Terpsikhore
New Member
- Location
- Essex (white stillettos optional)
Hallo! I got bought a bike for my 8th birthday, but never learnt to ride it...I went to school in a different part of the county, so I had no friends in my home town, and when you're that age going out on your bike to ride around by yourself isn't a very appealing prospect.
Now I'm in my 20s, I decided learning to ride would be useful to keep me reasonably fit - not only because of the cycling itself, but because if I could bike the 2-mile journey instead of having to walk for 30 minutes to get to the gym, I might actually go more than once a fortnight!
Only problem is, it requires learning to ride a bike first. And I'm finding the hard way that, while most people smile encouragingly at 6-year-olds with stabilisers and kneepads, a gangly-looking adult wobbling her way down the bike trail doesn't get such kind responses. Gulp. I'm not doing too badly - I did half an hour continuous cycling round an industrial estate this afternoon, with only minor bloodshed (and that was because I'd bought a new bike this morning and was so scared of falling and chipping the paintwork after I mounted a kerb badly, I practically threw my body to the ground first to save the bike! Bloodied knuckles are a small price to pay for not scratching a 3-hour-old bike...). Still a way to go before I'd trust myself to ride on the road, though. If nothing else, I haven't learnt to indicate without falling over yet!
So if anyone from the Essex area sees a ginger girl on a bright purple machine, weaving her way down the road with a look of grim determination... do us both a favour and give me a wide berth.
Now I'm in my 20s, I decided learning to ride would be useful to keep me reasonably fit - not only because of the cycling itself, but because if I could bike the 2-mile journey instead of having to walk for 30 minutes to get to the gym, I might actually go more than once a fortnight!
Only problem is, it requires learning to ride a bike first. And I'm finding the hard way that, while most people smile encouragingly at 6-year-olds with stabilisers and kneepads, a gangly-looking adult wobbling her way down the bike trail doesn't get such kind responses. Gulp. I'm not doing too badly - I did half an hour continuous cycling round an industrial estate this afternoon, with only minor bloodshed (and that was because I'd bought a new bike this morning and was so scared of falling and chipping the paintwork after I mounted a kerb badly, I practically threw my body to the ground first to save the bike! Bloodied knuckles are a small price to pay for not scratching a 3-hour-old bike...). Still a way to go before I'd trust myself to ride on the road, though. If nothing else, I haven't learnt to indicate without falling over yet!
So if anyone from the Essex area sees a ginger girl on a bright purple machine, weaving her way down the road with a look of grim determination... do us both a favour and give me a wide berth.
Terpsikhore and 
to CycleChat !
!
