Ka_Jun

Do you remember your first time on two wheels? The clumsy fumbling at shiny parts you up to that moment had only seen and admired from afar, and never touched? The tunnel vision of just trying to keep the mechanics upright and going without working on stylistics? The fact that the moment went all too quickly and you ended up on the ground in a daze afterwards? Were you smitten at the time, or did it take multiple attempts for you to truly appreciate the experience?

girljen

After weeks of being pushed around by my mom, taunted by my brother, given 'helpful' advice from every relative I had on how to keep myself and my bike upright, I was fed up.

I snuck out of the house. I went to the shed, got my itty bitty pink and purple Huffy out, and rolled it to the top of a gentle incline under our cottonwood tree. I straddled the seat, put my feet up, and rolled down to the bottom of the hill. Then I pushed my bike back up and did it again. Over and over, I rolled down the hill and tried my best to balance. Finally, after what seemed like a million repetitions, I put my feet on the pedals and rode a few laps around the front yard!

It took me a few days to learn how to start without coasting down that hill.

Buglady

I remember my first time falling off! (bike was too big, top tube, ow).

When I came back to biking a couple of years ago I was able to go almost straight to the "WHEEE!" part though Almost.

Bionicycle

I was about seven or eight years old, and had been wheeling around on my bike with training wheels on it, for about three weeks… then one night I had a dream that I could ride without the training wheels, the dream seemed so real that the next day I practically had to beg my father to take the training off my bike; reluctantly he did.

I took off up the sidewalk, and much to my fathers surprise, and I must admit to mine, I took off like I had been riding for years. I went straight down the sidewalk about half a block, went off the sidewalk and crashed right into a large maple tree…

It was the first of many crashes yet to come, but I never did have training wheels on my bike again.

Machka 

Yep ... I was 6 years old, and my father set my new bicycle up with training wheels ... but he offset them. I hated that. Some time later (may have been a matter of days) he set them up evenly, and I was off and riding. At some point he took them off, but I don't remember that happening so it must not have been a traumatic change.

Allen

I learned on the piece of pavement in the background, different bicycle.

I was about six and, after being pushed around all afternoon, I realized no one was holding onto the back of my banana seat. I immediately fell over.
By the end of the next day I my world had expanded more than a mile down our dirt road.

twahl

Yes. I was screaming bloody murder, but it didn't last long. After a second or two it came to rest on it's side and I hit my head on the roll bar.

starla

No, but I remember my first ride without needing training wheels. I was 6 or 7. I went up and down the street countless times. I never wanted to stop.

starla

Ow, indeed. I remember the same thing...about 8 and trying to ride my dad's (who is 6'3") three-speed. Way too big for me. I didn't think my girl parts would ever forgive me.

BarracksSi

I remember my dad pushing me along by the banana seat when I was 7 years old, and he said, "Look up, to the end of the sidewalk."

I stopped wobbling.

I remember it clearly.

SpaceNerd

I inherited my older sisters banana seat bike. My dad added some training wheels which I was very reluctant to get rid of when it was time. When they finally came off my father had to push me (he was 6'4'') on my very small bike which doesn't make for a very easy task for a guy. I didn't grasp that if i was peddaling faster than he was running he couldn't hold on which made for a very quick take off and when i realized that he wasn't pushing me anymore a very quick departure from the road and quick entrance into the woods. In the coming year I became very adept at jumping off of my bike just before going into the thick of pine trees. Apparently I eventually learned how to steer as I don't have to jump off of my bike anymore haha.

RT

1968, sunny Saturday morning, Cubs hat on, red bike, white seat. Have loved it ever since Somewhere there's a picture of me riding my bike up the ramp of the moving truck when we left Chicago in '72. Green bike, tall sissy bar, chopper handlebars, banana seat and baseball cards in the spokes

Flying Merkel

It was 1967 on my Christmas present used Schwinn Stingray. Blue, with a slik tire and a glittery white banana seat. Serial # A23817. I will never forget that number. I was a consumate wobbler. Got good enough to start riding the mile to school at 6 years old.

That bike was the most beautiful thing ever. It was so perfect, I always thought of Secret Agent 99 from Get Smart when I rode it. Women & bicycles have been intertwined ever since.

Saintly Loser

Yes. I don't remember exactly where it was, or how old I was, but I remember riding the bike.

My family had gone to another family's house. Maybe friends of my parents, maybe cousins or something. They lived in the suburbs, and had lots of kids, and a garage full of bikes of various sizes. Some of the older children asked if I wanted to come on a ride with them. I guess I was a confident child, because I said "yes" despite never having ridden a bicycle before. So they got one out of the garage for me that seemed to be around the right size.

I knew, from observation, how bicycles worked. You sit on it, you pedal, it goes, and you steer with the handlebars. I even knew that pedaling backwards would stop the bike.

So, being a cocky little kid, I jumped on the bike. Everyone took off. I started pedaling, trying to catch up, and in a flash of understanding, came to know a great truth: as long as I kept moving, I wouldn't fall down. That was it. I knew how to ride a bike. No training wheels, no being pushed along the sidewalk by Dad, no wobbling, no problems at all. It was fantastic.

mark9950

Oh yes,my father took the training wheels off and after trying to balance with short sleeve shirt on I fell and boy my whole arm was scratched up from concrete burns.If you take the training wheels off your kids bike make sure he has at least long sleeve shirt on.better yet put on a heavy jacket even if it gets torn up .

wahoonc

Same principle here...

Except it was downhill, across the street and into the neighbors garbage can rack Got a bit better after that.

Aaron

TXChick

I don't actually remember when I started riding on two wheels, but I know I was very young--maybe four years old?

My first bike was purple, with a white seat and a white wicker basket with big plastic flowers, natch, and streamers. I loved that bike! It had training wheels when I got it and I was definitely riding on two wheels when I got something larger.

My second bike, which I got in about third grade, was a three-speed. It was lime green with chrome fenders and a chrome headlight. I loved that bike, too!

I think I've loved all my bikes.

tsl

Me too. Only my dad had launched me down a hill. The speed made me panic and forget how to use the coaster brake, and I didn't know how to steer the thing. Smack! Right into a maple tree.