GINATILAN, CEBU — Cycling is one of the best exercises you can do for boosting fitness and health, as well as making your life more environmentally friendly and fun.
But imagine riding a bike with a bamboo bicycle or bike frame around Cebu.
Rafie Llego, a 21-year-old triathlete, did that in three days and two nights.
He completed the 542.4-kilometer ride around Cebu last May 10 to 12, 2021 using the the bike with the bamboo frame that he created.
Photo courtesy of Rafie Llego
“Many people attempt to do such as what we call bike packing but this loop is different, not just ordinary but using a bamboo bike is a way more unique,” Llego said.
Aside from the bamboo bike, Llego brought with him a locally made “bayong” where he can put his cycling suits, safety gears, and tools for the entire loop.
Llego also completed an 850-kilometer Central Mindanao loop using the bamboo bike last October 2020.
According to him, a short ride with his bike with a bamboo frame is part of his daily routine.
The making of bamboo bike frame
With the passion to help and educate people on sustainable transportation, Llego builds his own bamboo bike frames.
“I want to make people see how capable I am and my bamboo bike is. I’ve started with a lot of people doubting my creation and its strength,” Llego said.
“So, I was inspired to do more research and test for I strongly believe the power of nature. And this bamboo bike is not just a bike but for me, its an also a kind of art,” he added.
Llego told CDN Digital that this idea started last 2020, during the first month of the pandemic.
“I was in Cebu (that time). When I was given a chance to go home in the province I was then started to build the bamboo bike,” Llego said.
Llego said that it would cost 10 thousand pesos for the materials alone.
Llego is from Agusan del Sur. He is an Aircraft Mechanic student who stayed in Cebu for studies.
“But the journey didn’t end that way, I’m still planning to do Philippine loop as soon as I have funds and sponsors to help me out,” Llego said.
Cebu Bamboo Community Bikers
Llego wants to help the bamboo biker community and to enlighten people about the benefits of bikes, whose frames are made of bamboo by sharing his videos on Tiktok and Youtube.
“Actually I’m not the only one lang naman din po na naka bamboo bike sa Cebu, lately pagka tapos nang Cebu loop someone invite me nakilala nila ako mga bamboo bike builder din sila sa Cebu at meron sila mga bamboo bike,” Llego told CDN Digital.
(Actually I’m not the only one who has a bamboo bike in Cebu. After my Cebu loop, someone invited me, they are also a bamboo bike builder in Cebu and they also have a bamboo bike.)
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