Africa rides on two wheels

That is most likely what this Mozambican charcoal dealer believes. He has strapped six sacks of charcoal on his bike weighing approximately 300 kilograms (661 pounds). The man must push his load from behind as riding is simply impossible. He can steer the bicycle with two cords attached to the handlebars.

This man covers up to 100 kilometers (62 miles) as he moves charcoal from the interior to Mozambique's second largest city, Beira . There are hardly any paved roads in the countryside and bicycles rather than cars are the preferred mode of transport. Many people depend on coal as a source of energy because they can’t afford gas or electricity.

Your tire has a puncture? There’s always a fundi around the corner to help. "Fundi" is a Swahili word for artisans and many people in Africa turn to them for fixing and repairing damaged things. In Kenya, as seen in this picture, bicycle repair shops are often located by the roadside in case emergency repairs are needed.

In many parts of Africa, people often take hours to walk to school, fetch water or firewood. Public transport is unreliable and for most people expensive. Those who cannot transport their goods have little chance to make an income. Not so for this farmer from Niger. With his bicycle he can take his produce all at once to the market.

Anyone who owns a "duka" (Swahili for kiosk) is aware of the importance of replenishing a dwindling stock. Goods must be transported from the nearest major city to the smallest village in Tanzania. Africans enjoy quenching their thirst with a soft drink: whoever carries the most crates on his bike has an added advantage.

Business here, business there. The bicycle can be turned into a mobile shop. This Tanzanian hawker sells shoes, bags and plastic bowls. Street vending is very common in Africa, though most of the vendors are not officially registered: an issue that has sometimes led to skirmishes with the police.

How many chickens can fit on a handlebar? This dealer from Nigeria most probably has the answer. He may sell some chickens along the way but his goal is the daily market where fresh goods are sold.

The journey for this young goat in the Nigerian state of Bauchi doesn’t look comfortable. Its owner is on his way to sell it at the market where it will probably fetch around 7,000 Naira (35 euros, $46). One thing is certain though: what awaits the goat after the sale is likely to be worse than a ride on a bike-rack.

Bicycles are used as taxis in many African countries. The bike racks are padded for comfort so that customers can easily ride to their destination for little money. The taxis have different names. In Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania they are popularly known as "boda -boda," derived from "border -to- border." They sprang up in the border regions in the 1960s.

In Quelimane, northern Mozambique, the city administration tried to reduce the number of bike taxis on the roads. In early 2010, they introduced a kind of license for cyclists. It cost 350 Meticais (around 12 euros, $16). The decision led to protests by the bicycle taxi operators. Finally the city council gave in and abandoned the license requirement.

Besides using bicycles as a means of transportation, Africans also use them for recreation purposes and for exercise. In the midst of rusty, old, tried and trusted bikes, there are also modern, sports models to be seen. This young man in the Seychelles rides a mountain bike - not for commercial reasons but simply for fun.