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For us, 80’s kids our bikes were probably the most important thing to us. They were the difference between keeping up with our friends or running alongside them, which was never fun! They were the difference between freedom that day or not.
If you ever wanted to know who’s house all your friends were at you just looked for the stash of bikes on the front lawn. Something which our children will never experience, after all why would you leave the comfort of your bedroom to find your friends when you can simply check online to see where they last ‘checked in’.
Bikes Through the Decades
Over the years bike technology has really come along I thought it would be fun to take a little trip down memory lane. Can you find your first bike in the list?
80’s Nostalgia
The first bike I remember having was red and I’m pretty sure it was a Raleigh. Some of my friends had Choppers which they had inherited from older siblings but as I was the oldest I had my own new bike.
I really thought I was the bee’s knees as I rode along with my multi-coloured Spokey Dokeys clanking round & round and the light shining off of my Tony the Tiger reflectors that came free in my Kellogs cereal box. My Popples always came along for the ride sitting proudly in the plastic dolls seat on the back.
After a full day of riding (us 80’s kids spent most of our lives outside) I’d had enough fresh air and I’d go inside and watch She-Ra whilst munching on my Super Ted vitamins.
My bike was my life!
Do you remember your first bike?
90’s Nostalgia
When I was a bit older I got a ‘big girl’ bike one Christmas and it was bright pink! It was my first BMX. At that point, I had moved on from the Spokey Dokeys and now it was all about the tassel pom pom things that we hung off the handle bars.
The baby seat also got replaced with a basket on the front which was much more ‘grown up’. It did however normally still have a ride along in it, most likely a Troll or even a Care Bear.
At the end of the day I’d go inside and watch TV but I’d moved on from watching She-Ra and was most likely watching Saved By The Bell whilst I munched on my Hubba Bubba. I may have even been playing Pogs as I was older at this point and had learnt to multi-task.
And yes I do still have my Pog collection because I am that sad!
The Noughties Nostalgia
By the time the noughties came around riding a bike was no longer cool for my age group. The only reason we would ride our bikes is so that we could go further afield without having to use our pocket money for the bus. Preferably as far away as possible from our parents to reduce the likely hood of us being caught smoking our fags.
I can’t even remember what kind of bike I had then but I do remember that you could buy a packet of Mayfair for £2 from the bloke that lived on the corner!
The Future of Bikes
As with most things in life, bikes have evolved with technology and electric bikes are becoming more and more common.
We personally, all have bikes in our household today but we rarely use them. The kiddies do drag theirs out every now and then only to discard them 20 minutes later half way down the road. Bikes just can’t compete with Netflix!
I do feel sad that my children don’t spend half as much time outdoors as we used to but I’m also very aware that they are growing up in a different world. I feel it would be wrong of us as parents to not embrace their world and respect their interests.
Saying that however, I will probably continue to buy them new bikes in the vain hope that one day they might discover just how much fun bikes can be.
All of the ‘bikes through the decades’ infographic images were provided by Halfords.
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*Blue bike image by Alisa Anton
Ha ha the reflectors that came in the cereals. My brother, sister and I would have major fights about whose turn it was to have them!
Ditto! There was always a fight in our house about those 🙂
Brilliant! no one likes running along side. we still ride with our friends now, and there is always a fight on the better bike.
Best Wishes
My and my sister shared a bike, omg, we were arguing so much, it’s my turn, NOOO, it’s my turn