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PHOTOS
XANDER ANGELES (PREVIOUS SPREAD AND THIS PAGE)
IN 1893,
American satirist and novelist
Mark Twain wrote about his experience
learning to ride a Penny Farthing — the
old-school bicycle that has a giant
front wheel — in the essay “Taming
the Bicycle”, concluding with the
oft-quoted line: “Get a bicycle. You will
not regret it, if you live.” And while
this probably refers more to potential
injuries one might face from simply
toppling over from the heights of this
classic ride, the line could also work
as a warning for bicycle riders rolling
alongside bigger vehicles today.
But despite the potential dangers
that crowded city streets pose to
cyclists, more people are opting to hop
on their bikes, both for leisure rides
and daily commutes that don’t involve
major thoroughfares. And if indeed
the mark of a progressive city is the
number of bike lanes, Metro Manila
is showing early signs of being on the
right track. It’s a long and winding road
to the ideal.
Tipped onto this growing lifestyle —
perhaps by bike shops mushrooming all
over the metro — some urban planners,
city administrators and property
developers are pushing for more bike
lanes. As university campuses are
often first to embrace a good idea, the
University of the Philippines in Diliman,
Quezon City has for years rerouted
Riding a bicycle empowers you to
cover more ground at your own pace,
the ability to stop whenever...
traffic along its academic oval so that
it flows in one direction, with the inner
lane strictly for pedestrians and bikers.
This is not something appealing
solely to students. Along with Zen
gardens and jogging paths, mention
of accessible bike lanes are frequently
a pitch that helps clinch the deal for
young families looking for homes
that fit the way they live or want to
live. Case in point: new residential
communities boast permanent and
dedicated lanes. For many cyclists, it’s
just a matter of time before this attitude
trickles deeper into the metropolis.
TWO-WHEEL TOUR
Whether you’re a Manileño in search
of new sights or a visitor curious about
local urban culture, a bike ride through
Metro Manila lets you see this megacity
up close, at street level and at human
speed. However, Metro Manila is an
urban sprawl that covers over 600sqm
and includes 16 cities, so it’s best to
keep your jaunts within selected areas.
Riding a bicycle empowers you to
cover more ground at your own pace,
the ability to stop whenever you find
something interesting, or to go faster
when you need a breeze. It gives the
traveler a deft balance of freedom
and control, while encouraging a
perspective that is connected, alert
and empathic.
B I K E T H I S C I T Y
University of the Philippines
Diliman campus has a
dedicated bike lane
