single speed/fixed gear. Everyone that had a bike used a mountain bike or a cruiser. Below is the most prevalent cruiser bike (spotted in Marrakech) and the only road bike I saw (spotted in Rabat). I got to ride a mountain bike with only a rear brake and a 20" front wheel, but of course I never took of a picture of it because I'm an idiot.

I Like Peeing

It's also of note that in the major cities there, the roads were smoother than anywhere I've ever been in my life...man Philly's roads suck. But they're more fun that way, I guess.

Hocam

Oh yeah, I forgot about your morocco trip. How the hell was it?

Shiznaz

I see alot of these classic looking (new) cruiser bikes with push rod brakes and double top tubes alot when I'm in muslim countries. They seem to ship them everywhere because I have seen them in Morocco, UAE, Turkey and Egypt. Most people use stylish tube protectors (the original cardboard used to wrap the tubes). No idea how well the push rod brakes work, if at all.

Mountain bikes with no saddle or brakes are a perennial favorite throughout the developing world.

The roads are nice in Morocco because it doesn't freeze there except for a few areas. I definitely don't remember the roads going through the Atlas mountains to be that good... Also anywhere the king wants to go, you better believe they are building a nice road for him to get there.

I Like Peeing

I spent most of the time up in Chefchaouen in the mountains, which is a time warp back to roughly 1200...no cars, no bikes, just bartering for donkey rides and carrying water jugs in exchange for food. All the roads were an arm's width wide (in the walled up old city) and made of random stones cemented everywhere. The roads weren't in good shape there, but they weren't really roads, they were...paths. In Fes, Marrakech, Casablanca and Rabat were where I saw bikes, but it was mainly motorscooters... the king's picture is in every shop and house I was in...I often wondered if it was law, but I couldn't speak to anyone because everyone spoke arabic which was awesome. I spoke solely spanish, and the people that spoke french as well could make out some words that way. I saw lots of cardboard and tape top tube protectors.

I Like Peeing

And hashish is 10g for $30 USD, by the way. Kept me in Chefchaouen for quite a long time.

Sakae Custom

i was in morocco last October, and every other bike i saw was a converted single speed, and i saw 2 fixed gears.







Morocco had an amazing bike culture, but like most third world countries, it exist out of necessity/transportation, rather then fun and exercise.

I Like Peeing

Damn, you got luckier than I did. Like I said, I saw ZERO in three weeks. And I walked everywhere.

Shiznaz

Sakae those images are HUGE. Links below

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/3...cf401e9b_b.jpg
https://farm1.static.flickr.com/134/3...6477f2e3_b.jpg
https://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/3...84bedf36_b.jpg

The souqs in Morocco are amazing... What an experience... We checked out the leather tanneries and the carpet weaveries and mosaic makers and its seriously a different world there. Hearing about kids working in sweat shops, and standing right behind them while they are doing it are two totally different things.

If you are a king/sheikh/emir in the arab world, you're freaking set because people love you. They tend to be pretty benevolent and active too so that helps. Morocco is going CRAZY right now because the king just had a daughter. They had a mass pardoning of prisoners from jail to celebrate!

adampaiva

that brake on the black bike is rad. moroccos on my list.

Hocam

I saw a lot of mountain bikes and 3 speeds in Turkey only one road bike on campus, really didn't seem that popular. Everyone likes to emulate america there an buy their own cars.

Sakae Custom

the first fixed gear i saw was in the middle of the giant market in marakech, this guy was walking it through the crowd, and at first i thought nothing of it, then i saw the pedals spinning as he walked, the lack of brakes, and the welded rear hub and cog, i got a video of it with my camera as i walked behind him, the dude was seriously 60+

doofo

bike culture is not for sale!!!!!!!




















(love these photos)

I Like Peeing

I wouldn't be surprised if that guy had a circle of people around him at night, collecting money for trackstanding. I got sick of the markets in about an hour...Chefchaouen 4eva

fordfasterr

When was the last time one of those bikes saw any grease ? LOL

N3VAR !