Cycling in Kenya

I like everything about bicycles including road bicycles, mountain bicycles, tandems, recumbents (never tried a unicycle).    

Bicycling in Kenya unlike in the United States is not for sport or exercise.  People ride here bikes in Kenya to get places; work, church, the dukas (shopping).  It is not uncommon to see on one bike several crates of soda bottles, a pile of sticks, and often an extra passenger.  Bikes are tremendously useful as they can save Kenyans time and effort as they get from home to the places they go.

      Bicycles in Kenya are like a traditional road bicycle on steroids.  They must weigh well over 60-70 lbs, frames built with steel, usually black in color, double cross bars, and every junction is welded.  As you can imagine these bikes take a beating after all the potholes they encounter.

I liked the bike above with the padded seat and the evangelical license plate.  It belongs to one of the guards at the hospital. 
This picture was taken near the escarpment on the way to Kijabe.  This biker was hitching a ride by grabbing on to a passing truck.  Although obviously dangerous, I can't blame this man as the road to Kijabe climbs 3500 feet in less than 10 miles.