How did your cycling start?

[Talha]

Hi,

So I've had a long nostalgic discussion about cycling and marathons and ironman events with my mates last night. We spoke about cycling laws to carbon frames and everything in between. One part of our discussion was really fun and it was remembering what got us into cycling? Most of us just had the "my neighbor had a bike and I wanted it too as a kid' or 'my elder brother already had one' Do you have any fun thing that got you into cycling?

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Mine was on BMX as a kid. It was tough for me to push, and I always wanted to jump curbs like they were a pump track.

Didn't work out too well.

About ten years ago, I became a cyclist commuter, and haven't looked back.

[rydabent]

In about 1945 Dad bought be a sidewalk bike with solid rubber 10 in wheels and a V belt drive. I learned to ride that bike all by my self. I dont think it took any time at all.

[Flowrider]

My Mum and Dad threw me on a Chopper when I was around 5.

Rode on a soccer field so if I fell off it'll be minimal damage. Was great.

In fact, that's how I taught my kids to ride as well

[Aab]

(10-30-2024, 06:00 AM)Talha Wrote:  Hi,

So I've had a long nostalgic discussion about cycling and marathons and ironman events with my mates last night. We spoke about cycling laws to carbon frames and everything in between. One part of our discussion was really fun and it was remembering what got us into cycling? Most of us just had the "my neighbor had a bike and I wanted it too as a kid' or 'my elder brother already had one' Do you have any fun thing that got you into cycling?

Hej.
I practically shared a hardtail Trek kids bike with my best buddy at that time ... age 5 or 6.
It was his bike but we lived across the street from eachother and spent hours learning to ride and teaching ourselves. All the scratches I made on his bike from falls and punctures ... he did not mind. Great bud!

[SPINMAN]

Growing up in Italy, no cars in the families. Bike was the only way around to shop and visit family. I remember having to buy bread every day and I bit of the top of the baguette warm from the oven. I had the light that was turned on by rubbing the wheel and I think single gear.

[froze]

The first bike I had I was too big for it, so that bike never was comfortable, then my parents got me a Schwinn Speedster 3 speed, that one I rode all over the place, I rode to other neighboring towns on it as a kid, it was so much fun that I decided to buy my own bike real road bike and got a 1976 Trek TX900. Back in those first year or two of Trek they only sold the frame and fork, so we had to buy the components, and I opted for Campy Nuovo Record, I had that bike for about 9 months, but girls thought I was weird because my bike was nicer than my car, so I sold it. A year later I bought 1977 Raleigh Competition GS that I got on a closeout sale, I still have that bike, and it looks almost new. I don't ride it much due to trying to preserve it, but rode it quite a bit from 77 to 84 when I decided to take up racing, and bought a lighter weight bike and went back to Trek for that one.

I did swap some parts on the Raleigh, I took of the Campy GS components because the GS stuff were not known to shift well, and put on 1977 Campy Nuovo Record derailleurs which shifted a whole lot better, and took off the Weinmann Carrera brakes and put on Campy brakes which made the bike all Campy. I kept the GS derailleurs and the Carrera brakes though, in case I decide to sell the bike I can include the original components.

I was starting to get hooked on the Trek, but once I got reintroduced to riding with the Raleigh, I was truly hooked forever. Now I have quite a few bikes.

[GirishH]

For as long as I can remember, my siblings and I used to go to school sitting on the top tube or rear carrier of someone’s bicycle. He would drop us off and pick us up every day. Back then in India, that was completely normal — and you can probably still see it in some remote areas where prosperity hasn’t reached yet. No worries about helmets or child seats because there were very few cars those days. Only fear was our toes/feet getting injured when they get stuck in the front or rear wheel..

Later, we started riding our grandfather’s vintage Royal Enfield bicycle, which was made in England. My older brother and I loved riding that beast.

God knows where that bike is now, but I’m glad we had it back then..:-)

[SPINMAN]

(07-24-2025, 02:31 AM)GirishH Wrote:  For as long as I can remember, my siblings and I used to go to school sitting on the top tube or rear carrier of someone’s bicycle. He would drop us off and pick us up every day. Back then in India, that was completely normal — and you can probably still see it in some remote areas where prosperity hasn’t reached yet. No worries about helmets or child seats because there were very few cars those days. Only fear was our toes/feet getting injured when they get stuck in the front or rear wheel..

Later, we started riding our grandfather’s vintage Royal Enfield bicycle, which was made in England. My older brother and I loved riding that beast.

God knows where that bike is now, but I’m glad we had it back then..:-)

Oh, yea, I remember giving rides, (mostly the girls,) on the top tube and handlbars too! Royal Enfield, huh. They make great motorcycles now.