Bike Forums - Bikes in Rwanda

Most of last month I spent in Rwanda, mostly working, but also few days traveling across this extremely hilly country. In spite of the hills bikes play an important role in everyday life there, for one as taxis. The main vehicle for taxis are regulated motorcycles with helmets for passengers. However, for shorter trips at lower prices bikes are heavily utilized. These are decorated with pride, sort of like trucks or buses in India, have large lamps and often pairs of Chinese rotary bells etc.

Besides, bikes are heavily used for transporting goods, from sacks of potatoes to construction materials. There are no work animals in use in Rwanda, no horses or other animals pulling carts. People work the fields with their hands and it is common for those fields to be on such steep slopes, literally 45deg and even more, that presumably no machinery could be employed anyway. Those with lesser means carry loads on their backs or heads or resort to bikes. I saw police check points verifying whether the bike riders had permits for transportation of potatoes.

My photos below provide a little bit flavor but are far from fully reflecting the situation. People get upset when one takes their photos without permission and when asked they usually refuse. I add some other cycling photos from there.

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Bike taxis in front of the famous Kimironko Market in Kigali, my main source of fruit

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My local Merida bike parked in front of a supermarket

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Bike taxis on the road. The vest with numbers indicates that the rider is a co-op member. A motorcycle taxi in front.

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Taxis with passengers. Those on the other side move uphill.

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Final stage of Tour du Rwanda in the vicinity of National Stadium, few blocks from my base.

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Female team training.