Sabaneta: the oldest bicycle workshop in the center

The history of the oldest bicycle workshop in downtown Sabaneta

In the heart of Sabaneta, among streets that still hold the smell of coffee and the sound of tools hitting metal, there is a place that seems frozen in time. It is a bicycle workshop that opened its doors in 1960, when Sabaneta was barely a corridor of wattle-and-daub houses and pastures. Today, in July 2026, it still operates almost the same as six decades ago: no sign, no social media, no fixed schedule. Only those who know, know.

The founder was don Jesús María "Chucho" Ramírez, a farmer who learned to repair bicycles in Medellín and decided to set up his own business on the corner of carrera 43A and calle 45, where the main park is today. But in the 60s, that area was nothing but dirt and stones. Chucho put up a zinc awning, hung three old tires, and started receiving bicycles from all over the region. The muleteers came from Caldas and Envigado with battered bicycles that only he knew how to get running.

The workshop passed from father to son, and then to the grandson: don Alberto Ramírez, a 58-year-old man who today personally attends to every bicycle that arrives. Alberto inherited not only the tools, but also the secrets: how to straighten a twisted frame without a press, how to weld a broken fork with a technique no one else knows, and how to recognize an Italian bicycle from the 50s just by the sound of the pedals.

Interview with the current owner: Alberto Ramírez, the grandson of the founder

I met don Alberto on a Tuesday afternoon, just as he was finishing repairing a 1968 Monark. The workshop is a space of about 20 square meters, with walls full of old calendars, tires hanging from the ceiling, and a smell of grease and burnt oil that transports you to another era. I asked him why he keeps the business going.

"My grandfather taught me that a bicycle is not just iron and rubber. It is the story of the person who rides it," he said while tightening a nut with a Spanish wrench that was older than him. Alberto told me that his grandfather Chucho left him a notebook with notes on every repair he made between 1960 and 1985. "In there are the bicycles of the mayors, the priests, the cyclists who went to compete in Bogotá. That notebook is worth more than the whole workshop."

I asked him why he only opens on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the afternoon. He laughed. "Because I rest on Mondays, I go to the farm on Wednesdays, I play dominoes with friends on Fridays, and I don't like working on weekends. Besides, the people who need my services know when to come. I don't need to be open every day."

Alberto showed me a bicycle he was repairing: a 1970s Peugeot, with original gear shifts and a steel frame that weighed a ton. "This was brought to me by an 80-year-old man, who had bought it in Paris when he was young. He wanted it ready for his grandson. That's the beautiful thing: seeing how a bicycle passes from generation to generation."

Anecdotes of famous repairs

Don Alberto has a repertoire of stories that could keep him talking for hours. One of the most memorable is the story of the bicycle of "Loco" Benítez, a local character who in the 80s competed in the Vuelta a Colombia on a bicycle that Alberto assembled piece by piece. "El Loco didn't have money for a new bicycle, so I got him a frame from an Argentine brand, put wheels from a Monark and gears from a Raleigh. It turned out like a Frankenstein, but he won a stage in Manizales. That's unforgettable."

Another anecdote he tells with pride is that of "Mono" Gutiérrez, an amateur cyclist who in 1995 arrived at the workshop with a bicycle that had broken in two after an accident. "Everyone told him to throw it away. But I welded it using a technique my grandfather had learned from a blacksmith in Envigado. El Mono used it for five more years."

But the most curious one is the story of the "lucky wrench." According to Alberto, his grandfather had a monkey wrench that had belonged to an Italian bicycle mechanic who arrived in Medellín in the 50s. That wrench, according to legend, has the ability to "feel" if a bicycle is properly adjusted. "My grandfather said that when the wrench vibrated in a certain way, the bicycle was perfect. I don't know if it's true, but I use it on every repair and it has never failed me."

If you visit the workshop, ask don Alberto about the 'lucky wrench.' He keeps it in a wooden box under the workbench, and if you earn his trust, he'll show it to you. They say touching it brings good luck to cyclists.

How to find the workshop (hidden on a street with no name)

Finding don Alberto's workshop is not easy. There is no Google Maps, no exact address, no sign. It is on a street with no name, between carrera 43A and calle 44, right behind the old Sabaneta tram station. To get there, you have to walk along calle 44 sur, turn at the corner of the hardware store "El Buen Precio," and go to the end of the alley. There, in a green-painted wattle-and-daub house with a wooden gate that is always slightly open, is the workshop.

If you come from the main park of Sabaneta, walk south along carrera 43A, pass the church and the school, and look for a narrow street marked by a yellow light pole. That is the entrance. The workshop is about 50 meters away, on the right-hand side. There is no doorbell. Just knock on the door and wait. If don Alberto is working, he will hear you and open up.

Secret hours: only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the afternoon

Don Alberto is a man of routines, but not the typical ones. The workshop is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. There are no exceptions. If you come on a Wednesday, he won't attend to you, even if you see him sitting at the door. "That day is mine," he says.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, however, he is punctual. At 2:00 p.m. he opens the gate, turns on an old radio tuned to bolero stations, and sits down to wait. He does not accept appointments. It is first come, first served. If you arrive at 5:30 p.m., he might tell you to come back next week, because at 6:00 p.m. he closes no matter what he is doing.

It is important to know that he does not work on electric or modern bicycles. "I don't understand those," he says. His specialty is classic bicycles, made of steel, with manual gear shifts and rod brakes. If you have a bicycle from those times, he is the only one who knows how to make it look like new.

What to do in Sabaneta while you wait for your bicycle

If you take your bicycle to the workshop and don Alberto tells you the repair will take a couple of hours, don't worry. Sabaneta has a lot to offer while you wait. The main park is just a five-minute walk away. There you can sit on a bench, watch people go by, or buy an ice cream at the corner store.

For food, I recommend "Panadería El Viejo Sabaneta," on carrera 43A with calle 45, two blocks from the workshop. They have freshly baked pandebonos and regional coffee for $3,000 COP. If you prefer something more substantial, "Restaurante Doña Rosa," on calle 44 sur, serves bandeja paisa for $18,000 COP. It is a simple place, but the food is homemade and abundant.

If you are interested in local history, visit the Casa de la Cultura de Sabaneta, in the main park. They have a permanent exhibition on the development of the municipality, with photos from the 50s and 60s showing what Sabaneta was like when don Chucho opened the workshop. Admission is free.

How to get to Sabaneta from Medellín

Getting to Sabaneta is easy from any point in Medellín. The fastest way is using the Medellín Metro. Take line A (the blue line) to the Sabaneta station. The trip from downtown Medellín takes about 25 minutes. Once at the station, walk south along carrera 43A for about 10 minutes until you reach the main park. From there, follow the directions I gave above.

If you come by car, take the Autopista Sur from Medellín, take the Sabaneta exit (kilometer 2.5), and continue along carrera 43A to the park. There is public parking on calle 44 sur, one block from the workshop, for $5,000 COP per hour.

By bus, the "Sabaneta Directo" and "Envigado-Sabaneta" routes leave from the Terminal del Sur in Medellín every 15 minutes. The fare is $3,200 COP and the trip takes about 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

Local tips to make the most of your visit

• Bring your bicycle in good condition if you want don Alberto to check it. He doesn't like wasting time on bicycles that are beyond repair. If the frame is broken or the wheels are unusable, he will probably tell you to throw it away.
• Arrive early. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the workshop fills up quickly. If you arrive at 2:00 p.m., you will be among the first. If you arrive at 4:00 p.m., you might have to wait until the following week.
• Don't ask him too many questions while he works. Don Alberto is friendly, but he concentrates on what he is doing. If you want to chat, wait until he finishes the repair. Then he sits on a wooden chair and tells you stories without you even asking.
• Bring cash. Don Alberto does not accept cards or transfers. His prices are fair: a basic repair (tire change, brake adjustment) costs between $10,000 and $20,000 COP. A more complex repair (welding, chain replacement) can go up to $50,000 COP.
• If you are a collector, ask him about the bicycles he has stored. At the back of the workshop, behind a plastic curtain, there are several old bicycles that don Alberto has collected over the years. Some are for sale, others are not. But if he likes you, he will show them to you.
• Respect his schedule. Don't ask him to open on a Wednesday or Friday. He won't do it. And if you insist, he will get annoyed. He is the master of his time and he knows it.

Frequently asked questions

Does the workshop have a name or sign?

It has no name, no sign, or any indication that it is a bicycle workshop. Locals know it as "el taller de don Chucho" or simply "el taller del nieto." If you ask at the main park, people will be able to tell you how to get there.

Does he accept mountain or modern bicycles?

Don Alberto prefers classic bicycles, made of steel, with manual gears and rod brakes. If you have a modern mountain bike with suspensions and electronic gears, he will probably tell you he doesn't know how to repair it. However, if it is a mountain bike from the 90s or earlier, he might accept it.

How much does a typical repair cost?

Prices vary depending on complexity. A tire change or brake adjustment costs between $10,000 and $20,000 COP. A frame weld or chain replacement can cost up to $50,000 COP. Don Alberto charges in cash and does not give a receipt. It is a handshake deal, like in the old days.

Can you buy an old bicycle at the workshop?

Yes, but not always. Don Alberto has several old bicycles stored at the back of the workshop. Some are for sale, others are not. If you are interested, ask him directly. Prices vary depending on the condition and rarity of the bicycle. I have seen a 1965 Monark for $200,000 COP and a 70s Peugeot for $350,000 COP.