Well, you know, Cid is a Garlean by birth who's defected to Eorzea and who is providing a lot of the Garlean technological secrets to the Eorzean cities, so it's entirely feasible he's the one who'll provide the player magitek armour eventually instead.

But having to beat up Imperial troops to steal their magitek armour for use as your mount also sounds very appealing actually (as long as it's not too difficult) - possible quest perhaps?