Bici Lab Andorra Launches 'Un negoci sobre rodes' Exhibition on Bicycles and Work

Bici Lab Andorra launched its sixth exhibition, *Un negoci sobre rodes* ("A Business on Wheels"), on Thursday, showcasing 15 real-life stories that link bicycles to work across history and the globe. The non-linear display, running from 23 March 2026 to 4 April 2027, includes portraits, artifacts—many loaned by protagonists or from the Riberaygua collection—audio interviews with transcripts, and interactive zones simulating bike logistics and mechanics.

The narratives cover fading trades like Madrid knife sharpener Lois Raposo, one of two remaining itinerant sharpeners on the Iberian Peninsula, and Ireland's Mike Sheehan, a 1960s-1970s bicycle postman. They also feature evolving roles, such as Mexico City's David Mungía, who delivers milk in a family tradition nearing extinction, and contemporary struggles including Riders x Derechos activist Nuria Soto on gig worker precarity. Innovation shines through Andorran examples: former downhill pro Òscar Lacueva, who now designs global mountain bike trails, mainly in Canada and southern Europe; Forestal factory product designer Kilian Elvira; ProCyclingStats founder Stephan van der Zwan, whose Andorra-based team tracks UCI races; acrobat Yldor Llach; and Estefan Guillén, a soigneur for teams like Tudor Pro Cycling. Local commuters include Senegalese farmhand Ismaila Gadjigo, who cycles to Bellpuig fields, and Joan Faus, biking to work since age 17—initially from La Seu d'Urgell to Escaldes-Engordany, now on an e-bike with 30,000 km over two to three years from Sant Julià de Lòria. Historical shadows appear in Lewis Hine's pre-World War I photos of US child bicycle messengers, alongside oddities like a 1918 Barcelona fire brigade bike.

Edu Tarrés, Bici Lab area head, stressed the human focus: the exhibit goes beyond bikes to capture unromanticized realities, from lost crafts to tech-driven jobs, with staff acting as journalists for direct voices. Sergi González, Andorra la Vella's cònsol major, hailed the past-future balance and institutional backing, while noting bike lane progress via the POUP urban plan—initial Mobility Department talks, planned routes at Prada Motxilla and Avinguda d'Enclar, but 2027 rollout now seems tight due to connectivity challenges.

Opened in October 2022, Bici Lab continues blending education and engagement.