One thing that I have vivid memories of from growing up is learning to ride a bike.  I learnt to ride one summer, in the grounds of a health retreat that my Mum worked at at the time.  I must have been 5 or 6 years old, something like that anyway.  One minute I was being pushed along, and the next I was doing it all be myself and I didn’t even realise.  When I did realise, I could have been flying through the sky, I was so excited.  I can remember the gravel path, the buildings around me and that new found sense of freedom like it was yesterday.

From that point on, having a bike was a big deal.  I lived in a village, so being able to get around on two wheels was invaluable.  It meant I could visit my grandparents when I wanted to and go exploring the surrounding countryside as I got older.  One year, I had my heart set on having a girl’s racer for Christmas.  This particular year, my wish came true and a shiny metallic blue racer arrived on Christmas morning.  I was over the moon.  It had white handle bars and a white seat.  I seem to remember I spent a lot of time cleaning it, I was very proud of that bike.

This bike got me everywhere.  In the summer, my friends and I would badger our parents to make us a picnic, and we would take off for the day to the nearby villages.  If we were really lucky we might get a few pounds pocket money so that we could go into the Swiss Garden.  We loved exploring here, with it’s beautiful grounds and old summer houses.  We didn’t appreciate those quite so much back in those days, but what we did appreciate was the big hill we could roll down giggling and laughing all the way.  We spent a lot of time on that hill in our shell suits and illuminous socks.  Nobody would have missed us, that’s for sure!

Halford’s have also been thinking about bikes through the decades and if you want a trip down memory lane, then you have to check out this post.  They picked the Raleigh Vektar as the top bike from the 80’s.  I can definitely remember being wowed by it’s super cool alarm system.  Every boy in the village wanted to get his hands on one of these bikes.  Nowadays, the choice of bikes for kids is very different, but it would be great to see the Raleigh Vektar make a come back.

Thinking about my blue racer, I can remember how much I loved that bike and the freedom it gave me.  Did you have a favourite bike when you were a kid?  I’d love to hear about what you had and the things you got up to on it in the comments below

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19 COMMENTS

  1. My first proper bike was back in the early ’80’s. It was no particular brand that I can remember, but it was shiney red. I lived out in the sticks, and this bike took me on grand adventures for years. I even ran away from home on it, with marmelade sandwiches and a Tupperware cup of water, in a leather satchel on my back, I got about five miles away and went back. I didn’t have a good enough reason to want to run away, just thought I’d give it a go!

  2. We just got Leanora a bike and we can not wait to teach her, i’ve kept it hidden and can nt wait for the weather to pick up so that we can teach her. Such a great skill. x

  3. Bikes are amazing for kids who are able to use them. So flexible and liberating. Thanks for sharing your memories!

  4. I had the same experience. I was begging my dad to not let go and the next minute I was flying away on my own. A great memory. Mine was a second had bike with worn off flower petals on the seat but I loved it.

  5. I think my first real bike also was vekyar and it was really cool, but it was from the 90s coz I was born in 1990 haha 🙂 x

  6. My first bike will always be one of my happiest Christmas memories, I remember waking up to find a playhouse at the bottom of our stairs and inside were 2 bikes, one for me and one fr my sister!

  7. My first “cycling memory” is being taught to ride by my dad! I had lovely, girlish, white bike:) And it had just one extra side wheel to help me to keep the balance 😀 Thanks for reminding me that!:)

  8. I had my first proper bike in the 80s too, my best friend and I both had similar shopper type bikes with a basket on that we loved, they weren’t the coolest of bikes but we loved them and went everywhere on them

  9. If my memory serves me correctly, my first bike was a green Raleigh. I had to share it with my two sisters and we were constantly fighting over it. That really drove my parents crazy!

  10. Trip down memory lane
    We loved our bikes -mine was a Raleigh Chopper with flowery seat them I got a drop handle

  11. Such a beautiful post you share here. Seriously, I love this. I don’t remember my first bike, but I do remember my first grown-up bike. A pink and yellow mountain bike. I used to ride all over the estate on mine. I would go easily everywhere on it and be out for hours just riding. By the way thanks for your great share.

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