You never forget how to FALL OFF a bike.
@allyoftherain (7208)
United States
June 8, 2012 4:19pm CST
It's been said that you never forget how to ride a bicycle. I soundly disagree. I rode a bike as a kid, up and down the neighborhood all the time. I recently got a new bike as an adult and have been attempting to ride it up and down the neighborhood again. And boy do I feel out of practice! 
My Dad did lots of bicycling sports when he was younger, and he adopted this inverse to the popular bike saying. Which is, "You never forget how to fall off a bike."
Anybody else out there a regular bicyclist? Can you give me any tips I may not have learned? Anyone else pick up bicycling after awhile, and did you get back on no problem or did you have trouble like me?
My Dad did lots of bicycling sports when he was younger, and he adopted this inverse to the popular bike saying. Which is, "You never forget how to fall off a bike."
Anybody else out there a regular bicyclist? Can you give me any tips I may not have learned? Anyone else pick up bicycling after awhile, and did you get back on no problem or did you have trouble like me?1 person likes this
9 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
8 Jun 12
Hi ally, I finally started to ride a bike again last December, after almost 30 years.
I was a little wobbly, but I didn't fall and of course if I went longer than I am use to, then my muscles would get sore. I still only ride locally, but I am planning on biking over to the beach this summer and I hope I don't regret it..lol
I was a little wobbly, but I didn't fall and of course if I went longer than I am use to, then my muscles would get sore. I still only ride locally, but I am planning on biking over to the beach this summer and I hope I don't regret it..lol
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
10 Jun 12
Yes ally, 300 miles is a bit too far to ride..Do you have a nearby park or anything like that? It would be nice to pack a lunch and ride to a park, have lunch and enjoy nature, and then ride back..
Hi China, yes I do ride often, just not long distance at this time. Though I did ride across the dam a couple months back. It wasn't too bad and I stretched out when I got back home so my muscles wouldn't be stiff the following day..
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
9 Jun 12
Sounds like it might be fun! Makes me wish there was a beach nearby that I could bike to.... It's about 300 miles. Not sure I'm ready to bike that far! lol
You've inspired me. I'm going to keep biking and hopefully I'll be able to ride all the time.
1 person likes this
@China5Flower (225)
• Guangzhou, China
9 Jun 12
Congratualations ! You can go longer. Spend more time and you can eide longer and longer. Practice makes perfect. Riding is a good way to exercise. It makes your legs move, your breath faster and your attention focused. Just keep this habit !
@snam23 (3157)
• United States
10 Jun 12
This is a very amusing discussion and I really appreciate it! 
I agree with your dad's saying more than the traditional one. I still remember falling off my bike once on a trail right before crossing a bridge and losing my glasses! I still have that scar on my knee! Anyway, I also remember getting a new bike a couple years ago and it took me a while to get back at it and I definitely was close to falling off! But like everyone said, it is just a matter of getting used to it again.
I agree with your dad's saying more than the traditional one. I still remember falling off my bike once on a trail right before crossing a bridge and losing my glasses! I still have that scar on my knee! Anyway, I also remember getting a new bike a couple years ago and it took me a while to get back at it and I definitely was close to falling off! But like everyone said, it is just a matter of getting used to it again. @allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
13 Jun 12
A little bit of truth. I think I haven't forgotten how to balance on a bike, but I know I've forgotten how to steer and make turns and whatnot. lol
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
11 Jun 12
Yay! Someone who sees what I'm saying! Thanks for the story, it made me feel less alone in the world! Maybe I will get used to it again, I really hope that I do.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
9 Jun 12
I rode a bike after not riding for about 15 years and didn't have a problem, but I also rode horses...
However, I couldn't roller skate anymore...
Its now been about 20 years since that time and I feel that I could jump on a bike and do okay... if I had anywhere to go...
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
9 Jun 12
I challenge you to test that theory. 
I haven't rollar skated in forever either. hmmm.
I haven't rollar skated in forever either. hmmm.1 person likes this
@kingparker (9673)
• United States
9 Jun 12
Absolutely no problem for me to pick it up again. I hadn't ridden a bike for over 10 years; boy, am I that lazy? I guess that I just won't spend extra money to get myself a bike and ride around the neighborhood, am I that stingy? Probably sometimes I just won't want to spend extra time to exercise too. Anyway, I think your dad saying is right, you might not forget how to fall off a bike.
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
11 Jun 12
Of course you don't. lol I got the bike cause I wanted to save gas in transit to the train station but I haven't managed to ride that far yet. So transit time would be exercise that I needed to use time for anyway. lol
@tkonlinevn (6438)
• Vietnam
12 Jun 12
Oh, I don't know why. But I still ride a bicycle well after a long time I didn't use it. You maybe try it again with slow speed. You'll control it well as before.
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
13 Jun 12
I haven't picked up speed yet. lol Been riding veeery slow.
@ardoy0731 (7308)
• Philippines
9 Jun 12
I used to fall off in a bike when I was a kid which encourage me more to learn biking then eventually learned it.I used to do biking when I was a kid and really enjoyed it a lot with friends.Now,I never had a chance to ride on a bike and do hope that I could still do it once in awhile.
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
9 Jun 12
I got a bike because I wanted a way to the train station that didn't use gas. lol It's going to be awhile before I can ride it that far though. It really is a great mode of transportation, not just kids stuff you know.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
8 Jun 12
I bought myself a bike when I was in my late forties and didn't have much trouble riding it. Since I hadn't ridden one since I was a young teenager, I was surprised. The biggest problem I had was that I wanted to ride farther than I could ride back home.
I don't have a bike now and I miss it, but there's no place to ride one here and I'm enough older that the thought of falling off one scares me just a little.
I don't have a bike now and I miss it, but there's no place to ride one here and I'm enough older that the thought of falling off one scares me just a little. 1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
9 Jun 12
Aw, well I'm glad that you had a good run while you could. And you even wanted to ride farther in it all the time... lol. Not sure I'm there yet personally.
@bjc66bjc (6730)
• United States
8 Jun 12
Hi ally, I have the phrase many times, 'you never forget how
to ride a bike",,quite the opposite of your fathers saying.
but I do believe its just as anything else..If you have not
done it in a while it seems a little weird..It dosne't mean
you forgot, just need to get back into the swings of things..
Good luck...
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
8 Jun 12
Perhaps, but I feel so wobbly behind the handbars! My Dad says it's user error. 
I'm going to keep practicing regardless and hopefully I'll be zooming around like old times again.
I'm going to keep practicing regardless and hopefully I'll be zooming around like old times again.
@dobsyto (298)
• Bulgaria
8 Jun 12
Yes this is really well known dictum. I think that you remember how to ride a bike but just you are bigger now(sounds funny :D) and just need a few time to remember. It similar to the writing. Lots of people just stop using the pen and forget how to write but after a few practice they remember everything.
1 person likes this
@allyoftherain (7208)
• United States
8 Jun 12
LOL, I guess the two things are kind of similar. And yes, I'm MUCH bigger now. lol I'd say I'm about twice the size I was when I was 12. It's funny, because I picked the hula hoop right back up again without a problem, but getting back on the bike was an entirely different story!
