“It’s just like riding a bike!”

“It’s just like riding a bike!” 

A common phrase used to describe a skill that you never forget how to do, even if you have not done it for a long time. 

My experience with riding bikes was limited to my childhood and quick rides around my rural town neighborhood. I could not tell you the last time I rode a bike prior to my mid-20s but it fits the definition of “long time.” Getting back on a bike after what I can only assume was 15 years, I can safely say, “it’s just like riding a bike”, is a bit misleading.

There are factors that you do not take into account when all your experience with biking is the simple rides around the neighborhood as a kid. City streets and greenways are more packed than empty culs-de-sac. You need to find a bike that fits you properly (I knew I was short but borrowing a bike really highlighted that). How to ride in groups, cycling gear, hand signals and call outs, and route planning and wayfinding. Additionally, I am much more acutely aware of getting hurt as an adult, which makes me more cautious.

However, getting back on a bike was one of the best things that I ever did.

My first experience back on a bike was attending The Bike Library’s Espresso Express ride in November 2024. This ride is a short, easy pace, no drop, with a stop at a coffee shop in the middle, every Tuesday morning. An easy group ride to get you started! Except, I did not know about the factors - how to shift my gears and on a bike that was just ever so slightly too tall for me. I did fall behind but there is always someone there who is experienced and knows where the group is going that stays with you. We did find our way to the coffee shop, but riding a bike was a bit more difficult than I remember it being.

After that ride, I became determined to continue biking and get better at it. I practiced while borrowing my friend’s bike but had not yet committed to getting one of my own. Until one day, after scouring Facebook Marketplace, I bought my first bike. It was a mountain bike and though it was the right size, it was heavy. I used that bike three times on fairly short rides and sold it within four months. I learned that it was not the right bike for me.

I then bought my hybrid bike but was afraid to ride it. I had endured some falls and group rides where I walked up hills, feeling nervous about making people wait (all things I have now learned are common and not something to be self-conscious about). Due to my hesitation, I was holding myself back from an amazing experience.

I had heard about the Greenway Gear Collective (GGC) Bike Academy. It seemed like a great opportunity to learn more about bikes and become more comfortable while riding. I decided when the opportunity came around again, I would take it and in April 2026, I got that chance.

The Greenway Gear Collective Bike Academy helped me get over the subconscious fear that was keeping me from biking.

It helped being around others who were also looking to learn more about bikes, whether that was route planning, bike maintenance, and/or just getting comfortable riding in groups. There were six sessions on gear, wayfinding, bike maintenance, group riding and signals, technical skills such as turning and braking, and commuting/public transport. I also walked away with helpful tools and resources that I use while biking today.

I met so many amazing people through Bike Academy, whether they were there as a participant or an instructor and formed connections with people I see weekly at different bike rides. 

Part of our homework on the third week was to attend the Wednesday night group ride at Crank Arm Brewing Company. This is an 8-10 mile ride, between 10-12 mph, no drop. On this ride all the instructors from Bike Academy were there to support. Debra Rezeli, Executive Director of GGC, was checking on me throughout the ride, ensuring I was in the right gear and not falling behind. Debra, along with the other instructors, were encouraging me throughout the ride, checking in to see how I was doing and giving plenty of kudos at the end for completing the ride.

I was also able to call on my friends who attend the Crank Arm ride weekly and were there to support me. I have been back every Wednesday since.

I feel prepared to bike solo or in a group, how to find my way, to use my bike for commuting, what gear to wear for any kind of weather, and to fix my bike if maintenance issues were to arise. I also feel safe while riding my bike in a way I had not felt before.

I am grateful for the confidence GGC Bike Academy gave me to get back on a bike. 

Since finishing up Bike Academy in May 2026, I have been a regular at various weekly bike rides, building my way up to longer and faster rides. I now attend Espresso Express every Tuesday and no longer fall behind. I have also started volunteering at the Greenway Gear Collective container as a Trailside Bike Tech, learning more about bike maintenance and helping folks with free bike repairs.

Biking has opened me up to a whole new community of people who are supportive and fun. I can now tag along with my friends who were already biking and join in, while making new friends along the way. Getting those basic skills and confidence from Bike Academy showed me that it really can be “just like riding a bike.”