Age-Learning to ride bike

[Miranda]

I think it was before I turned 7yo.

I just remember it was the neighbor's yard sprinkler that got me to keep my balance on two wheels lol. I didn't want to get wet, so somehow I kept pedaling, vs. falling over.

Then 20+yr break after I got my driver's license. I had forgotten how freeing riding a bike could be.

[marni]

I learned on a borrowed bike in order to commute to graduate school in California although I have vague memories of possibly being exposed as a very young child, kindergarten perhaps, with training wheels.

[Roadtrip]

Like Catrin, I was older when I got my first bike, which was just this past June... I am 35!!!

Shannon

[Biciclista]

as a 6 or 7 year old, i was put on a little bike with training wheels. A grownup would push it and let go. I was absolutely terrified and after that experience, I had no interest at all in cycling. When i was 9 my father bought me a 24" wheel bike. He got on it and rode in a circle. he gave it to me.. I did the same. I was riding! just like that!

[stella2]

I was 51 when I first got on a bike 3 weeks ago. It's going pretty well now, so I have a grin practically welded onto my face!

[Biciclista]

I was 51 when I first got on a bike 3 weeks ago. It's going pretty well now, so I have a grin practically welded onto my face!

amazing! (I had no idea how many women didn't learn to ride as children)

[shootingstar]

I was 51 when I first got on a bike 3 weeks ago. It's going pretty well now, so I have a grin practically welded onto my face!

Fabulous! let us know of your adventures from time to time.

Over the years, a few women at mid-life, have remarked to me in the workplace, how much they want to learn to bike. They sense it will give them greater flexibility and freedom. Some of these women do not drive.

[stella2]

My antics tend to be outlined on the New Riders section. There are several of us mature newbie's on there and I have just generated a Newbie weekly achievements thread.

[Bike Chick]

I was 51 when I first got on a bike 3 weeks ago. It's going pretty well now, so I have a grin practically welded onto my face!

That's just amazing! Good for you. I had just taken it for granted that everyone learned to ride a bike as a kid like I did--training wheels at first then dad takes them off and runs behind you and lets go when you don't know it! I was 5 or 6 when I learned to ride a bike. The bike was dark blue. Now I'm really going to show my age--my dad worked for the USPS and they were just beginning to use zip codes and I had these little zip code stickers with that little zippy guy on them stuck to the fenders. It's funny what you remember.

[Zen]

UFogot-you hot dog you!
That's so funny

[uforgot]

Does riding a tricycle on two wheels count? I wanted a bicycle sooooooooo bad. My parents had rules, first bicycle at 10. Only one tricycle so it was a huge one. From the time I was 7 until I was 10 I tilted it and rode it on 2 wheels, I could go up the road turn around and come back and that third wheel never hit the ground. Did I get my bike early? Not a chance. My parents rules were ironclad. Then when I did get my bicycle, I wasn't allowed to choose it, my dad did. I had all of these rules with it...blah blah blah, but when I got on that bike? Oh man, did I love it! I always had a bike from then on. I had (and rode) that particular bike (Sears JC Higgins) until I was 24 and then I picked my own bike.

[tulip]

I don't remember when I learned to ride a bike. I must have been about 4, because I do remember riding a bike in the street when I was about that age. I moved alot when I was growing up, and this memory is on the street I lived on when I was 4 and 5 years old. By the time I was 6, we had moved again. And I know I was riding a Schwinn Stingray with a pink and green banana seat and streamers when I was 6.

[moonfroggy]

this has been bugging me since i first saw the post. i am almost certain i was 7. i got the bike for Christmas and taught myself. had no training wheels. no one was around to teach me. then i lost it because it had not been assembled properly and started falling apart a few miles from home. i walked home. i think i got another bike was i was 12 but no one knew how to take care of a bike or show me stuff like inflating tires. then got a bike when i was 22 and have had one ever since.

[IFjane]

I was four and remember having training wheels. I was terrified to take them off but then the neighbor boy across the street started teasing me. I hated for him to be better at anything than I, so I had Dad take my training wheels off. I think I fell a few times but then stayed upright and have been riding ever since - with a couple breaks here and there. I commuted to school (1 mile each way) every day from Kindergarten through grade 6...and to piano lessons....and to the store....and the swimming pool....and my girlfriend Carol's house....I lived on my bike throughout my childhood.

[sarahspins]

I was one week over 4 when I learned to ride without training wheels... I did it the day after my sister (almost 6) did I only vaugely remember this.. or riding with training wheels. There was no "learning" - I just decided to DO it one day, and I did.

My oldest kid, he was riding without training wheels at 3 years and 4 months. I wish I was joking/exaggerating, but I'm really not.. we had taken the training wheels off his bike to discourage him riding in the house, and it wasn't but 2 days later that he completely TOOK OFF riding on his bike pushing the pedals.. we were shocked.

There are no sidewalks or anything where we live.. he actually learned to ride inside! he was able to ride in the grass right away though, we just hadn't really tried it much because it wasn't easy with the training wheels.

My younger two have had the advantage of balance bikes.. so they learned to balance/glide from an early age. My 5 year old *can* ride with pedals, but she is absolutely terrified of it and refuses to do it. My 3 year old.. honestly if we could FIND a bike tiny enough with pedals he'd probably be riding without training wheels... but he'd need a bike with 10" wheels (he is TINY.. 12" bikes are too big) and those are few and far between