Anyone besides me who can't ride a bike, and/or learned late?

Question

I know I'm not the only adult who never fully learned to ride a bicycle, but sometimes it feels that way! *blush* If you never learned as a kid, I'm curious why. And if you succeeded in learning as an adult, I'd love to know how!

My background: I was an only child & my folks were very overprotective. I think part of their anxiety rubbed off on me, making me fearful to try bike-riding. Also, I was quite uncoordinated when it came to anything sports-related, so perhaps I assumed I'd be uncoordinated with bikes too.

I finally got my cousin's hand-me-down, but with NO training wheels. With all the fear I & my parents had, you'd think I or they would've insisted on installing the wheels. But for some BIZARRE reason, we didn't! :(

You can tell where this is going: I tried to learn, with help from my dad (he knew how to ride; mom didn't), but I never got the hang of it. I took several bad falls & then developed such a complex about it that I simply quit.

I regret it to this day!

I ran out of room above; here's the rest --

I might consider trying to learn, but only if training wheels can be installed on, and work with, an adult bike. Is this possible? :) It would REALLY make me feel more sure of myself.

The bad part is that now that I'm 34, my body's not nearly as flexible as a child's. I'm afraid if I fell, I'd be more likely to break a bone or injure my muscles or connective tissue. Not just because of the effect of age on my body vs. that of a 6-year-old, but also because I weigh more than a child, so would generate more inertia as I fell. ALSO the fact that I'm much farther up from the ground than a child.

I'm normally very optimistic & hopeful no matter what, but I feel the current situation is almost hopeless. :( But I'd really like to be proven WRONG! :)

Answer 1

Here's another one, I learned to ride a bike, and rode up to about 12, my brakes failed and my dad took my bike to pieces, coz I wouldn't stop riding it, with no brakes. Anyway pass to twenty years later, hubby buys me a bike and guess what? I cannot ride a bike for love nor money. So the moral of the story is, I learned to ride as a kid and now as an adult, I am useless. Oh and made a fool of myself. Picture this;Me I love my new bike hun, going for a ride now,Him 'you sure you know how to ride?' Me 'Of corse leaned as a kid, probably bit rusty, but they say once you learned you never forget' Off I go... get on it and promptly ride into hedge, laugh get on again and go into road and fall off.
I don't ride a bike now, or pretend I know how. And guess what I'm quite happy about it!!!

Answer 2

I can't ride a bike either... don't worry about it! I can downhill ski but somehow can't balance well enough on a bike while pedaling... I think it's too much to comprehed. My parents tried to teach me when I was little and I always had a really hard time w/ it.

Answer 3

That's too bad. I learned late, 13, but I love to ride. I own two bikes and bought my girlfriend one this year.

Answer 4

Spend some time on a stationary exercise bike and try again with friends.

Answer 5

if you can get training wheels, you could first learn with those... otherwise just practice in your driveway or somewhere else where there aren't cars, and you'll catch on eventually... just keep trying!

Answer 6

i never learned, and now its too late. save yourself. If you really want to learn, do it at a place where you won't be seen, believe me, it's a very tramatic experience. that's why i quit.

Answer 7

You could either look for some feel good group support, or just do it. Get on and peddle, do it in grass if it sounds better, but just do it!