I first heard about Bathala Bike Park a couple of years ago from Glorious Ride Bikeshop. I saw several pictures on their Facebook page showing a pump track along with ramps, jumps, bridges and a lot of technical stuff that I used to see only on videos about that far away mecca of mountain biking called The North Shore.
However, I never really took note of it because I wasn’t really interested in tricks and techniques. I considered myself more of a traveler than a freeride enthusiast. My priority was to explore brave new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no mountain biker has gone before. Star Trekkie stuff. Riding in style was not even on the horizon.
But a few weeks ago, I watched a short film that made me take another look at a different kind of riding. And thus last weekend, I found myself lugging a 4X bike into Bathala Bike Park with a full face helmet in tow.
It’s Semenuk’s fault
Sometimes a simple thing like seeing a film can inspire you to do crazy things. This was the case with me after seeing one of the most beautiful mountain bike films ever made: Brandon Semenuk’s One Shot teaser trailer for UnReal. If you haven’t seen it yet… You’re Doomed! Watch it now, and you may just save your soul from eternal damnation.
This short film is a gem among gems. While most mountain bike films overemphasize technical mastery over the simple pleasure of riding, Semenuk’s 4 minute clip did the opposite. This transcendent masterpiece had all the requisite flips and jumps you’d expect from a mountain biking movie, but it was also so much more.
Every single movement was flawless. But the rider in the film wasn’t trying to impress– he was just enjoying the ride. You could also feel how his ride spoke of soul and joy and the sublime. The movie was 241 seconds of pure poetry in motion.
I was so taken with the film that it made me want to experience that same kind of fusion of bike virtuosity and good riding vibes. So I decided to see if I had it in me. Of course, I knew that I had a better chance of winning the 100 million peso UltraMegaSuperLotto, or scoring a date with Solenn Heussaff than becoming half as good as Semenuk. Pero, subok lang naman.
And that is how I found myself driving all the way to Bathala Bike Park to see if I could level up my skills there and gauge how far I had gone with my pumping, my pathetic attempts at manuals and bunnyhops.
From the photos I saw at Glorious Ride’s FB page, it seemed like this bike park was going to be rad. Just look at those pics!
The sad reality however is that Bathala has fallen into disrepair. The dirtjump tracks have been eroded. The wooden bridges are no more, and the tech trail is overgrown with weeds and heaped with fallen branches.
The paved pump track was all that’s left of its former glory. I checked the Bathala Bike Park FB Page, and it hasn’t been updated since 2012.Check out the Youtube videos below, which were sent to me by a reader, to see just how awesome this place was just a few years ago.
I did get to practice some pumping and berming. But even with a small 4X bike, the pump track seemed too much for me. It was fun, but a BMX would have been better on those rollers. Or maybe I really just suck at pumping.
Would I recommend this park to bikers? That depends.
If you plan on going for a swim and picnic with your family or barkada, Momarco resort would be sulit. The Php 250 per head entrance fee gains you access to a really nice big swimming pool, a cabana, and free use of the pump track.
But if all you plan to do is try the pump track, the Php 250 damage may be too much. So I wouldn’t recommend it. You could do jumps in Heroes Trail for just Php 50, while the excellent Base Kamp by Sandugo trail in Mt. Maarat is free to use.
I hope the people who designed and built Bathala Bike Park will go back to the park and restore it to its former radness for the sake of the Pinoy biking community.
Rod
September 16, 2015 at 10:07 pmVery nice article. I came across this article while looking for reviews for Sava MTB. I’m a noob when it comes to MTB (I bought mine ’bout 3 months ago). Before that, the last time I was on a bike was about 20+ years ago.
Anyway, I was hoping that the local bike parks we have in my province would be “friendly” to noobs like me. But as it turns out, it would seem the park only looks good on promo videos (during the bike fest a couple of months back). with no bike events or perhaps during off-season, they are barely maintained at all. Good signages are a dime a dozen, so I don’t even know where to begin.
So in the end, I tend to just look for whatever trail I can find or read about in my area. And rely on videos or articles like these for knowledge.
Alvin Evangelio
September 21, 2015 at 6:56 pmHi there. This is Alvin of Eton Properties Marketing. I wonder if you know someone who design and build bike trails. We are currently exploring the creation of a bike trail in our masterplan project, Eton City in Sta.Rosa Laguna. I would really appreciate if you can help us. You can reach me at evangelio.eton@gmail.com/mobile: 09432036443. Thanks a lot!
outsideslacker
October 2, 2015 at 10:40 amHi Alvin, sorry for the late reply. I’ve been very busy lately. About the trails, you should contact Edmund Mangaser of All Terra Bikeshop. They developed the Timberland Ecotrails and are the only IMBA certified trail builders in the country
Yhet
September 24, 2015 at 9:55 amSir,
Just got a bike and here is the specs.
ST-M410
BR-M421
FD-M410
RD-M410
FC-M341 (42-32-22T)
CS-HG50 (11-32T)
CN-HG40
FH-MC18
HB-MC12
Araya GP-710L rims
Polygon frame/handlebar/stem/seatpost/saddle
The question is ok lang ba eto for beginners like me? planning to go into road and trail riding.
outsideslacker
October 2, 2015 at 10:52 amHi, I am not familiar with all those specs. Since newbie ka pa at di ka naman yata makikipagkarera, you shouldn’t worry too much about specs and just enjoy riding your bike. After a few weeks of riding and interaction with fellow bikers, matutunan mo rin kung anong parts ng bike mo ang ok at ajong parts ang pwedeng i-upgrade. Enjoy lang muna.
Marit
April 22, 2016 at 2:25 pmWhere exactly is this park located? Is it still operating? Do you know what products (trails) and services (bike hire, etc.) they are offering?
outsideslacker
April 24, 2016 at 5:58 pmHI Marit. The bikepark is inside the Momarco resort in Tanay
Leonard
April 26, 2016 at 7:07 amIs it still operational?
How is the resort nowadays?
outsideslacker
April 26, 2016 at 12:00 pmresort is doing very well i heard, but the bike park has been left to deteriorate. yung concrete pump track na lang ang buhay