Jose Vicente 'JV' Araneta Travelling with a bicycle

CEBU, Philippines - Twenty something years ago, when I was new to the sport of cycling, I would take my bicycle home to Tagbilaran for the holidays. Fastcrafts was still in the future and the slow boat was the way to go.

Slow boats are a hassle and I’m saying this in a calm manner, if you know what I mean. Even in these day and age, taking your bicycle on a slow boat means paying the PPA and the Arrastre, two outfits that doesn’t, in any way, make your trip more comfortable or your bicycle safer. They just take your money away like you owe them.

On the other hand, shipping companies would rather have golf clubs and surfboards inside the cabin than a bicycle. I asked a crew why and he that bicycles are unstable than golf clubs that’s why they have to be placed outside. Why, do they really think that I’d allow my bicycle to roll over and fall and get scratched?

Another thing that that I noticed is the number of travellers bringing their bicycles with them. Like yesterday, there were three other cyclists on board the same trip that I did. They were in their cycling jerseys and one of the guys told me that they were going to Jagna, some 64km away from the city and would ride their bicycles to get there. I used to get stares in my lycra but not these days, your just one of the crowd.

Some people still look at the bicycles with awe- like how light and how expensive it is. They even weight them, lifting them with their fingers, probably wondering how a less than 10-kilo machine travel so fast.

Generally, travelling with a bicycle is a notch better than those days especially with the fast crafts. Bicycle fare is relatively cheap and the PPA, unlike those days, collect a very minimal amount- and they have their office within the vicinity. As for the Arrastre, well, they are a thing of past when taking fast crafts. You can now even take a motorbike aboard these fast crafts like the bicycle.

Even taking your bicycle on an airplane is not a problem anymore as long as you don’t mind disassembling, wrapping and then boxing the bicycle. A dedicated bicycle bag is a good investment but is quite expensive and heavy. Local airlines don’t charge you for an irregular baggage but they do charge you for excess weight so be careful what stuff to bring. Better still, if you know that you’re going to have excess baggage, get a baggage upgrade a few hours before the flight. The same is true with international flights.

You can get a good bicycle box from your LBS for about Php100. The box is very reliable and with proper reinforcement like duct tape, it can last for at least 10 travels.

So if you don’t want t miss the joy of riding a bicycle, or don’t want to miss a training block, bring your bicycle to your destination these holidays! Merry Christmas! (FREEMAN)