Hello Community Bicycle People,
Bicycling in Cuba is growing. They need supplies and tools.
We sent a couple suitcases full of bicycle gifts, from Free Cycles Missoula, and more is needed.
Climate Ride (based in Missoula) had some people go to Cuba for a bike tour, and they had spare room in their luggage.
It is important to call the items 'gifts' and not 'donations'.
Here are the main needs:
Brake pads (V-brake or Canti-brake).
Brake cables and housings.
Bells.
Spare inner tubes.
Tire repair kits.
Portable air pumps.
Tire levers.
Rechargeable portable lights.
Reflective vests.
Locks.
Helmets.
20" x 2.0 tires (for folding bikes)
For community mechanics, these are the needs:
Multi-tools.
Chain lubricant.
Allen keys (various sizes).
Crank extractors.
Bearings for wheels, bottom bracket and pedals.
Contact:
Yasser González Cabrera Fundador & Director Citykleta: Plataforma de ciclismo basada en comunidad. yasser@citykleta.org www.citykleta.org +53 5325 6657 Sin oficina, pero activos desde 2017, La Habana.
It's OK to reach out to Yasser ahead of time, and it's also OK to show up at their shop with your gifts.
short videos on Cuba Cycling:
Pop-Up Citykleta: The trial of a new cycling future in Havana https://youtu.be/khAOG5sFeBU?si=5udErqZBM4WAGctV
Trailer for Bicycle Island https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaUo9c6YnOo&t=42s Film made by Mitra Ghaffari. Mitra is helping with this project and can be reached at: mitraeghaffari@gmail.com.
The needed items can be gifts from anyone, including community bicycle shops. If you know folks traveling to Cuba, you can help them stock up on the gifts and those can be delivered to Yasser in Havana.
I'm attaching a poster that can be used also, to get the word out.
Thank you!
Bob Giordano, Director, Free Cycles Missoula, www.freecycles.org, 406.541.7284, Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation, www.strans.org, mist@strans.org, 406.830.7676
