Is riding a bike like, well, riding a bike?

August 7, 2023 3:53 PM

I haven’t ridden a bicycle in about 20 years. I now HAVE a bicycle, which is freshly repaired, so I can keep up with my bike-happy kid, but I haven’t tried it yet. Do I bring it on the camping trip we’re leaving for tomorrow and assume I’ll figure it out, or lower the risk of injury/public humiliation and take some lessons somewhere before trying it in a semi-public place? I’m in okay shape but have zero spatial skills.
posted by centrifugal to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (14 answers total)

I started riding a bike after a 20-something year gap, and did just fine after the first 15-20 minutes of wobbliness and learning how to stop and start. I'm also very clumsy and have bad spatial awareness, and am not athletically gifted at all.

You'll be fine taking it on the camping trip, just give yourself some grace when first getting started. And don't forget a helmet and first aid kit, just in case. Have fun!
posted by Sparky Buttons at 3:57 PM on August 7, 2023 [9 favorites]

Do I bring it on the camping trip we’re leaving for tomorrow and assume I’ll figure it out, or lower the risk of injury/public humiliation and take some lessons somewhere before trying it in a semi-public place?

It feels like the reasonable middle-ground you’re skipping over with these options if “take it out to your driveway/quiet street/nearby empty parking lot and give it a try”. Within a minute or two it’ll be clear if you need a more formal refresher.
posted by not just everyday big moggies at 4:01 PM on August 7, 2023 [36 favorites]

Been there, done that. At least 30 years since I rode a bike, but my granddaughter asked me to ride to the beach with her.
It IS just like riding a bicycle!!
I went up and down a long driveway a few times before I braved the road, and honestly it was fun!!
Total klutz with zero spatial awareness, now thinking about renting a bike when go away at the end of August.
posted by mmf at 4:01 PM on August 7, 2023 [1 favorite]

Yes. Just practice, especially turns, in a driveway or other safe area for a bit.
posted by redlines at 4:04 PM on August 7, 2023 [3 favorites]

Oh, gosh, do you have a driveway or other quiet spot where you can just try it out? I think it'll be pretty easy, but you might feel better if you give it a go first. But I also thinking a campground is a fine place to give it a whirl. I'd say to do it on the grass if you have short grass and it's not mucky or damp.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:16 PM on August 7, 2023 [1 favorite]

100% ride at home before camping. It’s pretty unlikely you’ll need lessons, but at the very least you should get used to shifting before you’re in unfamiliar territory.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:35 PM on August 7, 2023 [1 favorite]

I think many folks would find navigating a new area + remembering how to ride a bike + 'watching out' for kiddo stressful. IMHO it's worth taking the remembering part out of the equation, so I would suggest you find an empty parking lot or similar.

Accessories you might want to have (and may have forgotten about): bike helmet, light, reflector, basket, and/or lock; bell; mirror that attaches to helmet or handle bars, and/or water bottle.
posted by oceano at 4:59 PM on August 7, 2023 [2 favorites]

I have another even better reason for you to test ride your bike:

One time I picked up my "freshly repaired" bicycle from my trusted local bike shop intending to ride it merrily home.

I mounted it and found out in less than a minute that the shop somehow forgot to hook my brakes back up and I had no brakes. So that's how I found out that it's a good idea to check the rideability of any bicycle immediately after any repairs are done.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 5:23 PM on August 7, 2023 [11 favorites]

I started riding again after a 20 year gap and it really is like riding a bike. You get it back very quickly. My biggest problem was that I didn't remember how I used to actually get on the bike. I assumed I wanted a low step through bike so I could step in and mount from in front of the seat and I just could not make it work and I was so awkward getting on until I recalled that all my bikes when I was little were hand-me- downs from my brother and I must have learned to get on by throwing my leg over from behind. As soon as I tried that, it all got better.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:39 PM on August 7, 2023

While "It IS just like riding a bicycle!!" is a saying for a reason some people do have trouble in the very short term. You'll know within minutes and you don't have to go far. If you can balance while going slowly up and down you street/parking lot/driveway etc. you'll be fine as far as proficiency goes. Be aware though that like anything else you'll be using small muscle groups in combinations that don't usually get used day to day. Even a pretty moderate 15-20 minute slow riding around with a kid might mean some soreness the next day or two.
posted by Mitheral at 5:52 PM on August 7, 2023

Yep, it is just like riding a bike. You may be a bit rusty, so take the suggestions of others and have a bit of a ride around in the driveway or whatever first. Wear a helmet.
posted by dg at 7:40 PM on August 7, 2023

Is it even the right type of bike for the camping location?
If so, do you have the stamina you would require for the type of cycling you'd be doing?

I was just fine riding very short distances despite many years not on a bike. It was the change in health - stamina, strength, etc - that made it very difficult to do much, because my MIND still expected my body to react in the same way.
posted by stormyteal at 8:08 PM on August 7, 2023

I was very wobbly at first after a similar gap. I'd suggest 30 to 60 minutes practice before the trip. It does come back quite quickly though.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:14 AM on August 8, 2023

I would want to try the bike out some place safe before taking it out onto roads with traffic. If you're just going to be on trails and such like then I think you'll be fine.

Victoria Coren Mitchell had never really ridden a bicycle, is middle aged and not well coordinated, she picked up the basic mechanics of riding a bike almost instantly while being filmed for Taskmaster. Your kid would probably love to have something that they are definitively better at than you. Go for it!
posted by plonkee at 5:52 AM on August 8, 2023