mer_solomon

hi everyone!

i'm a bike enthusiast from the Phils =) regards to all!

mer_solomon

dexmax

i'm also a bike enthusiast from the Phils..... what are the odds of that..

Welcome to the forums

dex

mer_solomon

hello dex!

thanks for that warm welcome from a "kababayan"

mer_solomon

dexmax

aba, so you're a cycling-computer geek (like me) to be awake this late.... (just kidding)

I have never been to malolos, but I used to ride in Clark, Pampanga.

I'm in Negros now, where the cycling environment is better.

mer_solomon

hello again!

haha Clarkfield seems to be a nice biking venue (here in Luzon), not mentioning UP diliman and Quezon circle's ovals/roads

mer_solomon

LuisB

Mer & Dex,

It's good to hear from both of you. I'm a Filipino-American from Chicago, Illinois (actually a suburb of Chicago). I ride road, geared and fixed, primarily in Naperville which is about 40 miles southwest of Chicago, but alas, not with Filipinos. I don't know anyone who rides, that's why.

I've been here for about 30 years so I don't remember much about the areas in the Philippines. I'd appreciate it if you could give me some cycling info on the bikes and the rides you do. I followed the 2004 Tour ng Pilipinas on the web and thought that was pretty exciting.

Hope to hear from both of you.

Best regards,

Chito Balcita

dexmax

chito,

there are several forum members who are in the philippines and are from the phils. but living elsewhere, like you.

I posted several ride pics before, you might want to check it out.

part1
part2

heres a sample:

dexmax

what we ride? most riders here ride MTBs. Although I ride both MTB and roadbikes, I primary ride on road.

left to right.
ScottUSA expert, Specialized S-works E5 (mine), Look 386i

LuisB

Dex,

Thanks for sharing the pictures and the little cycling info.

I did a 20-mile ride yesterday after work in and out of subdivisions. Right now, I'm at work staring out at the tall buildings in downtown Chicago. These scenes don't compare to the riding conditions that you have. The good news is it's summer here and we have until November to enjoy cycling weather until the cold and snow comes again. Then, it's back to indoor training. We do have some really nice cycling areas in neighboring Michigan and Wisconsin and my wife and I take trips 3-4 times a year to ride the tandem.

Hope to hear more from you.

Chito

Raleigh Steel, Chorus-10
Kestrel Talon, Chorus-10
Specialized Langster, Fixed (48/18)
Cannondale Road Tandem

Jeprox

Welcome! I am new to this forum, too.

And, I am biker, too, and formerly from the Philippines. Move to US in '84. I am just so glad there are lots of Pinoys doing serious riding. I love the pics posted in this thread. Are there high-end roadbikes available for rent in the Philippines? It would be inconvenient to bring mine over if I go for a visit. I usually stay in MManila. One would have to drive out to the countryside to get "fresh air" road riding. Don't you think?

dexmax

I have heard of one resort in Cebu, could not recall the name, where you can rent MTBs, but I don't know if they have "high-end" bikes.

If your'e in Manila, as mer mentioned, the UP campus is great for riding! Well, of course you can drive for a few hours to clark field, pampanga and I'll assure you you'll have a great time. Our route goes around Expo Pilipino and a few golf courses. One lap is about 35kms, so it would be enough for a recreational rider. BTW, on sundays, there are small TT compitetions, but there is no need to bring a TT bike, you can use a roadie, a hybrid or even MTBs w/ slicks.

Jeprox

Thanks! I will check 'em out when I have the chance to visit again, probably next year.

LuisB

If your'e in Manila, as mer mentioned, the UP campus is great for riding!

Dex,

You and Mer mentioned UP Diliman and Quezon Circle as good places to ride. I hear about how bad traffic is over there. What time of the day do you ride?

Chito

fliprider

UP Campus is good for riding in the early morning, say from 5-7AM. Later than that, the traffic starts to build up.

Though the oval is closed to vehicular traffic on Sunday, there are too many joggers & walkers around to get a good ride in.

mer_solomon

hi there!

its nice to be back here... as mentioned in the last post, biking in UP diliman's acad oval (as well as QC circle) is best on weekends, as early as 5am... whether pro's, newbies and just-for-fun bikers, you can find them all there =) for those mountain bikers, the nearest would be somewhere antipolo-san mateo, rizal area...


mer_solomon

Jeprox

Hey Mer, welcome back! Regarding UP's academic oval, how many Km's (or Miles) is one lap around it? How 'bout the QC Circle? Do you folks cycle from home to get there?

mer_solomon

hi again!

UP's acad oval is exactly 2.2 Km, while QC circle is 2 Km. im a UP student btw, but i reside in Bulacan, roughly 40 Kms north from the campus. Biking to and from would definitely be challenging, isnt it? But one time i'll try it for personal endurance test

mer_solomon

Jeprox

Wow, that'll be a tough commute, specially the type of driving motorists there do. 40 Kms = 26 miles. I commute 22 mi. I have bike paths, bike lanes, and designated bike routes, which makes my commute a breeze. Be careful out there once you try it.

BTW, when i was there, I use to hang out at the kiosk (lagoon side), in front of FC. That was a long time ago, '76-'81. That's probably gone by now.

mer_solomon

hi jeprox!

yeah, that would be a really tough one

re the kiosk, there's still something standing in-front of FC... in fact, it serves as place where cyclists gather during Sundays and "light" days

mer_solomon