Project Rwanda : Using the Bicycle as a Tool and Symbol of Hope - Report from the field: Innovation Kicks in When Options Run Out

Report from the field: Innovation Kicks in When Options Run Out

Wednesday, 20 June 2007

Butare, Rwanda - Project Rwanda is successfully getting bikes into the hands of Rwandan coffee growers, allowing them to transport their produce to the washing stations efficiently and cost effectively. Yet the terrain of Rwanda is such that the brake pads on these bikes wear out quickly. This may surprise you, but there are no local bike shops (yet) in Rwanda where you might pick up some replacement brake pads. So from the same innovative Rwandan spirit that brought you the wooden bike, a bike made of wood, comes truck tire brake pads. These 'brake pads' are cut from the portion of a truck tire that have reinforcing nylon cords. These fibers serve to maintain the integrity of the brake pad, that is keep chunks of rubber from flying off, and also help with heat dissipation, keeping the pads cool. Tom Ritchey will be in Rwanda in September to test these new brake pads himself. He will compare how the truck rubber compound stacks up to standard brake pad compound, who knows, it may work better than expected.

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