Say Yes... to the Bike: This Groom Rode on Two-Wheels to His Wedding

(SPOT.ph) While some couples ride a swanky limo or even a horse carriage to their wedding venue, this pro-cycling, barong-wearing groom showed his passion for active transportation on his wedding day by arriving on two-wheels.

On September 8, Taytay Councilor Tobit Cruz rode his father's bicycle to marry his fiancé Eunice. For Cruz, it's important to send the message that biking is a viable transportation option for everyday commute, or heck, even on your wedding day. 

"It was a conscious decision to ride the bike on my wedding day to bring this message across—that the bike is a sound mode of transportation, and can always be an option," he told SPOT.ph.

Also read:
Batangas to Rizal on Two Wheels? This 76-Kilometer Bike Lane Is in the Works
10 Best Places for Biking in Metro Manila
10 Places Where You Can Buy Bicycles in Manila

Pro-cycling groom arrives at church on two-wheels

Riding on two-wheels on his wedding day was initially discouraged by Cruz' family, to the point that they hid his bike to stop him, he said in his Facebook post. Instead, he used his father's old bike from when he was a teenager. "Mas matanda pa sa akin ang bisikletang ito."

"Baka daw pawisan ako, or masemplang. But I ride the bike to work everyday, even during SB Session days where we wear formal clothes—so why not during my wedding?" he said in his Facebook post.

Their prep house and reception venue were close to the church, he said, so distance wasn't an issue. Besides, he rides his bike going to the municipal hall and around Taytay. He also rides his bike to meetings in Metro Manila, he said.

"My wife was very supportive about it. She knows how passionate I am in my advocacy to make our community more bike-friendly. She was just so relieved I did not force her to bike on her wedding dress," he told SPOT.ph.

Also read: Here’s What It’s Like to Learn How to Ride a Bike as a Fully Grown Adult

Why this pro-cycling groom advocates for active transportation

For Cruz, biking is one of the "best modes of transportation."

"It occupies lesser space on the road, it's more environment-friendly, cost-efficient, and is a good way to exercise. Moreso, it provides you with the extra dose of happy hormones you need to survive the day," he said.

During the pandemic, he started influencing his future wife to ride more and to make it a habit to walk or ride the bike to nearby areas.

"She's still very scared of our roads—and who can blame her? Medyo mahirap to navigate around our streets where four-wheelers feel like they own the roads. This is one of the reasons why I keep on pushing for safer and bike-friendly roads. I want my wife and our future kids to experience the joy of biking, especially on safer streets!"

As a councilor, Cruz has authored the Comprehensive Biking Ordinance requiring the local government unit to allocate funds to put up bike racks in government facilities and public spaces, for one. This ordinance also aims to incentivize bike-friendly establishments and to incorportate bike tourism in the local tourism plan. He is also pushing for Bike Education in local schools.

"It is also very obvious that we still lack support from the government and even from the private sector—our roads are still car-centric, expressways and skyways are being built left and right, and cyclist still face a lot of dangers on our streets," he said.

"As a local government official, I feel frustrated that I can only do so much, but I pray that setting the right example would send the message across to the general public and to my fellow public servants."