Velorution Donates Bikes

The inspiration for Vélorution came from the 1989 Cuban "velorution" when Cuba imported about 1 million Chinese bicycles to deal with the energy crisis caused by the fall of the Russian empire (velo is French for bicycle).  So it was only fitting that when a group of us decided to have a cycling holiday by taking advantage of the direct SSM/Cuba flights, to take refurbished bikes with us to donate to the Cuban people. 

We prepared our Cuba bikes from a variety of recycled bikes and bike parts we had lying around the shop.  Jarouslav Roubal even made a custom tandem for the trip.  We packed our bikes and luggage and headed for the airport.  There is a $30 extra charge for the bikes and you need to keep your total luggage under 30 kg (20 checked + 10 carry on) including the bike. So we traveled fairly light. 

We arrived in Varadero late at night and assembled our bikes by the pool sipping on a Mojito.  The next day, we were off exploring the city and surrounding areas.  There were some great cycling routes along the 22 km peninsula and along the coast south to Havana.  We even headed up into the wilderness to the real backcountry of Cuba for some of our longest rides. 

It was like going back 50 years in time, with horse carts and bicycles ruling the road.  Our biggest task was to find someone to donate our bicycles to which was not very difficult as many Cubans don't own a vehicle, let alone a bicycle.

We managed to make 5 Cubans very happy and would like to encourage others to do the same. So we have decided to offer a free bicycle tune up and packing service if you decide to participate in our Cuban bike donation program.  Just bring us the bike and we will get it ready for travelling.  We will also provide you with contact and riding information. 

Whether you just plan to ride around the city or further into the wilderness, having a bicycle in Cuba adds a significant new dimension to your holidays!