Did you like riding a bike as a kid?

[love_conquers_lust]

For me, it was my main mode of transportation to my friends. I was always excited to ride a few miles all on my own. Going to the park, athletic complex, the pool, anywhere.

This was before the internet had really taken off. Besides landline phones, my bike was my modem and means of connection to other people.

We lived in a lower class neighborhood up to my early adolescence, but it was at least safe enough to ride through, not so sure about today.

[Adventurer23]

I loved riding a bike as a kid and I still love it today. I have no intention of ever stopping. Riding a bike gave me freedom as a kid, and it still gives me that same feeling today. I prefer riding a bike to where I'm going instead of driving if I can. Even if it's 20 or more miles away, and I also prefer to commute to work by bicycle if the weather permits.

For me, there's just something very freeing about bike riding. I like the rhythm of it when you really get into a groove, and I enjoy the physicality of using my own body's kinetic energy to propel myself to where I want to go. I like the slower pace of it (compared to driving) and how you're able to see, hear and experience more things along the way than you can while driving in a car. It has a way of slowing down life so you can take it in and appreciate your surroundings more. Which is also why I enjoy walking and hiking. But I also like how cycling is not bound to just roads. You can bike on bike trails, gravel paths, no car access areas, off-road trails, etc. Cycling is just more interesting in that way. If all you do is drive on roads and walk on sidewalks, you're not fully experiencing the world around you as much as you can in my opinion.

So yeah, I loved cycling as a kid, and I still love it today. In fact, I am considering buying what's called a "fat bike" so I can continue riding during the winter in the snow and ice. Cycling is just something I enjoy. 🚴‍♂️ 👍

[love_conquers_lust]

Are those tires supposed to "float" on the snow?

[Adventurer23]

Sort of, yeah. The width of them allows them to ride much easier on snow and loose sand. Just think of them as the equivalent of snowshoes. Also, because of their wide tread and wider contact with the ground, they are also much more stable on ice as well, especially if the tires have metal studs.

Fat bike tires are also inflated with a very low psi (as low as 1-4 psi for riding on snow, up to 10-12 psi on pavement), and they give a much cushier ride than normal bike tires. Many people talk about how once you hit a certain speed, the vibrations and resonances of the ground beneath you disappears and it feels like you're literally floating on a cloud as if there is nothing beneath you.

Fat bikes are popular for winter riding, but just as many people ride them in the summer as well. As mentioned, because of their wide tread, it also allows you to ride through sand, whereas regular width mountain bike tires (let alone skinnier road tires) sink into sand, which makes it pretty much impossible to steer or pedal through. But fat bikes are able to ride on top of it.

The only downside to fat bikes is that they are generally heavier than normal mountain bikes, and they don't have the same peddling efficiency due to the wide, cushy tires. However, they just give a very unique and fun riding experience, and most people love the "monster truck" aspect of them because they can literally roll over everything.

I'd like a fat bike for winter riding, but I can see using it during the warmer months too for hard pack trails and some off-raod riding too. I just like the idea of being able to ride all year round without any concern for weather conditions that keeps me from riding during wintertime with my normal bike. It would also allow me to remain more active during the winter too, which is a bonus. I used to think fat bikes were a silly fad when they came out, but now I totally get it. lol

[love_conquers_lust]

I know people will opt for studded or narrow mud and snow tires when traveling on freshly powdered roads. Bite the snow when compacting it, like mechanical keying.

Your legs would probably jacked after a winter on those tires.

[Adventurer23]

Riding on/through snow or sand is always going to require a bit more effort than on pavement or a hard packed trail, but with the proper gearing it's pretty much a non-issue. Better bike brands take that into consideration when designing a drivetrain for them. Check out some winter fat bike riding on YouTube though. It's pretty cool. 🙂

[NathanDavis]

yes, with friends... never on my own, two of my best childhood friends like to bike a lot

so among other things, that's what we would do from time to time

and then a bit later as a teen, I very briefly liked the challenge of it... going up hills that is, that was a killer though... lol

[love_conquers_lust]

Same. We couldn’t really do anything together without bikes because everyone lived at least a mile away.

[NathanDavis]

we had many options, but...

that sensation of "freedom" when we would just take our bikes and "take off wherever we wanted to"

very few things in childhood would match that feeling... lol

[IslaTheWitch]

I still do, even if I don't have enough time for it.

But as a kid, i was traveling alone, to the lake (stupid idea, I know, I know), woods and other excluded places, to feel free for at least a short time. And sometimes my best friend was there for me. We played the scenes from our favorite movies or books. And bikes were everything: cars, submarines, ships, military vehicles, space ships...

It was perfect time, you know? No cell phones, I was leaving home early morning and returning at dinner time. Most scars on my legs I earned riding in wild areas :D

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

Yes. I was also a champion in bike racing on my district.

I was extremely fast. I still am.

Hopefully I’ll be again.

I was so confident in my skills, was riding a hike in every pose, once when I mastered riding fast without my hands, I decided to close my eyes as well,

thankfully, I crushed the tree, with open hands and closed eyes.

I say “thankfully” because If not that tree I’d suddenly ride myself onto the road full with fast-paced cars.

[LaFemmeFatale_1]

*riding a Bike

[love_conquers_lust]

Ouch.

I had coworker who perished on a snowmobile after he accidentally went off trail and pinned himself under a semi-truck on a highway. This guy taught me basic electrical troubleshooting of high voltage equipment.

I almost got hit fucking around on a four wheeler with a girl on the back with me.

It's moments like those when I find it hard to deny angels/karma aren't watching over me, despite other hardships I may have endured or my own degree of recklessness.

On a side note, I remember was my friend failing to hop a parking block on his bike. His front wheel stopped, his back wheel revolved forward until he was almost straight up and down and he wracked himself. He was rolling around on the ground holding his nuts. I was rolling around holding my chest laughing.

[Beckybooboo]

Friends and I would ride our bikes for hours when we were teens. Sometimes we would just start riding in a direction and see where we’d end up. Unfortunately, a couple times we didn’t realize just how far we had traveled and ended up riding back in the dark part of the way, which is scary! 😮

[Cutegirl06]

I loved riding my bike with my friends. It was so much fun!!

[DizzyDesii]

On occasion. It was always some dog on the loose ruining the moment

[Radiate143]

Absolutely! Sadly, my bike got stolen so, I switched to rollerblading.

[collie22]

My bike was stolen too. Now I'm rollerskating

[Anonymous]

I got around via skateboard. For whatever reason I was never interested in learning how to ride a bike.

[joehypo1]

Yes and i did motorcross many years also

[love_conquers_lust]

Never did motorcross. Rode 4 wheelers sometimes.

You break any bones?

[joehypo1]

Broke my arm couple of pins in my foot and i had a head injury i losf my smell and taste for about 7 or 8 years

[love_conquers_lust]

That’s why my parents wouldn’t allow it. You regret it?

[joehypo1]

I still remember my first pedal bike it was a free spirit fs600 bmx bike I almost bought one just like it the other day

[joehypo1]

Hell no I love riding I regret getting rid of some of the bikes I have had a lot of bikes a few 3 wheelers I raced a hair scramble once on a 1985 yamaha tri z 250 it would go 80 mph

[joehypo1]

My first motorcycle was a 1975 harley davidson shortster 65cc i sold it for 50 bucks and at the harley davidson museum they have that same bike same color its the first bike you see when you go in bright yellow tank with bright orange harley davidson logo it was street legal cool as cool can be i wish i still had that thing

[love_conquers_lust]

My Dad had a bike. But when he almost got ridden off an overpass bridge by a semi, he sold it. What kind of mileage did it get?

[joehypo1]

The little harley i was 6 im not sure if you google harley davidson shortster , not sportster you will see what im talking about i sold a 1978 honda cb400 hawk last year that got 55 mpg and was a automatic and mint condition

[love_conquers_lust]

I think about the cost of gas and how much cheaper everything would be if everyone rode bikes. But it's likely Jevon's Paradox would still kick in.

[Iron_Man]

I loved it. I did it every day for hours.

[Iron_Man]

Around the big large cul-de-sac that we had like clockwork every day

[Inge96]

Yes, still do.

[LavLavLuv]

YES!!

[TiaNour]

Yeah

[strateguy632]

yes.