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Happy Cleta is a travel and leisure bike. Actually it is whatever

its current owner wants it to be. It is just a bike.  Well, a special bike.

A way to give, a way to receive, a way to connect and read stories.

Jesus, a spanish guy, bought it in Brooklyn. Before returning, he gave it to a french guy. He mentionned 4 rules. Once again the bike was given. Its current owner is Radek

 

Never sell it

 

Happy Cleta has been freed by jesus

Improve it

 

Just do what you have to do to keep it going. 

Give it

 

Keep it as long as you want and if you don't have the use anymore, give it to someone and tell him about these rules

Pionner of the idea :

Jesus Matsuki

Jesus.matsuki@gmail.com

 

Website Help

Arnaud Tolphin

arnaud.tolphin@gmail.com

 

 

 

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Tell Jesus your story
 
Put your story here on this website or send a message here below

 

Jesus, Madrid, Spain
 

"Hi everybody! I arrived in New York the 3rd of June in 2014. I was tired and confused because of the jet lag... but also looking forward to experience the NY lifestyle.

Buildings, avenues, museums... yeah, that´s cool. That´s what we usually see in the movies. But something that I absolutely wanted to try was biking in the most famous city of the world.

I tried to find a cheap bike on the internet. It was just for two months, so it should be a really cheap and ready-to-use one... Was I asking for a miracle? Seemed to...

... But finally I found it in my own neighbourhood, in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). It was perfect : cheap price, good condition, 10 Speeds...

I enjoyed a lot with my new acquisition. Brooklyn, Queens, crossing the Manhattan & Williamsburg bridges... And maybe, my favourite moment : riding in Brooklyn with the Manhattan sunset...

The penultimate week before leaving New York, I got a flat tire. My friend Arnaud offered to fix it.

He is a “Sexy-French-Professional-Traveller” (hahaha) who was also looking for a bike for his remaining two months in the city. Then I thought that maybe I was not gonna have enough time to fix it and enjoy it. At the same time, something that I could experience in this beloved city, is the collaborative and altruistic movement around the bike.

So... I offered the bike to Arnaud with the mentioned rules!

 

It would be great to see the bike again, really improved and being useful in the New York streets !!! "

 

 

Arnaud, Conflans, France
 

"Jesus gave me the bicycle and told me about the rules. He's a good hearted person. He's my friend and accomplice in life. I met him in New York. It was in 2014, during summertime. Jesus gave me the bike and I rediscovered the freedom that cycling can provide. I was going to work with the bicycle. Then I decided to take a ride up north, to shelburne falls and the vipassana center (I'm a touring cyclist). I installed a pannier rack and rode through parts of New Jersey and Massachussets. I enjoyed Florence, this is such a cool place. If you like touring, you can use warmshowers.org.

After 3 months in New York (I had initially planned on staying 2 weeks), I got back to South America and cycled to Ushuaïa with an other bike. I gave the bicycle to a soul brother, Radek. Enjoy the ride. Love

 

 

Radek, Sunnyside, New York
 

The bike currently resides in Sunnyside, Queens.  I met Arnaud following the ten day meditation session at the Vipassana center in Shelburne Falls in the fall of 2014.  There was assigned seating in the main meditation hall and we were assinged to sit next to each other.  Arnaud was one of the most intense meditators there and kept me motivated throughout.  We were only allowed to speak to the other students on the 10th day and it was great to find out that Arnaud was an extremely interesting and nice person.  When I heard that he was passing through New York City again, I invited him to stay with me for a couple of days before he took off for Argentina.  He did and left the bike behind. 

 

The bike was originally supposed to be passed on but the person never materialized.  I actually have another bike and bike around a lot on it but I have kept this one for guest use and I can verify that it has been on literary journeys all over Manhattan and circular, somewhat aquatic, journeys deeper into the heart of Queens.  As the biking season draws nearer, I will make sure to take the bike in for a tune up so that it is ready for action.

 

Dane, Boston, Massachusetts
 

I made the wonderful acquaintance of Happy Cleta when I visited Radek in New York over thanksgiving weekend 2014. On the Sunday following thanksgiving, we took her out for a little spin (well, ended up being a long spin) around Queens. She was in perfect shape (I am used to riding mountain bikes and found Happy Cleta to be a very durable and strong bike). We biked through the whole of Western Queens, from about 42nd street up past and through the World's Fair Park on up to around Queens College around 147th and the back down to around 90th street, then back up to 104th street, then lost in wormhole for about 30 mins, then back to 90th street where Radek directed us home in the dark sans helmets, sans lights, but with a lot of will for adventure in our hearts. Here's to many more adventures and open steppe sojourns with Happy Cleta!

 

Brook, Washington DC

I rode Cleta when I visited Radek in May of 2022. We did a full-day ride around Queens. First, Cleta took me to a bike shop, where I purchased a helmet that will live with Cleta. Then, on what was the first weekend in the 90s that summer, we started an all-day ride all over Queens that saw us getting home after dark. Radek had had some work done on Cleta (following the rules), and she rode absolutely beautifully. All three bikes were fine, but I noticed Cleta really wanted to coast. which made this non-rider's day easier. I have no idea how far we biked that day, but it is the farthest single-day ride I have done since probably 2005. Cleta was great, and I enjoyed getting to learn her needs (like shifter position) and likes (she loves hills). She was the perfect size for my 6'4" frame. I wanted to take her home to DC, but figured she would be better used in Queens for the time being. Thanks, Cleta!

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