It’s not possible to keep up with 52-year-old Félix Ramón Guirola Cepero, and it’s not wise to try. On a bright winter day, he flew down Havana’s famed Malecón on his bicycle as tourists and locals alike gawked in wonderment.

Guirola Cepero isn’t just faster than everyone else, but higher, too. He’s achieved a measure of local fame as the builder of the tallest bikes in Cuba. At blinding speed, and barely breaking a sweat, he cruises the streets on a 3m-tall, custom-made bike made of three frames welded on top of each other.

Guirola Cepero builds Cuba’s tallest bicycles (Credit: Tod Seelie)

“Look at this!” he shouted, again and again, racing away almost before it was possible to see what he was pointing out.

At a traffic light, he steadied himself on the roof of a bus for a brief moment, to the annoyance of the driver. A few minutes later, he paused and leaned against a wall. Almost immediately, a teenager trying to impress his friends demanded a ride.

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