Do kids ride bicylces anymore or is it just an adult thing now?
By John Roberts
@JohnRoberts (109841)
Los Angeles, California
December 19, 2019 6:54am CST
Did you ride a bike as a kid? I did. The thought occurred to me that I never see kids riding bikes anymore and have not in many years. The only bicycle riders I observe these days are “weekend warriors” decked out in their riding gear on expensive bicycles plus an occasional working person on a less than expensive bicycle. You used to see kids riding bikes in movies and TV shows into the 80s like “E.T.”
What happened? Is it just me or have you noticed also? Do your kids and grandkids take time out from looking at tech devices and ride bikes?
I come from an era when having a bike was a rite of passage especially for a boy. You went from a tricycle to being a “big boy” with a bike. Eventually as a teen you traded the bike for that first car. It was a big moment when the training wheels came off and you went flying solo to adventure.
I had a stingray. No one rode clunkers like their parents. Nor some big Schwin with all those gears and leaning over when riding. A stingray was closest to a Harley, being a real biker. That was cool. Mine was sparkly gold which I polished. High handle bars of course. Some kids adjusted seat as low as possible and highest possible handle bars to look like a Hell’s Angel.
You accessorized. I dumped the stock seat for a glitter gold one with matching back pad mounted on a towering monkey bar. Many kids went with pointed monkey bars. Matching gold handle grips. The rear tire was replaced by a “slick” which was flat without tread to “burn” a rubber skid easier when jamming the brake. I never did the baseball card in the spokes to get that motorcycle sound.
I never wore a helmet or any protective gear. No one did. It was unheard of. We raced and popped wheelies and played Evel Knievel. Road conditions were safer then. Bikes weren’t frequently stolen. Theft and so many more crazies on the road these days would be deterrent to having your kid ride a bike.
Maybe kids just do the BMX thing at parks. Come to think of it, what happened to the X Games with all the trick bike riders? What were your wheels of youth?
17 people like this
18 responses
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
19 Dec 19
The adult cyclists arevin the main road while the child bikers are inside the village for safety purposes.
3 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Dec 19
Bike riding has always been a major thing in the UK. The old movie "Nurse on Wheels. "
2 people like this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)
• Pamplona, Spain
24 Dec 19
I was never allowed a bike of any kind but the only adult I saw riding for the want of a better description was on some sort of mini bike which I reckon he needed to go and pass his test as he was texting and doing something else and riding it where he should not have been I almost collided with him he had a big scowl on his face.
Huh? Better that he would have stayed at home for me at least.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382693)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Dec 19
Living on a farm I didn't learn to ride a bike although my brother rode 4 miles to school and back each day for a while. All my friends had bikes and, as you say, it was a rite of passage. It seems to me that many kids here still have bikes and there are lots of BMX tracks. There are a lot of adult groups that ride for pleasure and fitness and road-racing on bikes also has a strong following.
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Dec 19
I would believe there's more bike riding in your area what with space and distances making a bike very handy.
2 people like this
@AliCanary (4459)
•
21 Dec 19
The kids in my neighborhood do ride bikes, but only within the neighborhood, frequently with their helicopter parents looking on. When I was a kid, I could literally ride my bike all over town, and so could all the other kids. Things have REALLY changed.
2 people like this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
19 Dec 19
My parents got me the schwin with gears. I was so sad. I ended up getting a stringray from my grandparents. We used to do BMX type stuff in the front part of our subdivision where they had cut the roads but hadn't paved them yet!
2 people like this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Dec 19
So you are familiar with a stingray. I couldn't find a pic. I know they have not made that styles in decades,
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
23 Dec 19
I rode my bike when I has a child as I ran and played outside. I´m old now so I think that my childhood was better than my Sofía´s one with her tablet
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
16 Jan 20
I rode bikes a lot. I always wanted a cool banana seat bike tho.
I do not see kids around here riding bicycles at all.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54744)
• United States
20 Dec 19
I was thrilled to get my first bicycle. It was a pretty shade of blue. My son still rides a bike and he is 26.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (91208)
• United States
19 Dec 19
Bike riding was our mode of transportation when we were kids.My brother and I would ride our bikes and my parents would probably have a heart attack if they knew how far we would go.
My grandchildren still ride bikes and the kids on my block are riding too when the weather is nice.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
20 Dec 19
@JohnRoberts
Yes, I rode a bike when I was a young adult. I brought my bike here to Israel but did not ride it much so gave it to some kids. Yes, kids do ride bikes here. When I rode a bike people did not wear helmets.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (222986)
• United States
19 Dec 19
I used to ride my bike everywhere...and for miles to visit my aunt. Remember putting baseball cards (I wish I had those cards!) in the spokes to make that motorcycle sound? Kids don't know what they're missing.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (209252)
• United States
19 Dec 19
They don't here, but there really aren't many kids in this neighborhood. I think they might ride in some areas though. My nephews didn't do bike riding however, they didn't play much in their area..usually to soccer or scouts..but my son did for sure, bike rode and played with neighborhood kids.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (40061)
• Toccoa, Georgia
28 Mar
Yes, I rode bikes as a kid. I had fun, even though I fell and skinned myself up once.
