Why is bike riding so important?

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I've never really wanted to ride bikes, but ever since I was a little kid people acted as if knowing how to ride one was as important as breating. My mom says I was delayed in learning how to ride a bike becuase I couldn't do much physical activity because I had to have hernia surgery when I was three and I was so delayed in bike riding becuase I was recovering from it. I thought I had hernia surgery, not a hip replacement. The way my mom talks, it took my entire childhood to recover. Anyway, I really think my inability to ride a bike has something to do with the autism. I never really had any desire to ride a bike. I perfer horses and camels. I used to ride horses all the time. I only rode a camel once at the zoo and it was just in a little circle.My brother rode a camel when he was stationed in the Middle East and hated it. I suspect it was a dromadary (one hump) where I rode a Bacterian (two hump). Anyway, I enjoyed riding the camel, Alabama, Lestat, Val, Lady, and Sherlock WAY more than riding a bike. So why is it necassary I need to know how to ride a bike?

Bike riding is liberating, exhilarating, mind-opening, fun, very satisfying and a great cardio exercise. For me it's also a great way to be alone. While I'm on the road or on a trail, it's me and the bike and the nature around. However, you can join a bike club and meet people too, if you'd like. Often you will meet wacky, funny people or perhaps others with emotional issues trying to do something about the way they feel by joining a bike club

I also commute by bike to avoided noisy, stinky, crowded subways. I used to get panic attacks on the subway. I just don't like to be enclosed in a tight space tightly packed with people and no means of escape is something goes wrong. A bike sets me free and independent.

I have a blog: http://nycbikecommuter.info/. Check out my piece on depression and cycling. Although, at the time I didn't know that I might have AS. I still don't.

Bikes are much less expensive than horses and more readily available than camels.

A couple of aspies I know don't drive and their bikes provide them with independent transportation to work 7 months a year.

You don't like bikes; forget about it. I like camels better than bikes, too; they're much more interesting. Alas, camels; so impractical.

Ooops, Magic; Kalahari Desert; alas, bikes; so impractical in sand.

I dont think it is so important. I rode a bike for fun last year, but before that I hadnt done it since school.

I suspect that it isn't so much about the bike itself as it is about people's ideas that it is important to have a form of independent transportation. For someone too young to drive, or someone living in a particularly urban area, a bike is the go-to solution.

Beyond that, people will generally cite the importance of exercise and the importance of going outside. Both of those things can be fulfilled in other ways, but a bike is also a solution, on top of the transportation issue.

I don't think it is. I haven't ridden a bike in years. I guess people find it so important because lot of people do it and some use it as transportation. If you don't ride a bike, then it be harder to be with your friends because what if they all wanted to ride a bike, you be left out, you would have to walk everywhere too than riding a bike. Note: I mean the general you, not you as in you.

Walking gets you plenty of exercise too so you don't really need to ride a bike.

It's good exercise and exercise is good for many reasons.

I don't ride bikes either. They used to give me a hard time for having training wheels for so long but I never had the coordination. I could stand on a flat board and zoom down a steep hill without falling off though.

I'm content to just walk.

Around here, Copenhagen, Denmark, Europe, it is the way to get around. It is cheapest, fastest, almost the most save way. It is climate friendly, social and trendy. I did not ride a bike before age 12, but ride a bike all year now. In everything but blizzards and storms. Biking as a means of short distance transport for commuters and social activities is coming to the US, too. The consulting company ALTA is advising several cities on the issue. Both Montreal and New York are among the really keen cities to promote biking in North America for the main stream general public in the near future. Not everyone does it though, even here.

Europe is great that way. The biking culture is much more friendly there than in the US. Certainly more friendly that Arizona.

Bike riding is good exercise, but I find it hard to ride a bike.

Biking is extremely good exercise. Many serious cyclists have a resting heart rate of 40-60. My dad knew a guy who would bike from Buffalo/Niagara (western NY) to DC for the weekend, or even a day trip! I was getting fairly involved myself, but my knee gave out in the spring, leaving me with a weak upper-body and faltering (but otherwise strong) lower-body.

Biking is generally easier to get into on pavement, but there is evidently a significant mountain-biking crowd. All I know is that that's much more work and much more dangerous. (they started a program at my scout camp recently, and almost immediately one participant broke his arm)

I never learned to ride a bike. I have poor balance and am clumsy and also can't roller skate or skateboard or anything that requires much balance.

I also can't ride a horse at faster than a walk without falling off.

People act like I should just learn but they aren't going to be the ones suffering or paying my hospital bills when I get hurt from falling and I will fall.

I don't like skating, skiing because I too have a weak balance. In spite of this I learned cycling pretty early in my life. I think it's primary function is relaxation and exercise, a source of endorphin. Second to it is visiting peaceful and beautiful nature scenes otherwise unaccessible, if you can tolerate a little mountain climbing. I also use the bike for commuting, but I use other means of transportation, too. I don't like the stress it inflicts on me, though. Too many cars and pedestrians, too much noise and smog.

Because it will give you Green Credentials which are very fashionable these days. And it will give you an excuse to show off your bod in Spandex cycling clothes

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear- ... ghts-plus/

Seriously, if it suits you then it's probably good for your health (as long as you avoid the danger of motorised traffic), and it's a relatively cheap way of travelling short and medium distances. I'm having to limit my cycling because of doctor's orders (I'm getting over sciatica in my leg), and the bike I own doesn't suit me very well, which puts me off bothering, but in principle I'm all in favour of cycling. But if you find you don't like it, it's not necessary.

It's important because bikes are the greatest things in the world. Whether exercise, transportation, or fun, there's a bike for it - and for all conditions, be it pavement, dirt, or snow and ice. A life without riding bikes is a life not lived.