During our visit to Barcelona, we stopped by El Ciclo, near the Ramblas in the heart of the city. Right away, you can feel you are in a special place. The shop is both a repair workshop and an art studio. The space is warm and inviting, and the beautiful Argentinian music completes the atmosphere. Everywhere, lamps made from old bicycle parts are hanging.
It is all the work of Ramiro, an Argentinian who rents bikes and offers guided bike tours around the city. You can ride a regular bike or a bamboo bike. While we were in the shop, a group of Dutch people returned. They had explored the city on bamboo bikes with a Dutch-speaking guide.
The bikes at El Ciclo are of higher (German) quality than the average rental bikes you see everywhere.
But we were most impressed by the artworks Ramiro creates from old parts. Bicycle shops in the city call him when they have another batch of bike waste. Chains, gears, spokes… If we were to see such a pile of waste, we would only think of sending it to the landfill. But it takes the eyes of an artist to see the potential and the hands of an artist to bring it to life. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.
