Do you remember...

[ScotiaLass]

your first time?

I was about 11 when I got my first bike one Christmas.
I have Dyspraxia (balance problems) and couldn't balance very well so was late in getting my first bike.

I was still very wobbly on it when my mum insisted that my brother (then 18) walk with me (as I attempted to ride my bike) to the paper shop, about a 15 min walk away.
I wobbled on the pavement as he held on to the back of the bike. As soon as we were out of sight of my mum he let me go. I kept falling off so pushed the bike the rest of the way to the shop.
On the way back the same....once we got near home, I hopped into the saddle and cycled as he held on to the back of the saddle....until I shouted at him that was I was going to tell mum he hadn't helped me and he let go, pushing me as he did so, sending me flying into someones hedge, bike and all!

What was your first memory?

 

[cosmicbike]

First cycling memory is a very warm Summer, a wonderful yellow trike with a shopping 'bucket' on the back. And me riding it to the local greengrocers with Mum to buy spuds. No idea how old I was but sure my Dad has pictures somewhere. After that it was moving on to the 'big boys' bike with stabilisers, and once pedalling was grasped together with steering it was time to face 'the plank'. Nothing more than a scaffold plank, raised off the ground on a few housebricks, but served well as a balance beam and gave the yes/no for the stabilisers to be removed.

 

[jayonabike]

My purple Chopper.........

 

[Herbie]

your first time?

I was about 11 when I got my first bike one Christmas.
I have Dyspraxia (balance problems) and couldn't balance very well so was late in getting my first bike.

I was still very wobbly on it when my mum insisted that my brother (then 18) walk with me (as I attempted to ride my bike) to the paper shop, about a 15 min walk away.
I wobbled on the pavement as he held on to the back of the bike. As soon as we were out of sight of my mum he let me go. I kept falling off so pushed the bike the rest of the way to the shop.
On the way back the same....once we got near home, I hopped into the saddle and cycled as he held on to the back of the saddle....until I shouted at him that was I was going to tell mum he hadn't helped me and he let go, pushing me as he did so, sending me flying into someones hedge, bike and all!

What was your first memory?

must have been 6 or 7? but I can still remember the sensation of pedalling free without stabilisers or my Dad holding the back of my wee bike....it was ace ps I thought this post was going to be about something else that I would rather forget but can't

 

[colly]

I don't recall the very first time. I do remember a red, or was it green, three wheeler.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

It's odd. I can't even remember learning how to ride a bike. I think I did have a tricycle first, and I don't remember stabilisers (though they were most probably there). But then they weren't and I miraculously emerged as a cyclist. Then, because they hadn't invented highway engineers at that time, and kids could still ride on A roads, we started to ride around. And then go further. London to the coast and back was a thing you did with school friends or on your own. Fish and chips always taste better on the coast. Polhill with 5 gears after 90-odd miles was always a killer. I ended up with a double clanger which gave me 10 gears but it was always a drag, that hill. I still resent Polhill!

 

[MikeW-71]

I remember being terrified at the thought of the stabilisers being taken off, I must have been about 6. I would manage short bursts until I realised Dad wasn't holding on any more and I would stop or fall off. After a couple of weeks of this, I went downstairs in the morning on a saturday, hopped on the bike and just rode round the garden. I felt on top of the world

Then a couple of years later, I had a road bike, Dad also had one (tourer style with a rack) and we were all out for family rides together regularly. Good times..... Good memories

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think I was riding around, and had moved my stabilizers to "get them out of the way when I turn".
My Father says "Take them off, and you can turn better".
So we did.
I also rode with my Parents, Sister, and later on, Nephew.
Lots of fun, and did not require much money or technology.

 

[the_mikey]

I remember my Raleigh Budgie, I got it when I was 5. That was the best bike I ever had! The longest ride I did on it was 8 miles, and it seemed designed for bunny hops, the fat rear tyre took a lot of bumps and jumps.

 

[asterix]

Yes, I was 6 or 7 when I got a brand new Philips 18" single speed. It was in Cyprus and the roads were very bad and there were riots in the evenings when the schools shut for the day. So I have been well trained for cycling in the UK today, really. Apart from the weather.

 

[Cycleops]

My first bike was bought from Oscroft Bros in Friern Barnet north London. Can't remember the model but it had a Sturmey Archer three speed hub. I think I was eleven years old. I couldn't ride but by the time I had pushed it and wobbled about going home to Finchley after picking it up from the shop I had mastered it! That bike was much derided after getting my first racer from Ted Gerrard. Anyone remember him? The shop was later run by Alan Shorter.

 

[numbnuts]

My first ride was in front of a blazing log fire ….......

 

[Biker Joe]

I grew up on an estate in the mid 40s to mid 50s and when I was about 7 or 8 there were a group of us kids ( 4 of us I remember) who shared a bike. I've no idea who it belonged to. Who ever rode it last used to keep it until someone else wanted it. We just rode around the estate on it and shared it. If you didn't have the bike you used your home made box cart. Great days. I can't remember having to learn to ride it.We just did.

 

[Leaway2]

I remember my older brother teaching me to ride a bike, but not how old I was.
Dad always bought second hand bikes which I got for Christmas.
I never had a new bike until about 1887 a Raleigh road bike which my ex flogged off .

 

[AndyRM]

I remember my older brother teaching me to ride a bike, but not how old I was.
Dad always bought second hand bikes which I got for Christmas.
I never had a new bike until about 1887 a Raleigh road bike which my ex flogged off .

1887?! You've had some innings old chap!