1988 needed a bike for riding to work went and bought a Marin Pallisades trail, the guy in the shop said go and ride around Peaslake and Leith hill.

Since then I've had 6 jobs, a number of girlfriends, five houses and now a wife, two kids and a Labrador. I've put on 20 years, a lot more than 20 pounds become more cynical and less impulsive.

I still have the same smile I've always had when I get back to the car after riding the MTB though. I thank the guy who told me to heard for the hills.

Bagging Munros in Scotland, Plus having what we called in the day "a scrambler bike" to play on around the farm. that was over 40 years ago.

start early 80's with a raleigh commando, then Raleigh Super burner gave me off-road bug, then mountain biking appeared and old man bought me a massive 21" Muddy fox courier which I road to death and then bought a Spesh rockhopper and built my first bike.

Then after a lay off of 15 years I started riding again last year with a Merlin Malt, then got a Scott Genius, sold Malt, built a Merida HT and just got a Zesty – so got the bug back big time – 3 bikes in the stable now 😆

1st bike = budgie
2nd bike = chopper (added wooden blocks to pedals so i could actually ride it!)
bmx's, road bikes…………
1st mtb = muddyfox (thought i was so cool)
1981miked – really liked your personal story, nice nostalgic read on a no bike day for me, better than the usual "show me your bike, look how big my willy is thread"

I was always on me bike when I was a kid but kinda packed it in for mortorcycle trials from about 17-32. I was in a crap marriage with a wife who hated me out of her sight & running a petrol station, which gave me very little leisure time. Anyway I'd packed in the trials & hadn't pedalled anything for years, then one day the son of a mate called in the garage with something I'd never seen before. A 'mountain bike', a Marin Palisades I think, & i says to myself (like Will Smith in Independance Day) 'I gotta get myself one of these!! Except it was a Saracen Tufftrax i got. £320, & that was in 1991 ish. Not long after that she f***ed of with a mate of mine & I was as free as a bird. I spent many a Saturday just exploring, mainly the Cheviots & other areas where I'd ridden trials. I only wish it'd happened sooner. (her f***ing off I mean). I've never looked back & still ride with Steve who I've known since about 92.
Happy days eh?

Learnt to ride a bike at 4.

Crashed enough but loved it.

Still do (including crashing).

My first big crash trying to ride a hybrid fast down a track near home in 1995; broke a tooth and sprained bits. By jove this is ace! But didn't start riding frequently until 2004 when I made friends with Rich.