7 October, 2022

Inside Orbea: Simón Bericua

Simón chooses the bike. He is one of many employees at Orbea who is committed to biking as an element of mobility; as a tool for traveling to and from work; and as a way of life.

This is just one more example of how the bike defines us — a decision that goes far beyond seeing a bike as an object to get from point A to point B.

Simón is Orbea. He is the catalyst behind our passion for pedals and our responsibility for a more equitable world.

Words – Facts

A resident of San Sebastián, Simón Bericua commutes daily to our Mallabia offices by bike. It’s a round-trip journey of roughly 62 kilometers that he covers first by bike, then by bus, then by bike again. Bike-bus-bike.

“Thanks to the possibilities that biking gives me, I can change my route, take alternate paths and decide how and where to go.”

Simón Bericua – Orbea Urban Content Manager

His route takes him by bus to one of the towns near Orbea (normally Elgoibar, Eibar or Ermua), then he finishes his commute to the factory by bike. It’s a daily decision he consciously makes on his own.

“The journey is time you invest in yourself; in organizing your thoughts and arriving to work fresher, with a more open mind and with new ideas.”

Simón Bericua – Orbea Urban Content Manager

Simón isn’t the only one to lock onto this idea. “Einstein and the Art of Mindful Cycling” by Ben Irvine explores how riding a bike can nurture mental balance and mindfulness.

“In my daily journey, the bike gives me that moment of my own that is so necessary and that, in today’s world, is increasingly difficult to find.”

Simón Bericua – Orbea Urban Content Manager

Using a car for certain situations is unavoidable, but Simón normally chooses the bike — rain, snow, thunder or shine. Simón’s must-haves include a bike with fenders, a raincoat, panniers, waterproof pants and the physical action of getting wheels rolling. That’s basically it.

Responsibility and compromise

It’s a decision that liberates yourself from time and, above all, helps you disconnect and stay healthy. Living by bike is a personal choice for Simón, but it has a bigger component of collective commitment.

Simón also chooses the bike out of responsibility towards the planet and its (our) future. It’s a decision based on a way of seeing the world from a two-wheeled prism and a mode that more and more people identify with every day.

“The paradigm shift is taking place. Urban mobility is evolving so that our way of life continues to be sustainable. In this way, the bike has and will play a leading role.”

Simón Bericua – Orbea Urban Content Manager

In this sense, we see the world through the eyes of Orbea employees. Like Simón, we are committed to cycling at all levels and embracing bike-friendly facilities, like employee changing rooms and electric bike racks, to help nurture this lifestyle.

And much like Simón, we firmly believe in biking not only as a method of transportation and leisure, but also as our basic element for transforming the world.

Do you dare to commute by bike with us?