Category: People

Cycling has always been fun—ever since Gabby Jimenez was a kid. Riding since elementary school, she grew up in Laguna, south of Manila, and still carries that joy every time she climbs on a bike.

In 2025, Gabby conquered Bentang Jawa. “The experience broke so many internal barriers. It showed me exactly how far I’ve come, but also how much further I can go to become the stronger, more efficient cyclist I aspire to be.”

Off the bike, Gabby works as a UI/UX designer at a local agency, while also doing photography and writing on the side — on the bike, she mainly focuses on gravel and ultra-distance/Audax riding. Cycling is more than just a sport or a hobby. It has made her world feel both small and big at the same time. In our conversation for People on the Road, she opens up about how riding has shaped the way she sees the world.

How did you start with your bike?

I’ve been riding since elementary school, but I only picked it up again seriously in 2022 as pandemic restrictions eased. I was based in Laguna (south of Manila) with my family then, and I simply wanted a way to get around and meet new friends. Since then, my rides have catapulted into longer distances and more technical terrain.

Where do you ride the most? 

Honestly, I’m all over the place. Living in the heart of the city, my rides usually split in two directions: heading east to Rizal or south to Cavite for long climbs and trail sessions. Because my riding is so varied, I’ve curated a “three-bike stable” squeezed into my tiny living space—each serving a very specific purpose.

For the daily grind, I use my Voodoo Erzuli single-speed. I built it up from spare parts specifically for city commutes; the flatbar setup offers a completely different, nimble feel compared to my dropbar bikes.

When I want something with soul, I turn to my Blocks Electro from Built Cycles. The frame was handcrafted by the legendary Ave Maldea using Columbus Life tubing. With its track-inspired geometry, it has a life of its own on the road; and It’s incredibly versatile—I’ve taken it everywhere from gravel races to multi-day mountain expeditions.

Finally, my latest addition is the Vielo V+1 from Sabak Cycles. As my first carbon bike, it was my trusted companion for Bentang Jawa. While it’s technically a gravel bike, I find myself reaching for it most on long climbs; there’s a stability in its geometry that makes the toughest ascents feel remarkably controlled.

Why do you ride?

My “why” has evolved over the years. It began as a social outlet and a means of mobility after the isolation of the pandemic. Eventually, it became my primary way to commute and meet new people. Currently, it’s a way to discover my physical limits and improve, while still maintaining that sense of freedom—being able to reach places I wouldn’t even attempt to visit via other modes of transport.

Prior to cycling, I fenced competitively in university, so training routines and the thrill of competition are familiar to me (though I still get those start-line jitters!).

Tell us about one memorable moment from your cycling journey:

It would have to be finishing Bentang Jawa this year, 2025. It felt like the culmination of my growth over the last three years—a synthesis of everything I’ve learned about training, nutrition, and lessons from various riding groups. It even tested the depths of my mental toughness. The experience broke so many internal barriers. It showed me exactly how far I’ve come, but also how much further I can go to become the stronger, more efficient cyclist I aspire to be.

And lastly, how cycling shapes the way you see the world?

If not for cycling, I would never have met certain friends or enriched my existing relationships. It is such a social activity, yet I deeply appreciate the solitude of spending a whole day alone on the road. Cycling has made my world feel both small and big at the same time. My social circles constantly intersect through the community, but the bike has also shown me how much more there is to see. Through two wheels, the rest of the world feels more within reach than ever.

Somewhere between Tokyo and the horizon, Satomi is always moving. By day, she edits magazines and writes stories. By the rest of the year, she’s on a bike—riding through mountains, alleys, and empty roads, scribbling her experiences along the way.

Ask her why she rides, and she’ll shrug. “I don’t know. It just feels good.”

But cycling is more than feeling good—it’s a lens for the world, a way of noticing what slips by, a way of being fully alive. For this edition of People on the Road, Satomi reflects on her journey—from getting started to discovering how cycling has shaped the way she sees the world.

How did you start with your bike?  

It all started from a really unexpected trigger.

The bicycle I had for getting around town had become rusty and worn out after about ten years, so I decided to replace it. When I got a slightly better bike and tried riding it, I was instantly captivated by the feeling of gliding effortlessly with each pedal stroke.

Since then, I’ve used my bicycle for all my travel around Tokyo. While train rides had always felt like moving from point to point, riding a bicycle gave me the freedom to choose any route I wanted, turning everyday life itself into a journey. 

I’ve always loved traveling and had backpacked around the world since my student days, but through cycling, I realised I could experience that same sense of adventure even in my daily life.

Then one day, I thought, “How far could I go if I traveled the world by bicycle?” Driven by that curiosity, I decided to set out on a journey to cycle around the world.

Where do you ride the most?  

So far, I’ve travelled by bicycle to places such as Hokkaido, New Zealand, Alaska, Scotland, and Kyrgyzstan.

I ride wherever I can, continuing to explore parts of the world I haven’t yet seen by bike. And through those journeys, I hope to discover stories that only I can arrive at.

Why do you ride?

I didn’t know the remote mountains of Alaska or the roads of the Silk Road until I rode there. Even in my own neighborhood, there are still alleys I’ve never explored, full of unknown places.

Bicycling teaches me so many things I didn’t know and even familiar places reveal new faces..

And the more I learn, the more I realise just how much there is in the world that I still don’t know.  That’s why I keep riding, every single day.

Tell us about one memorable moment from your cycling journey:

One of the most memorable moments came when I rode for days deep in the mountains of Alaska, without meeting a single person and far beyond any cell signal. I felt true solitude. For a moment, it seemed as if I were the only person left in the world.

But I quickly realised that wasn’t true. Even in a place completely cut off from society, the world keeps turning, exactly as it always has. What I was experiencing was simply a state in which no one was aware that I existed. It felt the same as being dead — not in a dark way, but in a strangely clear one.

In that space, every decision I made came straight from my innermost self, free from anyone else’s eyes. And in that moment, for the first time in my life, I felt truly free.

Photo by Sorachi Sakai (@s_r_c.715)

And lastly, how cycling shapes the way you see the world?

Riding a bicycle has only strengthened my desire to explore the world, reshaping both my work and my everyday life. I set out to ride across the globe, and in order to share those experiences in words, I reshaped my entire way of living.

Bicycling doesn’t just reveal unknown worlds—it teaches me how to live fully, on my own terms. And along the way, it brings countless new encounters, each one opening another door to the world.

How Cycling Shape the Way We See the World

Get to know me City: Bandung

Intro: I’m Morend — a model and visual creative. And yes, I love donuts.

Where I ride:

I ride through narrow alleys and quiet streets, stopping at cafes for matcha or coffee on my way to the office. Bandung feels different on a bike — familiar streets suddenly feel fresh.

Why I ride:

Traffic is heavy, so I ride. It’s not just faster — it gives me space to think, to move, and to notice things I might otherwise miss.

One memorable moment:

Riding through Hakone and Tokyo left a lasting impression — it was my first time traveling with a bike, and everything felt new, exciting, and a little unpredictable. Moving slowly through the cities gave me a new sense of connection — every street, every corner felt more alive, closer to me.

I remember stopping at a tiny cafe that was actually the owner’s home. It was just me and the man who ran it. In that quiet corner of the city, it felt like coming home — I could pause wherever I wanted, without a schedule, without a rush. Thats why I ride.

How cycling shapes the way I see the city?

Ordinary errands turn into small adventures. The textures, the sounds, the light — everything feels sharper. The city isn’t just somewhere to pass through. It’s something I move with.

Cycling makes me believe I can go farther, that I can wander streets and neighborhoods I might otherwise miss. It lets me pause, explore, and notice the small things that usually slip by. And in doing so, it makes me dream — about new routes, new cities, and the endless possibilities that await on two wheels. Every ride reminds me that the city, and the world, is full of quiet discoveries waiting to be found.