General Cycling Discussion - Once upon a time when we were young! Your 1st bicycle....

:50:Once upon a time when we were young!
How old were you when you got your first bicycle?

I was about 6 when my grandfather bought me my first bike. A folding Bianchi!

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A red and white Columbia coaster brake bike, with the curvy tubes and fake gas tank under the top tube. Probably weighed as much as 3 of my current bikes.

A green Ross single speed with a sissy bar and banana seat. I remember having a big fat slick on the back, great for skids. :)

At 7 years old, a red AMF Roadmaster with a flame banana seat, fenders, and apehangers. After a couple years -- if that long -- I swapped out the seat, bars, and pedals to come up with this. I corded a LOT of rear tires by doing skids at the end of the sidewalk:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/BarracksSi/Bike/IMG_1130.jpg

J C Higgins. With a wire basket on the front, of course.

And the word is mystery, not mistery.

Lots of 20 inch bikes in the 60's, but the first one i can remeber vividly was the 26 inch Schwinn hd f/s paperboy special, with a heavy duty rear rack, and a huge wire basket in front. It was probably a 1974 model.

My first bike was a Sears model with solid tires. Red, probably a 20 inch; with lots of chrome. The top tube unbolted to make a girl's bike ( or like in my case - to fit the little munchikin I was. I was so happy when I could put that tube back on. ) It had training wheels of course. I got it when I was six, but it wasn't until about three months later that I could reach the pedals. My dad didn't think to put blocks on the pedals like he did for my sister later with the same bike sans bar. That's when I got my first Murray. red and yellow.
I don't have any pics of that tank.

I vaguely recall it being a little blue bike with hard plastic tires and a cruiser-style handlebar. I don't have any photos of me and it, and don't remember anything else about it. I was probably about 4 years old.

Around 5-6 years old. First bike was a "curb special" that my dad overhauled and repainted. It was a 20" wheeled bike, white with gold accents. Learned to ride by coasting down the hill between the garage and the house and crashing into the neighbors carport.:thumb:

First "real" bike was a Western Flyer in Red, had a couple of those, then had a few oddball beater bikes after that. By age 13 I was saving money and buying my own bikes, Schwinn's then, Motobecanes, Colnaglos, Fuji, Bob Jackson, Teledyne Titan....Raleighs, Giants...:roflmao2:

Aaron:)

Dont know the model, just know it was an adult sized bike with training wheels. I was prob bout 5 when I got it. My parents got rid of it shortly after when one of the training wheels broke off and I was too scared to turn that direction. what do you expect, I couldnt even get on the damn thing! then a few years later my grandpa bought me a red bmx1000. I miss that bike and all the crazy shtuff I done on it.

My parents bought a small red and white bike for my sister and I when I was 4 years old, and that was my first and last "fixie". We both thought is was cool back then to watch the pedals spin like mad while going down the steep hill along side our house at the time, plus, other than our feet, the bike did not come with any brakes.

My first bike, the bike I learned on was a 20" Schwinn Henderson. This bike was passed along from family siblings and all the cousins. By the time I got it she was pretty well beat, but I learned and passed it on. I can remember my father running behind me until I got the knack. No training wheels back then.

My first real brand new bike was an early 50's 26" black Hercules 3 speed with the Hercumatic shifter and hub. Got her for Christmas and she stayed with me until I got my junior drivers license. Wish I had her now.

Schwinn Stingray in the early 60's,I was about 6 or so..My mom and I laugh about it every Christmas.Instead of going out and riding it,I went out to the garage and used my dad's tools to take it apart and put it back together.Mom paid $5.00 to have the bike shop assemble it and we laugh that I would have been happier to receive it the box and put it together myself.

My first bike was a hand-down from my older brother, made in the 1930s. I was 6 and couldnt reach the ground so had to stop next to the curb. It was a black Hercules. It had stirrup brakes pullling against the inside of the rims and operated by rods and bell-cranks like the chinese Flying Pidgeons.

My mother had a step through bike and I can remember being carried on a wooden seat facing backwards on the back of that bike when I was 3, while my older brother and sister were running behind.

My Dad bought me a Schwinn . Sort of like Pee Wee Herman has.. With streamers on the handlebars.. Pretty Fred.. But, we have to start somewhere... Next bike. Couple years later. I graduated to a bigger kids bike.. First bike of my choosing was a Three speed English Racer..

I had a Western Auto Stingray knockoff that I got when I was 6.

I was probably 5 yrs old when I got a bike, can't remember the brand. First ride without training wheels my dad launched me down a sidewalk that was at a slight incline. I couldn't stop and went into a low wall made of stacked stones. Got two stitches and the doctor didn't use any local anaesthetic! Stitched up like a hockey player.

I actually wrote a piece on my first bike a couple of months ago: http://www.tundraman.com/Other/Bicycles/FirstBike.cfm

I'm trying to write a story about each bike I've owned, but so far only have the first three done.

I had to have been about 4 when I got this 2nd-hand cruiser, 16" wheels, full fenders, brush-painted light blue, and about a million stickers on the fenders. Didn't have training wheels; I promptly crashed, cried, and wanted nothing to with it, not even after seeing my dad ride it perfectly straight down gramma's sidewalk. But with training wheels, I was on it.

Once, a training wheel collapsed, and I wiped out. Cried again.

I don't remember if I ever rode that bike without the training wheels; I must have, though, because my next bike -- 20" Schwinn Stingray -- was training-wheel-free, and I never had a bit of trouble with it.

That was so long ago -- before the family got its first color tv -- that my MEMORY is largely black-and-white (except for the blue paint, of course).

MY first was a smaller bmx style bike that my older cousins would shot me down the street on. There's lots to hit on inner city streets. Definately learned fast with no training wheels. Makes you feerless later

Look at that... I bet I took a few of you down memory lane! Good times...

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What a geek, Note the bend on the rear fender from wheely-ing

Not sure when I got my first bicycle but I do remember my dad got me a nice sliver 10 speed bicycle I wish I still had this bicycle.I remember going down a hill on w7th st. I had a speedometer on it it went up to 60 and I got to take it to the max going down that hill it scare the sh*t out of me too.If only we could go back in time I would have taking better care of that bicycle and I would still have it.I often think about that one bicycle a lot.I'm not sure how old I was at that time but I do remember I had a lot of fun on that 10 speed bicycle.

I was 6 years old and my dad bought me a 26" Schwinn for $7.00 (used). I painted it with some left over maroon house paint. My legs wouldn't reach the ground, but I did learn to ride it on the 3rd try. When I was 13 I got a new Schwinn Corvette 3-speed for Christmas and though I was really uptown. Used that bike on my paper route.

Pink metallic Raleigh "lightweight," of which no pictures survive. Would have been about 1955, an era of balloon-tired cruisers and the occasional three-speeds. My dad came home with a "24-inch" (wheel size) single-speed bike that looked like a racer--spindly frame, no fenders or tank, blackwall tires instead of trendy whitewalls. I would have preferred something more like my friends had, but once I got those skinny tires pumped up to 5 psi above the recommended 65, it ran like a rocket.
It got stolen a couple of years later in a weird way: I was sitting in a restaurant with some friends, drinking a Coke, when a station wagon pulled up next to the bike rack outside. While we watched, a kid got out, his dad opened the back, they threw in my bike and drove away. By the time we could get outside they were gone. I was 11 or 12, and I couldn't imagine my father helping me steal a bike.

My first ride was a faded blue Monark. Heavy iron, 2.5" tires. I removed the fenders, not so much to make it lighter, but to ride it in the rain, when the mud built up and with fenders you could not ride. (Any one else grow up around caliche roads?) No photos either, thanks. In that neighborhood, fat tire were a survival trait. I recall the first boy in the neighborhood that had a Peugeot 10 speed. We headed out one day to Bentsen State Park , and left him hung to dry on the back roads. His narrow tires cut right through the sandy roads, until he hit the caliche, and then it began to rain and he sunk into the caliche. I felt bad about it so the next week we began to scrounge parts for him, to build his own 'flotation tired' bike. He polished up the peugeot, and left it parked on the porch for a decade.

It might tell you something that our address was "3 miles north, 3 miles west"/ Mission, Texas 78752 (out among the orange groves).

My first one was a green Fleetwing that I got for my 6th birthday.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/Gordons1stBikeSm.jpg

I have no iea what it was. It was old, rusted and covered with STP stickers that the old man at the gas staiton gave us when we aired up our tires. It had a good front tire and a completley shredded back tire. I traded it, for aa 23 year old Palomino mare who I loved and rode for five more years

I don't have any photos of my first bike, but I remember it well. It was a blue Schwinn with fenders, rear rack, front basket and a built-in head light. I loved that thing; it was heavy and could take lots of abuse. It looked like this one, just blue not green.

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It was a Schwinn English Racer...3 speed...I really wanted an Apple Crate but parents thought I'd grow into the Racer...It turned out to be a nice bike until I ran it into a park bench while looking at the speedo when trying to hit 20mph...didn't hit 20 but did hit the bench hard enough to bend the fork nearly to the down tube...pulled out the fork blades, cut them down with a hack saw, took another fork and cut off the blades, jammed then onto the fork stubs, put on a 20" wheel and voila I had one hell of an odd looking bike but thought I looked cool...lol.

Mine was a red and black RedLine BMX bike. Circa 1984.

It was red and came from Ace hardware or possibly Wolco. Those were the two stores my dad patronized. I was probably about seven.

Much more memorable were the bikes I built myself from the collection of old bikes and parts in the garage. One benefit of being the youngest of eight was the plethora of old toys to choose from.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/RyanBike1.jpg
HandsomeRyan circa 1989.


This picture is so full of win. I'm digging the rear-only braking and that swanky helmet.

We are talking about 1947. My first "bike" was a little contraption with 12 in solid wheels. It had a V belt from the "crank" to the rear wheel. Then my first real bike was Monark with 24 in wheels. It had to be small because I was l really small twirp when I was young. I road that bike 1 3/4 miles to a country school.

first bike was a hard tired training wheel thingy.

second was an Iverson "Drag Stripper".. it was heavy and over geared (mine was pea green metallic and single speed)

http://oldroads.com/fdbdown.asp?900

favorite was a Huffy "Mr. America" -- won it in a drawing at my dad's plant picnic... great jumper of picnic benches.

http://bmxmuseum.com/image/101_0170.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h170/HandsomeRyan/RyanBike1.jpg
HandsomeRyan circa 1989.


This picture is so full of win. I'm digging the rear-only braking and that swanky helmet.

I'm not sure on this, but I think your swanky helmet might be on backwards. Maybe not though.. that thing is pretty much round.

I don't have any photos of my first bike. It was a black mens delivery bike that my father pinched... um, I mean, brought home from the oil refinery he worked in. I think they were used to ride around the tank farms and I'll give him the benefit of a doubt that perhaps they replaced them with motorized transport. It weighed about 50 pounds and my older brother had it first, giving it up for motorcycles the minute he was old enough. I would race neighborhood boys on their banana seat three-speeds and win every time due to the rolling juggernaught/mass in motion thing. I think I spray-painted it gold because I didn't like it's boring black color. I deserted it for a ten-speed Apollo at the first opportunity.

Raleigh Budgie, purple, with stabilizers. Not sure how old I was. But first stabilizer-less bike was Raleigh Chopper.

My first bike was one of those with the removable top tubes that could be converted to a "girls bike" for my younger sister. It was red, and got us both used to being on two wheels. It was later replaced by an English 3 speed from Western Auto, and I wish I still had that most days.

all i remember is that it was green and i was petrified of it. took me forever to get the training wheels off. it's amazing i developed a love of cycling that will never die!

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Somewhere around the early 50s mom and dad got me one of these JC Higgans Bikes. I think they bought it at Sears. Boy it was the cats meow then. Horn tank, headlights, luggage rack, coaster breaks.

My first bike was one of those with the removable top tubes that could be converted to a "girls bike" for my younger sister. It was red, and got us both used to being on two wheels. It was later replaced by an English 3 speed from Western Auto, and I wish I still had that most days.

My sister had one and it almost was on the hand-me-down list. OOOHHH even less manly than those full fenders on a banana bike. How about #1 on the geek list...Anybdy have a steering wheel?

I had many 20" wheeled bikes as a youngster. However, my most memorable bike growing up was a 1960's 3 speed Raleigh English Racer. I loved that bike. It gave me freedom and took me to many places. One of my sadest days was when it was stolen out of our garage...

I'm not sure how old I was :(

My dad had a racer friend and gave me one of the bmx bikes he won. I rode that thing a lot, but I out grew it and let it rust away.

First bike? Mine was nothing special. The only memory of it that I have is from when I ran over my childhood best friend's head after he jumped/fell in front of me. No worries though, he just got a few stitches, which we thought was cool at the time. I think the bike was blue.

Now, my Dukes of Hazzard bigwheel...I loved that thing.

I'm not sure on this, but I think your swanky helmet might be on backwards. Maybe not though.. that thing is pretty much round.

It's on correctly; The 80's was a magical time in helmet design.

It's on correctly; The 80's was a magical time in helmet design.

I'll take your word for it! :lol:

When I was six my parents got me a Huffy BMX bike. Red with white tires. It was awesome.

I was a kid back in the UK, late 70's or very early 80's. Honestly dont recall the year.

This is what I coveted: The kids 'IT' bike...I present to you...."the Raleigh Grifter"! Back in the day there was nothing more coveted in all of kid bicycledom than this heavy beaut!
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q6/rudebwoy85/grifter.jpg

My mother decided to get me something like this...this isnt it exactly, I dont recall exactly what it was but seeing this brought back the feeling of disappointment and sadness..what kid trying to be cool wanted this 'country cycle' back in those days??:
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q6/rudebwoy85/001_r_side.jpg

This is the first bike I bought with my own hard earned paper route loot back in 1987 I believe.. My Haro Freestyler Sport, loved it! Was the talk of the town.. As you can tell by the color scheme, 'neon' colors and Miami Vice were very much envogue!
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q6/rudebwoy85/cimg0080_lg.jpg

Dont intend the corrupt the thread but when I saw the title I couldnt help but think of the soundtrack....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa8whR2ZEOU