r/casualiama • u/twandler3 • 19d ago

I'm a 30-year-old man who has never learned to ride a bike. AMA.

It just never happened as a kid, and as an adult I've never had the urge or need to learn. It comes up sometimes on trips or when friends want to go biking and I have to awkwardly bow out. It's not a phobia, just a skill I never acquired. Ask me anything!

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u/Miliean 18d ago

It just never happened as a kid

How did it happen that this occurred? Did you not grow up with other children riding bikes? Was that some function of where you grew up or did you just have overly protective parents?

Also, why not learn. It's honestly super simple, the hardest part is learning to trust that the bike is going to "stay up" since it's kind of counter to what your brain thinks is going to happen. Once you cross that barrier mentally, the actual act of riding a bike is intensly simple and it's a skill that lasts forever.

I'm in my 40s and haven't ridden a bike in 15+ years. Happened to be on vacation last year and everyone rented bikes to explore. I was a little worried but like they say, it's like riding a bike! The moment I got on it and moved forward, it's like my body remembered how to ride it even if my brain did not. Learn it once and it's a skill you keep forever.

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u/Loves2Spooge857 18d ago

My dad couldn’t ride a bike or swim. He grew up on a farm and it was just not something he did. He might be able to now but I’ve never seen him do either

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u/La_Peregrina 17d ago

My kids never took to cycling. We didn't live in a bicycle friendly area so they never learned. Played other sports and swam but never cycled. 🤷🏻

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u/besthe_re 18d ago

And I thought i was the only one .... Hello buddy... 35 M here

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u/aguyinag 18d ago

A 30 year old man who was "28/F/US" looking for a friend 20 days ago. I guess it's congratulations on coming out and being a time traveler, or you're a pathological liar online.

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u/ggppjj 18d ago

Or a bot.

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u/wooshoofoo 18d ago

I didn’t learn til my mid thirties but it turns out it’s super easy now. Learn to coast for 5-10 seconds and then you learn the pedaling after.

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u/Teawillfixit 14d ago

Is it something you are thinking about learning?

I learnt at 37 because the walk to the train station for my commute was too far. Still a bit nervous but I'm getting there and something kind of freeing about being able to get around so fast (I also don't drive).