The Bicycle Economy in Yogyakarta

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Muntowil (49) arranged his ontel bicycle collection, Wednesday (12/8/2021), at his home located in Banguncipto Village, Sentolo District, Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY).

The cycling trend is not only fostering a healthy lifestyle in Yogyakarta during the pandemic. Supported by sharing their enthusiasm on social media, urbanites have become all too eager to explore the countryside. The economy was thus set in motion.

After cycling about 15 kilometers, Agus Subroto, 42, arrived at the paddy fields in Pronosutan hamlet of Nanggulan, Kulon Progo regency, Yogyakarta, on Saturday morning (4/12/2021). He paused for a while, sitting on the roadside to delight in the cool breeze amid the rows of green paddies.

“The scenery is wonderful, with an expanse of paddy fields and the Menoreh Mountains. In the north, Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu are also visible,” said the resident of Sleman regency.

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Dozens of other cyclists passed back and forth in the area, called Pronosutan View. Some of them stopped to take pictures against the backdrop of the esthetic landscape of paddy fields. Satisfied with the shot for uploading to their social media accounts, they then dropped by the rows of food stalls nearby.

The Pronosutan paddy area has been widely popular since 2019, and has been a frequent haunt of tourists and cyclists. Since the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, the number of cyclists visiting the area has risen sharply, attracted to the panorama of paddy fields that are often compared to the beauty of Ubud, Bali.

“In fact, previously this place was just an ordinary area of rice fields. Those who came here were just farmers, who came to work their fields,” said Martinus Didi, 35, a resident of Pronosutan.

The frequent visits by cyclists have contributed to boosting the local economy. Among the businesses that have developed is Tour Sepeda Menoreh, a community-run bicycle rental business established in December 2020.

Around 15 families in RT (neighborhood unit) 058, RW (community unit) 019 of Pronosutan hamlet are involved in the business, which has 40 bicycles available, some purchased on credit.

“The residents view the bicycle rental business service as an opportunity to increase their income,” said Didi, who also manages Tour Sepeda Menoreh.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Muntowil (49) arranged his ontel bicycle collection, Wednesday (12/8/2021), at his home located in Banguncipto Village, Sentolo District, Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY).

Renting one bicycle costs Rp 15,000 per hour or Rp 20,000 for two hours. At weekends, Tour Sepeda Menoreh can see up to 80 bicycle rental customers per day to generate a daily income of around Rp 1.2 million, which is shared evenly among the residents involved in the business.

‘Pos pit’

The growing cycling trend has also revitalized the local economy of Sangurejo hamlet in Wonokerto village, Turi district, Sleman. In 2016, the residents established the hamlet as the Sangurejo Tourism Village. Tourists can join cross-country tours and river cruises, watch local art performances or try traditional archery, and stay at local homestays. Inevitably, the pandemic has brought these activities to a halt.

In May 2020, a pos pit (“pit stop”) for cyclists was opened in Sangurejo, complete with food stalls selling soto (soup) and a variety of snacks and drinks. The idea rose because of the many cyclists who stopped by in Embung Kaliaji, a section of which is located in the hamlet.

How big an average income does the pos pit generate? Around Rp 4 million to Rp 4.5 million per month.

“We don’t know how long the impacts from the pandemic on the tourism village will last. That’s why we came up with the culinary business at the pos pit,” said Sangurejo Tourism Village manager Nurrohmat Fitriyanto, 36.

Promoting the tour on social media has drawn visitors from other cities.

The owner of Java Paradise Travel, Irfan Yusuf, 40, has also taken advantage of the economic opportunities offered by the cycling trend. Since last year, Irfan has been operating the Sepedaan di Jogja (cycling in Yogyakarta) tour. Promoting the tour on social media has drawn visitors from other cities.

The travel agency offers tour packages that explore the Menoreh area, the Oya River, the slopes of Mt. Merapi, the ancient temples of Prambanan and Borobudur, as well as a sightseeing tour of the city of Yogyakarta. There are short tours that cover routes spanning 30 km, medium tours of 50-60 km and long tours that cover more than 100 km.

Kompas

The beautiful countryside in Banguncipto Village, Sentolo, Kulon Progo, DI Yogyakarta, is one of the things offered to tourists in the Towilfiets tour package initiated by Muntowil (left), Wednesday (23/5/2012).

“The bestseller is the [tour] to Menoreh because of its varied scenery that includes mountains, valleys, paddy fields and rivers. For people from Jakarta, panoramas like this are rare and expensive,” said Irfan, who provides the tours with logistical and technical support, photo and video documentation as well as guides.

This is the so-called bicycle economy that has developed around the growing phenomenon of the cycling lifestyle, the engine of various business sectors in Yogyakarta.

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira).