The capital of Colombia, Bogota has an extensive network of bicycle routes, the so-called bicirutas which is different from the ciclovia but I often get the 2 words confused. The “ciclovia” is basically a network of roads in the city which are closed every sunday to cars and which can be used by cyclists and pedestrians. The “bici-rutas” are permanent bicycle lanes or routes throughout the city. They are great and extensively used for commuting and recreation. At peak hour, some of these bici-rutas can get pretty congested but often they flow faster than the car traffic.
So what happens if you are riding to the Parkway and you get a puncture? Don't worry, help is at hand, because one of the excellent Bogota street bicycle mechanics will not be far away. These mechanics camp at strategic points throughout the city with a small but effective set of tools, and sometimes a little hand-drawn cardboard sign which says something like “Fredi's Bicycle Workshop” . And these guys (I haven’t seen a female one yet, but they probably exist) can do a lot more than fix your puncture. In fact there is little that they cannot and will not do to get you one your way again, and make it home. They are like the Royal Automobile club for bicycles and they adhere to the great Colombian tradition of “We will fix it, somehow” .
I have been rescued by them a number of times and am always impressed by their professionalism. Long live “Fredi's” open-air bicycle workshop!