What inspired me to ride a bike?

What inspired me to ride a bike?

Some people would say, it’s passion for cycling, it’s for fitness, it’s a fun activity, or my friends/buddies got me into this etc. etc. For me, it happened way back around 2010 or 2011, I am with my wife(she was still my girlfriend back then), we were going to Tagaytay with a couple of friends for a sort of double date. I don’t drive even up to this very day, so she was the one driving and I was seated in the front passenger seat next to her. Then I saw this group of cyclists pedalling their way up the road, I don’t know where they are going but they have a good steady speed. We managed to overtake them, but as soon as the traffic slowed down, they caught up and overtook us. Then after a few junctions, we saw them again this time we were traveling at almost the same speed as them and I noticed the old man in the front, top-gone, grey beard pedalling, sweating and breathing hard but with steady cadence. I looked at him and was amazed at him. He’s already old but still lean and can ride at that speed, that far. I said to myself, I want to be like him. (Not that I wanted to be old with top gone) I want to be as healthy as strong as him even when I’m old. My physique back then is bordering on to the side of chubbyness. I didn’t know anything about road bikes back then, all I know about road bike is Tour de France, Lance Armstrong and his Livestrong Foundation. 2012 came and I was able to work with a tv network which aired the 2012 Olympic. I happened to be assigned on the Mens Road Race which is 250+kms long. My co-workers said good luck bro, you’d have to sit there for a while. My curiosity about bike was revived again. Then I realised these are expensive machines, that can go as fast as 45kph on flat roads and over 80kph or sometimes even faster downhill. I know I can’t buy any of these machine. So I forgot about it. But then I saw a bike somewhere on the internet that doesn’t have any brakes. It is vintage with leather grips and saddles and worn out paint. I like it. So I googled bikes with no brakes. There it was fixed gear bikes used in track cycling and by messengers in the US. And was in the movie premium rush. I told myself this is good. I saw that it is cheaper than the road bike. It is simpler cleaner looking and I can wear regular clothing while riding it (as seen on the movie) 2015 came, I finally was able to acquire a fixed gear bike with a flip/flop hub. It means I can ride it like a normal bike or flip the rear wheel to make it fixed gear. I’m using this bike until now for everyday going to work. I think I’ve never been more fit more than ever before. I think this is the way that I can be like the old man I saw going to Tagaytay on his bike.

How to Learn Riding a Bike

How many of you started with those little wheel attached to the rear of your bike when you were a kid? I know a handful. Question is, is that an effective way of teaching the kids how to ride a bike? For me, No. Yes you read it right. I’ll say it clearly it is not a n effective way of teaching kids how to ride a bike. First thing you need to teach a kid is balancing on a bike and not pedalling. He needs to get his balance first, he needs to to learn how to keep him and his bike upright. I learned to ride my bike pretty much on my own. This is a bit embarrassing since I’m already in 6th grade and still learning to ride a bike. I borrowed a bike from my friends younger brother, Jason, he is also technically a friend. I first practiced on their garage(they have 4 jeepneys that can fit in to that garage.) I started off by sitting on the saddle and pushing off with my feet while and lifting my feet off the ground when it’s fast enough. Such a thrill. But that’s how I started. Then one afternoon while practising, Jason (the guy who owned the bike) and his friend MJ said why not try it on the street, we’ll watch you, we promise we will not laugh if you fall. they coached me saying, you just keep pedalling and turn your bike where you think your falling. So off we go, I kept pedalling and wobbling turning the handle bars to the direction where I feel like I’m falling, they cheered and shouted keep pedalling, faster, faster until we reached the end of the street. They helped my make a u-turn and did the same thing again and again for the whole afternoon. We were all excited and happy we laughed and exchanged high-fives. The 2 guys feel really accomplished. So that’s how we supposed to do it. Another case, my nephew Sam. He wants to learn to ride a bike. So they bought him a bike, tried teaching him using those little trainer wheels. No go. He will just stop pedalling because he feel he will fall. So his grandpa Papa Fred, removed the trainer wheels and decided he will teach him by just pushing him and helping with balance. Still no go. He then removed the cranks and chain, he made it a balance bike. Within few days Sam learned to balance and within that week learned to ride his bike. So there you have it. If you want to teach you kids how to ride a bike, get him/her a balance bike. 

How I started with bikes

I’m Jake Alvarez, I am a father, a husband, I am a graphic designer and a photographer. I bike to work Mondays to Fridays. I’m not good at riding bikes when I decided to ride my bike to work. In fact, I have very little experience in riding a bike. It is very evident, you will notice it when you ride with me, there are still parts of the road where I’m have difficulty in navigating. I learned to ride my bike when I was in 6th grade. My friends younger brother Jason lend me his bike and I practiced in their long garage (they have 4 jeepneys that fit in that garage.) I started by just pushing the bike with my feet, fast enough that the bike would roll and I can lift my feet of the ground. Then one day Jason (who owned the bike ) and his friend MJ said why not try it out on the street, we’ll watch you. They said they would not laugh if I fall. So off we go. They were excited as I rode off pedaling the bike, they cheering me on up until the end of the street. I did not fall that day. But the joy and happiness and the big smiles on our faces that day. The 2 little guys felt so accomplished. More in this in the next post. Up to this day I still can’t do any tricks, like wheelies, I can’t even take my hands of the bars. It’s just that I want to ride a bike going to work and far away places occasionally. I’ll also write more about why I decided to ride my bike to work and what inspired me to ride a bike going to far away places. Stay tuned.