It was the 60's
I'm pretty sure cars had been invented by then.
Was doing a lot of climbing, long walks in were dull so got hold of a kona in 1988, realised in 1989 that i enjoyed the ride there/back more than the climbing itself. Bought a better bike in 1989 and have ridden ever since.
Just did, all boys cycled in the sixties.
Saved up my paper round money for my first proper racer.
The shop keeper happened to run a pro rider and was dead keen to get lads riding.
When I put down my last £5 and collected the bike, he handed over a free pair of Fiamme sprints on Campagnolo hubs that were the old training wheels of at the time pro rider Nigel Dean...that was the 'proper' start I guess.
As a kid I rode a bike to get about.
As an adult, I had a £200 Claud Butler Ravana that I used to zip about on and we'd just had out daughter. I think I needed to get away so took my Ravana to the Peak district on a ride out of some MTB magazine.
It hooked me even though the gears wouldn't get me up the hill (and my fitness) and the brakes wouldn't stop me going down hill!
That was in 2004.