Cycling is a popular mode of transport and recreational sport in the Philippines. Bicycles were first introduced to the archipelago in the 1880s during the Spanish colonial occupation of the Philippines and served as a common mode of transport, especially among the local mestizo population.

In the present day, many of those who cycle in the country mainly do so as a mode of transport and as recreational activities, such as road racing, mountain biking, and recreational cycling. The popularity of cycling, however, was initially largely limited to local neighborhoods and rural towns. Most urban areas were considered dangerous for cycling due to the dominance of motorized traffic with little to no cycling infrastructure for protection.

However, as the COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension and restriction of public transportation in the country, many Filipinos have recently turned to cycling as an alternative mode of transportation, accelerating the development and promotion of active transportation infrastructure in urban areas.

Bicycles were first introduced to the Philippines in the 1880s, during the Spanish colonial occupation. American author Joseph Earle Stevens, who was living in Manila at the time, described cycling in his journal entries in 1894. He noted it was a booming mode of transport on the streets of Manila, especially among the local mestizo population. He also described bicycle races in Luneta, Manila. On December 18, 1895, while in exile in Dapitan, Philippine national hero Jose Rizal wrote a letter to his mother, requesting that she buy him a second-hand bicycle that he could ride to town.

Following the Spanish Empire's secession of the Philippines to the United States in 1898, bicycles made in the United States found their way into the local streets.

One of the earliest regulations on bicycles was in 1901. Under United States Army Provost Marshal General Arthur MacArthur Jr., the Taft Commission approved City Ordinance No. 11, or "An Ordinance Relating to the Use of the Public Streets and Places of Manila" for the city of Manila. Under Section 21 of this ordinance, bicycles were regarded as vehicles on public streets and were to adhere to traffic ordinances and regulations. Bicycles were required to carry a bell, which was to be sounded when approaching a street intersection or crossing or any vehicle or pedestrian occupying the street. Bicycles were also required to carry a light at night. Bicycle registration was instituted in this era: over 2,000 bicycles were registered from 1904 until registration was halted in 1906.

The recreational use of bicycles was marketed in the country as early as the 1920s, with a July 1926 issue of the Philippine Education Magazine promoting bicycle riding as an economic mode of transport with health benefits.

During the Commonwealth period, German engineer Frank Ephraim wrote that, before the Second World War in the Philippines, door-to-door salespeople using bicycles were a common sight on the streets of Manila. He also noted that bicycle theft was rampant during this period, as bicycle owners would lock their bikes with increasingly heavy and expensive chains and padlocks. However, bicycle thieves were typically able to cut the chains or pick the locks, a problem that persists today.