Bicirol
Bicirol was born as a reunion of a few friends, 3 of whom used bicycles as a means of transportation 95% of the time. We got together on December 31 with the single intention of going for a ride together, 3 guys and a girl. The ride was short, but the satisfaction of coexisting stayed with us, and so little by little, more and more cyclists joined the rides, until it was necessary to give it a name.
Who makes up Bicirol?
Currently we are 4 women (Majo, Marian, Ross, and Ale) and 9 men (Edwin, Joao, Maynor, Juanpa, Jiovanni, Neto, Giovani, Ricardo, and Villacinda)
How often do you get together?
We have 4 rides, 3 of them monthly, and the other one every 2 months.
Bicirol Amistoso: route for beginners, every 2nd Sunday of each month
Bicirol de Luna: Nocturnal route for intermediate riders, every 2nd Tuesday of each month
Bicirol de Ascenso: Route for intermediate/advanced riders, the last Sunday of each month
Bicirol infantil: Route for children, the 3rd Sunday every 2 months
Why biking?
From the proximity of the individual, and approached as an exercise, the effect is immediate. From life in the city, at this moment it’s faster to travel by bicycle, given the density of traffic at any hour.
How do bicycles impact the traditional economy?
The moment one gives up buying a car for a bicycle, they are very far from our social reality, which is why we will not see the automotive industry affected soon enough. Having said that, anybody’s pocket benefits from traveling by bicycle whenever possible.
Why should one bike?
First for personal satisfaction, there is a type of innocent feeling of freedom when riding a bike, in addition to a chain of satisfactions from moving forward and devouring kilometers, streets, and inclines. On a macro and almost romantic level, it helps with not contaminating the environment. In summary, it is an instantaneous happiness; the truth is that it’s hard to find people on bicycles who are not smiling.
What are your top ten places to bike in Guatemala (country)?
For bike routes: There are various bike paths that can be used on Sundays, or the space that is created on Sundays by footsteps and pedals. We don’t have a concrete list, we believe in offering routes that have surprises for the cyclists who accompany us on each ride.
Is there a bicirol in Xela?
At this moment there is no Bicirol based in Xela, but we hope to travel there one weekend and organize a great route. 😉
We know that a group called Pedalear is free in Xela, but we aren’t sure that they put together bike rides.
What do you do during a bicirol ride?
Before anything else, we explain the security measures; we have a team that monitors the group during the ride. In general we spend the ride between suffering, sweat, and effort.
Anything else that you would like to add?
Bicirol operates under 3 principles:
Bicirol respects, accompanies, and does not abandon, this is a guarantee for anyone who wants to venture to ride a bike. The intention is that anybody can grow with Bicirol, which is why we offer rides with different levels of difficulty.
