The Panamanian photographer José Castrellón has developed his Priti Baiks series (aka “pretty bikes”) to document the Panamanian phenomenon of overly wrought, heavily modified bikes. While most Panamanians don’t have the capital to modify their cars to Fast and the Furious levels (or to own a car at all, for that matter), the young men photographed by Castrellón showcase their finest and most unique modifications to the one means of transportation they can afford: bicycles. What it goes to show is that no matter the economic caste in which one lives, the indelible desire for men (yes feminists, it’s usually men involved in these endeavors) to take their transportation and claim them via personal modifications is a global, pan-continental phenomenon — one that crosses all income levels and social parameters. In his Priti Baiks series of portraits, Castrellón deftly captures the timeless, boundary-less male impetus to stand out from his peers.

via It’s Nice That