Whether it’s on a bike, on canvas or behind a lens, Chuck Ronquillo brings something authentic and real to everything he does. Since 2004, his obsession with cycling has taken many forms: from downhill and cross-country racing, to fixed gear through Manila’s humming traffic, and road and gravel exploration of Philippine landscape, most notably his favourite punchy but scenic climbs of Tagaytay. He does not conform to one discipline. A builder of bridges, Chuck’s always been less interested in labels and more invested in creating space for others to belong.  

A painter, photographer and furniture entrepreneur, Chuck’s art is guided by music - not just as an influence, but as an additional medium central to the piece itself. While art and cycling share a strong presence in his life —he’ll tell you, without pretense, that he doesn’t often mix cycling and art. “Being a cyclist, and an artist, one is for the body, the other for the soul. I have no desire to compromise one or the other”. 

And yet, spend any time in his orbit and you’ll see how they mirror each other. The same raw honesty he brings to his paintings, grounded in music and emotion, is found in how he rides—for the experience, not for the numbers; intuition, not ego. 

Whether founding grassroots crews like Dirtysouth and building communities with San Ride Bukas (directly translating to “whereareweridingtomorrow?”), or welcoming and mentoring newcomers into Manila’s cycling scene, Chuck approaches connections with consistency and care. As a husband, father and artist, he’s someone who lives his values—gently but unmistakably. Both in art and on the bike, Chuck trusts in flow. He looks for rhythm, for realness, for the moments where community and expression meet.