Biking Could Be The Solution To All Of Our Economic Woes

3 min read By eCompareMo on January 29, 2016

Last time, we gave you a primer on buying your first bike. Now let’s see how much money you’ll save if you rode your new two-wheeled baby every day to and from work.

Say you’re an average Juan who can’t afford to buy his own car (yet), and the only way to get to your work from Quezon City to Makati is to either ride the bus to Edsa or hustle it out at the MRT.

And now that you have your bike, you’ve finally decided to go against the flow of traffic. Let’s say your starting point is the corner of Edsa and Timog Avenue and your office is somewhere around Ayala Triangle Gardens, then this will be the computation. Keep in mind that the travel times indicated below are ideal without factoring variables like traffic, road accidents, and others.

Edsa corner Timog Avenue to Ayala Triangle Gardens

Distance: 11.3 kilometers

Train (GMA-Kamuning Station to Ayala Station)
Price: P24 (one way)
Average ideal travel time (based on Google Maps computation):
1. From GMA-Kamuning Station to Ayala Station: 25 minutes
2. Walk from Ayala Station to Ayala Triangle Gardens: 20 minutes
Drawbacks:
1. Long MRT queues, especially during rush hour.
2. Train services are usually interrupted due to broken trains.

Bus (Edsa cor. Timog Ave. bus stop to Paseo de Roxas unloading station)
Price: P24.00 (one way, air-conditioned bus)
Average ideal travel time (based on Google Maps computation): 65 minutes
Drawbacks:
1. Buses make constant stops until they are filled to the brim.
2. Edsa traffic is horrendous, especially during rush hour.
3. Difficulty getting into a bus with the number of people using the said transport service.

Taxi
Price: P254 (based on LTFRB taxi fare guide on 11,130 meters, one way)
Average ideal travel time (based on Google Maps computation): 40 minutes
Drawbacks:
1. Taxis are hard to come by especially during rush hour.
2. Some taxi drivers refuse passengers (which is a punishable offense by the way).
3. Using booking apps like Uber and GrabTaxi will cost you additional amount when used.
4. Some taxis deliberately change routes to increase the final meter amount.

Bike (Edsa cor. Timog Ave. to Ayala Triangle Gardens)
Price: P0.00
Average ideal travel time (based on Google Maps computation and speed of 30 km/h biking): 25 minutes
Drawbacks:
1. Constant stops, especially if you’re a beginner.
2. Will make you sweaty before you even reach the office.
3. Tiring, especially if you haven’t built your endurance yet.

Now let’s compute the monthly transportation costs. Take note that the computation is based on an average of 20-day working month:
1. Train: P960
2. Bus: P960
3. Taxi: P9,600
4. Bike: P0

One can easily say that biking may be hassle, especially in Metro Manila where pollution levels are progressively getting worse. Add to that Filipino motorists’ low regard for bikers and biking lanes—and the lack of biking lanes in general.

However, biking to work has tons of advantages; most of the drawbacks listed above can be easily fixed.

1. Biking is exercising. You can trim off your excess fat when you start pushing pedals to work. According to Map My Ride, the bike trip above will already help you burn 469 calories, one way. Imagine the number of calories you’ll burn every day. Aside from its weight-loss benefits, biking also improves your circulatory, immunity, and respiratory system.

2. Sweaty after biking? No problem. You can always bring a fresh set of clothes to change into. A quick shower after work will help you get rid of the dirt and pollution from biking. Other options are towels, scent-free baby wipes, and body spray, according to the folks at Lifehacker.

3. When you bike, you can say goodbye to long lines and fares. Imagine the time and money you’ll save. After a one-time investment (and upgrades along the way), you’ll no longer have to pay for your fare. Just look at the comparison of transportation costs above.

4. Is your usual route unpassable for some reason? You have the freedom to alter your route to work as long as it’s passable. With biking, you can easily overcome the brutal traffic that plagues the metro and just happily pedal your way to your destination.

5. You’ll do your part in making this world a better place. In contrast to conventional modes of transportation, you are reducing your carbon footprint by riding a bike. And with more people getting the habit, the lesser the carbon emissions will be. Save the world, one kilometer at a time. –Dino Mari Testa