Bicitec’s designs include deep well water pumps, maize degrainers and grinders, blenders, vegetation choppers, and coconut shredders. Photo by Bicitec.
Bikes serve different purposes in people’s lives. Most of the time they are used to go places, for exercise and recreation, to transport goods, etc. Sometimes, however, they can be used for more than that.
As a testament to how creative people can be, the Internet provides several ways of putting the “old broken bike stored in the backyard” to use. For example, one can: shell corn, sharpen knives, make a windmill, wash clothes, filter water, charge a battery, cross a river, and more.
And, as proof of the good things that can be achieved by joining qualified people and an innovative idea, there is Guatemala-based Bicitec.
Started by Carlos Marroquín, Bicitec is a social venture that aims to solve a need: ease labor-intensive jobs and provide profits for people from rural areas. The idea is simple, turning old bikes and recycled machine parts into new machines and sell them for an accessible price, so that farmers are able to do their tasks in a time efficient way. They describe themselves as being, “the middle ground between the artisanal and the industrial” because these bikes represent a sustainable and carbon emission free alternative for people with low resources, who need to perform these time consuming tasks. They have several types of bike-machines (coconut shredders, mobility devices, etc) and a truly inspiring video:
The variety of things one can do with a bike is virtually limitless, but one thing’s for sure: I will never look at my bike in the same way.
Follow Bicitec on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bicitec/358536904253038
Visit their website: https://www.bicitec.org
