At a certain point in my early teen years I became aware that adults rode bikes competitively and for fitness and adventure, not just for a casual ride to the store. This was long before cycle racing was a known element in most parts of the U.S. This awareness came to me around 1974 or 1975, thanks to my neighbor John's dad. John's dad (also named John) had a Peugeot road bike which was one of the coolest things I ever saw. Hopefully the picture is an accurate representation of this bike...I'm sure the younger John can weigh in on this. Seeing John head out and return from his cycling adventures really made an impression on me, and made me want to do something similar. This was years before the movie Breaking Away was released (1979), a motion picture that really raised the profile of cycle racing in the U.S.
While most kids were content to ride around the neighborhood, I always wanted to explore beyond these artificial boundaries. When I lived in Kobe, Japan (1972-73 when I was between 10 and 11 years old), I adventured all over the city, exploring nooks and crannies without my folks worrying about me. They started worrying after one particularly wreckless adventure. I neglected to stop at a stop sign and rode right into traffic. It was a tiny car that hit me, and more damage was done to the car than to my bike. I went flying and sprained my ankle, while the poor driver had a big ol' dent in the front of his machine. I was overwhelmed with guilt for years to come after the man came to visit me with a giant fruit basket and many bows of apology.
That incident clearly made me more aware that I had to be responsible in traffic and follow rules of the road like everyone else. I honestly have no recollection if John's dad wore a helmet, but I was riding with a helmet by around '76, for sure.
John's dad make quite the impression. I must have peppered him with questions about his cycling adventures, but my childhood memories are unfortunately very spotty. See John's comments below about his dad.
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