Mountain biking in the Philippines has flourished dramatically in the past couple of years, and with the advent of social media, several group pages were created which attracted thousands of members. Veteran cyclists also share their knowledge when it comes to technical stuff online. There are also photographers, bloggers, and video makers that inspire others to get out there and appreciate the beauty of our country on two wheels.
This contributed to the influx of aspiring cyclists and MTB enthusiasts. The byproducts? A healthier lifestyle, an enjoyable weekend, and cost-efficient transportation.
Marrying two passions
Vlogging or video blogging can be described as a first person narrative through video content. It could be risky for extreme sports enthusiasts back then but with easier access to action cameras with different mounts, it helped us greatly in producing valuable content for audiences.
The Philippines have produced thousands of excellent creators and some have narrowed their interests down to that one thing we all love to do.
This article features 6 Filipino Youtube channels dedicated to Mountain Biking. Let’s get to know more about our talented Kapadyaks.
1. UnliAhon
Hosted and managed by Ian Austria, UnliAhon is one of the fastest growing Youtube channels today. His videos are purely dedicated to Filipino Mountain biking. Get entertained as he talks about how to pedal uphills, vlog about his “tambikes”, and review different bike related products.
Don’t miss his videos because he also gives away stuff like parts, accessories, and even a whole bike sometimes. UnliAhon has fresh videos every two to three days so you can binge on it while off the saddle.
“I created the channel last August 2017 but I started my first upload last October,” said Ian. When asked about cycling in his hometown in Rizal, he mentioned that “it is ideal to ride bikes here because it is not urbanized yet, and you get a feel of nature up close.”
Ian also shared his advise for aspiring Filipino creators:
“Gawa ka lang ng gawa ng mga bike related content, madami naman magsusubaybay dyan.” 🙂
And to those who want to start cycling as a hobby, he said to “Just get started. If you don’t know how to ride a bike, practice balancing first. Take off the pedals then stride like a push bike. If you know how to balance, eventually you’ll learn how to pedal.”
“To those who know how to ride, go buy your own bike. If you’re still undecided then borrow one to experience the pleasure of cycling. It is better to ride with friends for it to be more enjoyable. So my advise to those who already know how to ride a bike, let’s accompany those who are just starting. Let’s guide them.”
2. Jay Katigbak
“Papano ba pumunta ng Mindanao gamit ang bisikleta?”
Those are the words from sir Padyak All The Way himself as he documented his journey in a multi-part video called “LUZVIMINDA Bike ride.” Yes, as in the three major islands of the Philippines.
It can indeed pass as a tagline for an epic adventure which accurately describes his self-titled Youtube Channel.
Jay Katigbak makes videos about his epic journeys on two wheels for us to have a frame of reference on long-distance cycling in the Philippines. His notable “waking up in the morning and taking out his bike to ride outside Metro Manila” is a popular scene that he frequently does in his videos.
Armed with hist trusty action camera, he makes sure to document the small details like passing vehicles, uphill climbs, and quick lunch breaks with co-cyclists while on the road.
“I started to make videos only to document my rides as a personal collection. I never thought my channel will have several subscribers.” Jay humbly explained. “At first I use my cellphone and I started to fiddle around with Adobe Premiere back home.”
When asked about his future rides, he said he’s planning to finish MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan). “I haven’t been to Romblon before and since I’m also working, scheduling and budget is a factor.”
He also shared some tips for those who want to take on the epic rides:
“Expect to ride in the dark so invest in a quality flash light. Visibility is a huge factor in road safety so I also bring a reflective jacket.” He also added that “When riding in groups, I make sure not to hurry in order for others to catch up. We usually pick meet up points so that we can regroup.”
3. MCMTB
Mark Chance is a Filipino living in Florida who we can all relate to. He balances his time between family, work, and shredding the MTB trails. He also has another Youtube channel.
Created in May 28, 2018, Mark segregated his Mountain Bike related videos from his personal vlogs for a more Kapadyak-centric channel. It has been four months as of writing and MCMTB now has 10,000 subscribers.
When it comes to his riding style, Mark prefers Enduro and XC, evident to how he shreds the Florida trails in his videos with friends or on his own.
“I ride almost everyday in Fortclinch State Park MTB Trail in Fernandina Beach, Florida since it’s close from where I work. Pag tapos ng work, rekta na sa trail.”
If he would ride here in the Philippines, he said “whatever’s difficult because I normally enjoy black or double black diamond trails.”
He also shared some advise to those who wants to try mountain biking:
“Make sure to wear helmet, a pair of gloves, proper eyewear, and shoes. I OTB’d (Over the bars) on my first wipeout. It was a slow ride but it deeply wounded my palm because I wasn’t wearing any gloves. It made me take a week off of riding.”
He also added that he prefers shoes that have sturdier soles especially when your pedals have pins.
“There are alot of insects sa trail, maraming loose trees na pwedeng humampas sa mukha mo or worse, sa mata mo.” Emphasizing on the importance of eyewear. “Mahal Ang mata, mura lang ang eyewear, based on my experience kahit murang sunglasses lang pwede na.”
4. Bike to Work PH
This channel drops some serious value bombs when it comes to road safety.
Bike to Work PH consists of three Mass Communication grads Francis, Michael, and Ramil who brought their media prowess online to share their advocacy when it comes to commuting on two wheels around Metro Manila.
“We decided to create a channel solely about bike commuting in Manila because there is no dedicated channel for that yet. We also love filming small productions and we have a passion to help other bike commuters and share our advocacies.” said Francis Vicente, one of the presenters.
The guys are from Tondo, Manila so expect a lot of notable sites such as the historical walled city of Intramuros and the relaxing shores of Manila Bay.
“We picked Intramuros as our filming location because it is quiet there.” He also added that his work commute takes 13 kilometers, and one of their passion is to promote the plans for authorities to create more bike lanes.
Youtube Channel
5. Mark More
Another content creator that is Making a Mark in the Philippine Enduro/All-Mountain scene. Mark More’s channel is all about aggressive riding. Watch as he takes on the technical downhills of Antenna Hill, sick trail edits with his Rurok Cordillera, and feast your eyes on some bike checks that will sure bring out the chronic upgriditis in each one of us.
His first taste of downhill/enduro track was in San Mateo, Rizal known as Patiis and he started to document his rides two years ago.
“Enduro is fun and very versatile because you can enjoy a little bit of XC and Downhill. Having said that, you have to dedicate time to practice and eventually find your confidence with your bike and the skills needed. Also, the different types of terrain and technical sections (steep, very steep and crazy steep).”
He also added that Enduro/DH is not for newbies, as sometimes in the middle of the race, he asks himself “What the heck did I get myself into!?” before entering a scary steep section overlooking a cliff where he could possibly fall off. “But other than that it’s fun.”
Mark’s go-to trail destination is Fort Bonifacio Army Trail in Taguig.
6. Trial Hunters
This hilarious group documents their rides and how they have pure fun one weekend at a time. What sets them apart from others that shoots casual video footages are their funny antics that are injected with facts and brief history of the places they’ve been to.
Denden, one of the group members informed that they started with four guys in the channel. Now there are around six or seven mainstays in the vlog.
He also discussed how he got the name of the channel: “Our friend Ludwig/Alben mistakenly posted ‘Trial Hunters’ instead of ‘Trail Hunters’ in his Facebook Wall. Naisip namin na ayos na ang pangalan na yon kasi lagi kaming nag hahanap ng trials sa buhay.” (Hugot*)
Check out their videos for the notable places they’ve been to like the Puzzle Mansion in Tagaytay, Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm in Silang, Cavite, and Bikepacking Calabarzon.
Ger Victor (The Bald Trekker)
Here’s a bonus entry by yours truly.
I’ve been writing blogs about mountain biking for quite some time now and my existing Youtube Channel is originally intended to be a “teaser” for my write-ups. (eg. Paranaque to Bolinao ride, Kaybiang Loop.) But since I’m already at it, why not keep the channel as a stand-alone platform?
I decided to continue this last year until a fatal accident paralyzed my left arm and broke my neck which took me almost a year off of mountain biking. This limited my movement making me create short vlogs and edits for Instagram Stories instead. (To practice making videos and editing with one arm.)
Now that my neck is in place and my arm has gained some movement (Yes! I’m miraculously recovering), it’s time to continue what I love to do; Mountain biking, writing, and creating videos. There are tons of stuff to be uploaded soon like long rides, events, and tips that will be of great help to you so please feel free to check the channel and subscribe.
Two Wheels and a camera
Video streaming has revolutionized entertainment in the past years and it helped a lot of people when it comes to sharing content. With 300 videos being uploaded every minute and 5 billion videos being watched every day, it is indeed dominating the internet for the longest time.
Gone are the days when entertainment and self-expression are done exclusively by popular celebrities. You can upload your very own video and gain followers with only a camera and a good idea.
Subscribe to their channels
The 6 Youtube channels featured in this article have outstanding contents that bring value to the viewers. Their personal approach, cycling expertise, and witty humor add up to the ingredients of a well-produced vlog.
Another thing that makes me appreciate their videos is that they ride the same roads that we do, we share the same issues with road safety, and also the fact that we may have a chance to meet them on the road someday.
So check out their channels, drop a comment or two and subscribe. You might even get a shoutout.
Happy viewing and ride safe.