With Christmas around the corner, I’m sure a lot of us think about gifts that we will be giving and getting them all sorted. For my kids, I have tried to think about the kind of gifts that I got at certain ages. Then it kind of steers my to the right direction of what to get. Around this age that my son is, I remember getting my very first bike.
My sisters and I all got them so it was a very exciting Christmas morning when we rushed downstairs that day! My dad took us to the local park to learn how to ride our bikes and I can still remember that. My mum, bless her, can’t ride a bike, but I remember her trying to learn on my dad’s bike and we would all cycle next to her.
I remember thinking that my stocking looked considerably smaller than previous years. Children don’t get the value of money and that something like a bike is much more expensive than other gifts! Something that I can’t believe I ever thought now that I’m a parent. Max will be getting his first proper bike for Christmas this year (and for once it makes me thankful that he can’t read properly yet). So I imagine he might be wondering why he doesn’t have a large pile of presents, like I thought when I was younger. It certainly makes you appreciate your parents more when you become one!
Prior to getting my first proper bike, we had one that we would ride around in the garden in. I think it had been my brother’s and then we all had it passed down (one of five problems). I remember being outside in the garden. Not sure if I was by myself or with my siblings. But somehow I managed to get some blue paint and I ended up painting the white seat of that bike blue! My parents tried to wash it off, but it forever had a seat that was tinted blue. Honestly, kids?! Haha.
I really remember that bike, though. I think the brand was Raleigh and we called it ‘Pippin’. Not sure if that was the make or just a random nickname we had for it. I don’t have any pictures to hand of it, but the rest of Pippin was dark blue. So I was only being a good citizen and making the seat match the rest of the bike, right?! 😉
Halfords have turned back the clock for us all to take a look at the classic bikes of the past few decades. As I grew up in the 90s, I thought having a look at the 90s bike would be most interesting for me. I remember seeing plenty of BMX bikes around, but sadly, never had one of my own. Also, it makes me feel old remembering that the first Harry Potter book was released in 1997 when I would have been ten!
Did you have a BMX bike in the 90s? Max will be getting this Royal Baby freestyle BMX bike. So maybe BMX bikes are coming back in? I hope it helps Max create memories that he will remember for a long time, like I have.
Would love to hear about your first bike – do you remember it?
*collaborative post
Nice Bikes. Thank you 🙂
My first bike was a Raleigh pipin also, it was red with a white seat and solid rubber wheels, I remember it like it was yesterday. I wish my dad hung onto it purely for nostalgia but when I outgrew it I think it went to the skip. I’ve been keeping my eyes peeled for one at car boots and on selling sites so I could hang it in the garage and reminisce about growing up with my older brother but unfortunately to no avail.