Full Transcript for The Freedom Machine: Why do we ride bicycles?

that I'm not spoiling a show that ended three years ago, but one of the main characters learns it goes through the struggles of learning how to ride a bike, and yeah, it definitely makes for uh some pretty darn good funny television. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:57.920 But if you are an adult and you don't ride bikes anymore, I mean what is it that made you stop? 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:21.680 And because look, I I know there are there are adults that treat their their riding group like it's some kind of esoteric Illuminati club, like if you don't wear all the right gear, you know, if you don't have this certain type of bike, you know, you don't just show up in your casual volleyball shorts, so everything has to be serious gear. 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:27.759 And I know and I know there's there's riders who are just happy to be on any kind of bicycle at all. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:32.720 And you know, I'm I think I'm a good rider, but I'm definitely not some kind of great rider. 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:35.120 But I truly feel like I finally fit in that second group. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:38.639 Like I'm just happy to be on any kind of bicycle. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:50.160 Currently, I'm riding a gravel bike because I feel like it gives me this amalgamation of my childhood fun and like the things I need to do as a responsible adult. 00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:55.839 But what's funny is when I moved here to Roanoke about eight years ago now. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:59.519 Oh boy, I was uh a little too cocky. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.199 I said, hey, I mean they're they're mountains, but they're not like big mountains. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:06.399 And I went out and got myself a fantastic mountain bike. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:14.480 And um, if you haven't ridden out here, there's a reason they call Roanoke the East Coast Mountain Bike Capital because it's not easy. 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:20.000 And let me just confirm for you that I no longer own that bicycle. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:32.560 What I want to explore with us today is the joy of riding a bicycle, and I I mean I wonder, is it is it for a sense of freedom? 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:37.199 Is there some connection to the mechanical side of it? 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:41.759 Or is there some other reason we ride the bicycles? 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:43.839 Like for me, it's a sense of freedom. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:48.720 I enjoy just going out to enjoy the experience. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:08:10.959 I lack the mechanical skills to truly appreciate the mechanical side of the bicycles, and I know that there are others that use their bike rides as sort of like a um uh you know, their own mindfulness, like their own personal meditation, just to go for a ride, turn their mind off, and only concentrate on where they're going. 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:12.639 And and that's great. 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:23.360 I mean, it it doesn't matter how we do it, and I know that there's also there are these people that only look at their bicycle as it's my exercise. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:35.759 I don't use it for enjoyment, it's how I exercise, whether it be because, like me, they can't go running very far because they've got bad knees, or they just have decided that the bicycle is their exercise. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:57.440 And I mean, we could spend an entire episode about something known as the cyclist high, but I think we we've talked about this through different conversations in motion that you know we find these these endorphins, these dopamine and and different um neurochemicals that help us feel better, and it's all this just happens through any kind of movement. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:16.159 And um, but it leads me to wonder, you know, we have all these different people that own bicycles, but do you find that maybe are you the kind of person that maybe has a bicycle, but you couldn't tell me the first thing about them or even you know where they are, as it's either in the back of your garage or buried in your basement? 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:19.200 It makes me think about my parents. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:26.000 I remember they were trying to be you know healthier adults, and they decided they they were gonna do this by riding bicycles. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:34.799 So they went to the local bike shop, got themselves some really nice bike cruisers, and I believe they took them out two, maybe three times. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:46.320 And then they decided because of the high humidity and heat of Houston, they got themselves a great stationary bicycle, and what a great clothing rack that turned out to be. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:49.440 Um, but I know they're not alone in that reality. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:10:00.960 I think we all have these intentions that we're going to do something, and sometimes life just gets in the way, or maybe it's not the same joy for you as it is for somebody else. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:19.519 And at the same time, I also understand that the cost of things, I mean, when you think of a bicycle, if you haven't gone to a bike shop to buy a bicycle in a long time, be prepared for sticker shock because they're it's not something like going to the local Schwinn bike shop anymore and finding a great bike for$200. 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:22.799 That's just not gonna happen, unfortunately. 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:30.960 And whether it be because of what happened with COVID, uh the market has definitely changed in the world of bicycles. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:35.200 You can find one, but then you're gonna get what you paid for. 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:42.879 Over the last two weeks, one of my favorite aspects of summer have really started to transpire. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:59.200 And I don't know where they've been for the first six or eight weeks of summer, but during these last couple weeks, whether we've been to the park or here in the neighborhood, the amount of children riding bicycles has exponentially grown. 00:10:59.919 -->

00:11:09.120 And it's such a fun time watching the children enjoy the experience of riding a bicycle. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.519 Which which leads me to my next question. 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:18.639 Like, do you do you remember your adults or your trusted adults teaching you how to ride a bicycle? 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:24.799 I I've struggled to to pull back that memory, and I for some people I know it's a core memory. 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:33.200 I've I've talked to people about the joy of that time their parent let go and they pedaled off and had a great ride. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:38.799 And for some reason, I've just I can't reach that far back in my memories. 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:45.600 For me, I do have a great core memory of my father going on a ride. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:50.480 It was a charity ride called the MS-150, and it goes between Houston to Austin. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.679 It's like a 160-something mile bike ride. 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.320 Uh fantastic charity work. 00:11:56.559 --> 00:12:02.559 But I was so proud that my dad did this with me, and I'm pretty positive he did it again with my little brother. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:12.240 Because during high school time, after I had screwed up my track and field career, I started toying with this idea of trying to create a cycling team. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:17.440 But talk about getting ostracized, that didn't help the situation at all. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:33.039 But um now though, I'm teaching my kids how to ride bicycles, and I have two kids that can now ride bicycles, and the experience has been polar opposite between my two kids. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:55.039 Um, I don't know if uh you've been there like this, but you see, my daughter Santa brought her a much larger bike than she should have, but thankfully, I think I feel that because she rides horses, that the oversized bike wasn't as much of a hurdle as had I had done that to my son. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:03.679 And so I'm very thankful that because of her equestrian skills, I think she got onto her bike and grew into it quite quickly. 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:12.559 But teaching my son has been a really different process where my daughter was barely on training wheels for a time and got into her other bikes and started riding. 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:25.279 With my son, there was a lot of hesitation, even though he saw his other friends riding, and he kept going back to a scooter, but finally he made this leap. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:34.000 I mean, we had gone to the park and done the whole pushing the bike, took the training wheels off, took the pedals off and made his own bicycle into a balance bike. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:44.480 But sometimes we can't force things, we just have to let him choose it on his own, and that's exactly what he did. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:55.440 He started discovering his balance, and I put the pedals back on this little bike, and he took off, just started riding all over the place. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:14:05.679 It was definitely proud parent time, and so I'm recording this podcast so late today because we got him a new bike and got here today and put it together. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:07.519 Okay, stop. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:13.039 I did not put the bike together, the bicycle came almost completely assembled. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:14.960 I put a couple things on. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:23.120 Had the bike needed to be assembled, I would have gone to see Cody and let him build the bike because I have a good bike mechanic. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:29.120 But uh uh, I got him that bike, got him out there, and he was riding. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:34.080 And as big as the smile on his face was, it was even larger for me. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:40.960 And um, it is funny though, the teacher and me wants to give you some advice here. 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:53.200 Children, uh don't don't use the word don't with kids because if you look at your kid and say, hey, don't hit the mailbox, you know what they're gonna hit, right? 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:54.799 They're gonna hit the mailbox. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:15:08.240 And it seems like we humans we naturally steer towards what we're looking at, and you'll hear experienced writers tell you to look at the gap instead of don't hit me, or you know, don't hit the tree. 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:12.000 And so our hands follow our eyes. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:19.759 Have you ever taken a moment though to think about how we ride a bicycle? 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:24.320 I mean, the science about this is fantastic. 00:15:24.720 --> 00:15:27.600 It's exciting, actually, but I don't want to go too deep into it. 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:30.159 I want to keep it sort of really simple. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:34.799 You know, part of this whole relaxed and more enjoyable side of this podcast. 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:38.639 But here's what your brain is secretly doing every time you're riding a bike. 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:44.080 Okay, believe it or not, you're actually like micro falling as you ride your bike. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:48.559 And your vision is doing its best to guide you where you're going. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:52.879 At the same time, you're doing this, you're also sort of a counter steering. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:57.919 So before you turn left, you actually lean a little bit right and then you go into the turn. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.759 I mean, think about this the bike itself isn't stable. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:09.039 And if you jump on the bicycle, just because you're sitting on it, if you put your feet on the pedals, it doesn't automatically become stable. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:16.799 That stability only comes and it only exists when you and the bicycle sort of together go in a direction. 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:20.320 So it's that through movement you find stability. 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:32.480 And I I I know I was talking to someone about this, that you could say

that well, really, I mean, vision is the yeah, of course, vision is a deal, but you there's no difference between walking and riding a bicycle. 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:47.840 And oddly enough though, uh, our vision for riding a bicycle is different than our vision when we're walking, because your vision when you walk isn't about your stability, your stability is already taken care of when you walk. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:51.919 I mean, if you just stop, I'm pretty positive you shouldn't fall over. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:55.759 I mean, the only person that really would happen to is me because I'm very clumsy. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:03.679 But our eyes, when we're riding a bicycle, they're sort of more like choosing where to go and obstacles to avoid. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:13.039 You know, our um as we ride the bicycle, our balance system is is dynamically unstable. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:19.440 As we are, you know, the road is tilting, the bike is tilting with that, we watch out for cracks in the pavement. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:26.720 Um so it is a constant focus on maintaining that stability. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:29.680 I want you to think of it more like this, okay? 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:36.880 You we talked about walking three miles an hour, and if you get on your bicycle, you're definitely gonna go a lot faster than three miles an hour. 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:42.000 And the faster you go, you shorten your brain's reaction time. 00:17:42.480 --> 00:17:51.759 So instead of responding to what's happening to you, you're more preparing yourself for what's about to happen. 00:17:52.480 --> 00:18:07.119 And I feel like the best way to say it is like walking mostly uses vision to navigate, and cycling uses you know, riding your bicycle, cycling uses vision to um sort of like navigate and stabilize at the same time. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:14.160 So I heard a great phrase, someone who said, When you're riding your bike, you look where you want to go. 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:16.880 I think that's a fantastic advice. 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:25.440 So as I was putting together the episode, uh a phrase kept jumping back into my mind. 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:28.880 The whole, it's as easy as riding a bike. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:36.079 And I was really you know, I I've just gone through the science of this and I said, it's not as easy. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:37.359 Easy as what? 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:44.799 But um so I I went researching and looking up why we say something is as easy as riding a bike. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:51.039 And what it is is that phrase is actually tied to something called procedural memory. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:58.079 You know, when you learn a procedure like typing, swimming, skating, or even tying your shoes. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:03.359 And believe it or not, the phrase it's as easy as riding a bike. 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:25.119 Actually, uh before 1855, the phrase was actually it's as easy as swimming, but and then you know, 18 by 1855, the modern bicycle started really coming about, and uh so these these thoughts, these procedural memories are things that like they exist outside of our conscious, but they're things we can just do. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:34.319 And so even when you don't do them for a long time, the brain hasn't really ever let go of that information. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:42.000 And so when we come back to it, that's why it's as easy as riding a bike. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:50.000 Okay, let's move past the science, let's move past the memories, and let's let's go to the core question. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:52.480 Why why do we ride bicycles? 00:19:54.160 --> 00:20:01.039 If you live in Europe, you have like nine out of ten of the most popular bike riding countries in the world. 00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:05.839 Japan's in that top ten somewhere, I think they're like number six or number seven. 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:10.880 Or you could look at China, they have the most bicycles, period. 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:14.960 There's like 400, 450 million bicycles in China. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:18.559 But really, these are just numbers, populations. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:24.400 They have quality infrastructure, but it doesn't tell us why we ride. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:28.000 And and I think it's because it's not just one reason. 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:34.559 I just like there's not one type of bicycle, there can't be one reason why we ride bikes. 00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:40.240 For some of us, it's transportation, for others, it's a means to work out. 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:45.599 For others, it's how they enjoy their free time. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:59.680 There are those who make bicycles their entire world, and I don't know, maybe after listening to this episode, maybe one of you find yourself wanting to find something from your past that you used to love. 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:11.039 I think what's beautiful about bicycles is that it doesn't matter where you are in the world, this type of movement brings joy to all cultures, to all people, young and old. 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:20.799 It doesn't matter how cool our cars get, I have never felt the same freedom in a car that I have on a bicycle. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:25.519 I love bicycles because I've been fortunate to meet so many amazing people through them. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:37.519 I've gone on incredible rides, and now that my children ride, I get to share this passion with them as we go on rides and create memories together through this motion. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:22:00.400 You know, last year at school, I decided to bring in six or seven of my own bicycles to share with my students, and it was incredible because some of them had never seen bicycles like a time trial bicycle and their questions and the tactile feeling the bikes and lifting the bikes. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:14.079 It was such a rewarding experience to share this side of my world with my students to promote this there's always another way to move. 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:25.680 I've had a lot of fun on this episode just talking about bicycles, and I wanted to finish off with a sort of question to get some feedback from you guys. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:31.920 And I'm dying to know do you have a favorite bicycle movie? 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:57.680 And I have three, they're kind of intertwined in my memory, and let's be honest, they are not Academy Award-winning films, but each one brings me back to a younger time in my life when I really just enjoyed the bike riding aspects of the movies, and my three are in no particular order. 00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:08.400 Uh, Rad for the BMX, Quicksilver, because I had a dream of becoming a bike messenger, and American Flyers. 00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:14.720 Uh so tell me guys, do you have your favorite bicycle movie? 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:16.079 Send it in the comments. 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:21.119 I'd love to I'd love to check that out in your movies, see if I've never seen it before. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.440 I hope you enjoyed today's episode. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:28.799 I had a lot of fun being a lot more relaxed and enjoying the conversation with you today. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:33.920 Do me a favor, subscribe, send me a message, let me know what you thought about the show. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.240 Leave a review if you've got the time. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:39.119 Don't don't forget to check out the Sherpa Shop. 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:41.200 Any of your uh movement Sherpa gear. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:44.000 I've got some great shirts for PE teachers this year. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:47.519 That's gonna do it for our journey today. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:49.200 Do me a huge favor. 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:50.559 Go on, sunlight. 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:52.000 Lift your face to the sun. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:55.759 It doesn't have to be perfect. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:57.359 It doesn't have to be you.