I was shocked to learn in the past year that both of my nephews, one early 20s and one a senior in high school, do not know how to ride a bicycle. Biking was never big with my brother and he never prioritized them learning. So that should tell you a lot about dwindling numbers.

My priority at next visit is to get the younger a bike, either I bring an old but quality MTB that I rehabbed for a friend's son in college, who has long since graduated, as dad just gave him a disc 'cross bike he no longer uses, or, rehab a 20" wheel folder I got cheap. The MTB has better lower gears, but the folder might be good for college if the town is flat. Either one, I'll take the pedals off, teach him to balance on it as a glider, then put the pedals back on and teach him how to actually ride.

For me, this is like growing up not knowing how to swing a hammer or use a hand saw, or do long division without a calculator. Academically, he's way better than I was, I barely graduated high school, worked labor a couple years, then recovered, went to community college, then a university, and had a good career. I also knew how to repair my own car, even doing an engine change, repair my own bike, etc. Young folks now just don't know how to do things, how to use tools, how to repair things.

I just helped my neighbor set up an ebike that he was given, which is a big help for him, elderly, low income and in a city, no vehicle. Will be easier than the bike he had picked up cheap, but the ebike weights a ton to be hauling up and down 2 flights of stairs.

I think the problems in the manual bike world are much larger than ACA.