We're off the trainer wheels!

Growing up on a boat doesn’t do much for your ability to ride a bike…

Hence I was 21 years old and still pretty sketchy on anything with two wheels! Landing my dream job at the Avantidrome, New Zealand’s National Cycling Center of Excellence, and landing my dream man who also happens to be a professional BMX rider…I figured I’d have to face my fears at some stage but was secretly dreading it.

For my 22nd birthday, Daniel bought me a beautiful, baby pink, road bike. I was literally like a kid on her 6th birthday when she gets her first bike, absolutely over the moon – I’m not quite sure what made me more excited, the fact that I had a bike, or the fact that it was a PINK bike; nonetheless I was chuffed.

Now just to actually ride it…

My excitement was overcome with nervousness – what if I left it too late to properly learn and I actually, physically can’t ride a bike? The saying goes “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” - I’m 22 now, I’m pretty much an old dog.

All these fears were made far worse by the fact that my boyfriend is a professional BMX rider, and my three flatmates also happen to be athletes; another BMXer (an Olympian), a professional road and track rider, and a professional rower. So much athleticism in one flat… and then there’s me; the girl who can’t ride a bike at 22 years old.

Well after about 15 minutes of stalling, I eventually placed my feet on those pedals and took a wobbly surge forward into the unknown. Turns out I can ride a bike after all!! I just can’t turn my bike….

After successfully completing a straight line, I’d stop and pick my bike up to turn around and face the other way… I was slowly getting the hang of this. I was surprised at how quickly I actually picked bike riding up, and was also surprised at just how much fun I was having in the process – I genuinely felt like a kid again!

I’m actually quite chuffed with my bike riding progress these days. I’m getting pretty pro with my cornering now days; you never know, I might turn into one of those die hard cyclists one of these days… I’ve already got my pink kit all picked out!