All of us recall getting our first bike, getting out of bed Christmas morning pestering our parents to get out of bed so we can see what Santa has left behind. The anticipation of seeing the pile of presents stacked beneath the tree waiting for the inevitable carnage as gift paper is frantically ripped and strewn across the floor. I don’t remember my first bike no doubt it was some small, brightly coloured, single speed machine, probably a Raleigh, with the inevitable stabilizers added.
I do however remember the stabilizers coming off for the first time. The inevitable wobble, the look of fear and hope on my parents face as they watched the boy take flights don the cul-de-sac for the first time. You never forget your first bike – in my case a Raleigh Chopper – a iconic bike still recognised today and still made by Raleigh. The joy of bombing around with your mates in the summer holidays, this was way before the invention of computer games to distract you.
Then emerged the BMX – it was 84 and all I wished for for The yuletide season would have been a Mongoose – this is thee BMX to possess at the time frame, nevertheless all I previously had at the time would be a cycle my daddy made for me. Thank goodness (or not) the cycle was thieved and to my elation we made our approach to the hometown bike shop. The Mongoose was a touch outside of the price tag range but I became the hottest youngster on the vicinity with my brand spanking new Raleigh Extra Burner in Crimson and Vivid white. Shortly to be added in was stunt pegs front and back and unlimited attempts at ollies, whip tales and jumps. Luckily BMX’s will have the brake cables undetectable in the frame – I remarkably recall numerous a tangle as I tried to whip the back end of my bike a full 360 degrees whilst bouncing over the frame simply to end up on my happy face as almost everything got ensnared up in the cables.
BMX led to racing bicycles (evidently called road bikes now) the joy of air was changed with pace and the amazement of a whole 10 gears! It appears archaic right now but in 1989 that was some thing unique. In truth the road bicycle my parents bought me for Christmas that year was the main player in my winning the neighborhood triathlon – primarily because everybody else was trying to do it on a BMX!
Then a new breed of bike emerged – the mountain bike – not many mountains around but hey I still wanted one – more gears available rugged looks though by this stage my parents had dispensed with actually wrapping them – mountain biking was the future!
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