Riza Camille Talan
Since the quarantine started, a lot of people have decided to use bikes to go from Point A to Point B. The quarantine situation has left us no choice, really. There’s limited public transport, but we still have to buy our groceries, run errands, and go to work. For most Filipinos who have no cars, the trusty two-wheeled bike is the best option.
I am among the 88% of Metro Manila residents who do not own a car. During the first weeks of the quarantine, I had to walk to the mall to get groceries and carry the load back to my condo. I was, luckily, working from home. So, I could only imagine the inconvenience that people reporting to work are experiencing.
Because of the health hazards of public transport, I decided to get myself a bike. Much to my parents’ chagrin, I have decided that I will be biking to work when the quarantine restrictions are lifted. It wasn’t an easy decision to make—I will be biking around 24 kilometers every day from Quezon City to Makati. But the benefits were just too hard to resist.
It’s cheaper than driving a car.
If you’re a car owner who’s considering biking, you should know that it’s way cheaper than paying the rising costs of diesel and gas every day you drive. Driving a car also means having to pay for toll, car insurance, registration, parking, and so on. Imagine all the money you can save!
I won’t have to worry about traffic.
Commuting from Quezon City to Makati is no joke. I can watch three episodes of my favorite series, but I still won’t be anywhere near my destination. Not to mention, the battle that I will have to endure just to get on a bus and stand my whole way home. After this pandemic, I could no longer imagine being so close to strangers on the bus and MRT-3.
It means I don’t have to pay for a gym membership.
Getting on the bike may be the most important decision that I have made to better my health. Other than being a means to commute, it’s also a means to get my cardio going for the price of none. I only had to make a one-time investment on my bike, with minimal expense for repairs annually. That beats the feeling of paying P3,000.00 monthly to ride a stationary bike indoors.
It’s a better way to get to know places.
Since the quarantine started, I have not done any exploring. But, I can say that I have gotten to know my neighborhood better while biking. By taking different routes, I have discovered bakeries, cafes, and more places that I never knew were there before. Experiencing this excites me for the places I can go to once it’s much safer to move around the city.
After a month of owning my folding bike, I must say that I have never felt better during the quarantine. I have been biking every morning, and since then, I have observed better mental clarity and presence, stable moods, and a bit of weight loss, too. You don’t need a lot to get started. Get yourself a nice bike, and think of it as an investment for your health and safety. Ride safe, and happy biking!
