Cebu Cycling

ADVENTURES AS TOLD BY BISHAL

A place with both open roads and countryside like Cebu allows cyclists to enjoy their trip with their bikes! To get the inside scoop on some of Cebu’s top cycling spots and to get a few tips, we interviewed Bishal, an exchange student from Nepal who is studying at UV-Main Campus. Bishal said the biggest difference between Cebu and Nepal is the absence of snow mountain views during his rides.

Bishal often cycles within Cebu City. A normal ride for him starts around 5am and finishes before 5pm. When we asked if he prefers riding alone or in a group he said for long rides or a ride to a new trail he prefers riding in a group. He said, “it is much safer and even fun!”

While talking with Bishal about his cycling adventures, he shared some of his favorite places to ride in Cebu City. He said one of the trails he loves to ride is the Badjang trail in Pardo, which is a favorite among mountain bikers. It is a flow trail with jumps, berms, and rollers, along with other features designed to use speed to lessen pedaling and braking.

Cebu has many trails, each with its own skill level. The hardest trail he has ridden on is Pamutan Grassland. While riding on this trail he needed to carry his bike several times during the ride because it was very steep. When we asked what his scariest ride was, he said, “When my chain fell off and I had to ride downhill without it because I didn’t know how to fix it.”

The San Carlos Heights trail is another one that he likes to ride, and it is also located in Pardo. He indicated that he likes riding on the trails in Guadalupe; however, due to strict checkpoints and the one entrance and one exit in and out of the barangay, he has been unable to ride there recently.

Since the Enhanced Community Quarantine started to help stop the spread of COVID-19, Bishal said his bicycle has become a mode of transportation. When asked if he has been able to continue cycling during the various levels of quarantine in the city he said, “I am able to ride when I can get access to the one and only quarantine pass for our boarding house.”

Surely, cycling is packed with challenging experiences and thrilling adventures—especially taking a ride to a place you like! Check out Bishal’s YouTube channel to see his rides: bit.ly/cebucycling. If you have pictures or videos of your cycling adventures, message them to @wotsphilippines or email wotsphilippines@gmail.com.