like riding a bike

L

like riding a bike (simile)
/laɪk ˈraɪdɪŋ ə baɪk/

Meaning

• Describes a skill that, once learned, is never forgotten, even after a long period without practice.
• Refers to an activity that can be easily resumed after a long break due to its ingrained nature.
• Indicates a task that, once mastered, becomes second nature and can be performed effortlessly, regardless of the time elapsed since it was last done.

Example Sentences

1. After years away from the piano, she found playing again was like riding a bike.
2. Speaking French after a decade felt like riding a bike for him.
3. Once you learn to swim, it’s like riding a bike; you never forget.
4. Teaching came back to her like riding a bike after her hiatus.
5. Coding in that old language was like riding a bike for the veteran programmer.

Origin and History

The idiom “like riding a bike” is commonly used to describe skills or activities that, once learned, are never forgotten, even after a long period of inactivity. This phrase draws a parallel between the enduring nature of certain learned abilities and the ease with which one recalls how to ride a bicycle after a hiatus.

Earliest Recorded Usage

The earliest known usage of this idiom dates back to November 1917, as found in an issue of Boys’ Life:

“It’s like riding a bicycle,” Ritter argued. “You never forget.”

Another instance appeared in the Springfield Sunday Union and Republican on May 7, 1933:

“They say it’s like riding a bicycle,” I muttered encouragingly. “Once you learn how, you never forget it.”

Predecessor Expressions

Before the invention of bicycles, similar expressions existed to convey the idea of retaining skills. One such phrase involved horseback riding, suggesting that once learned, the skill was never forgotten. However, specific documented instances of this predecessor are scarce.

Scientific Basis

The phrase’s validity is supported by the concept of procedural memory, which refers to the long-term memory of motor skills. Activities like riding a bicycle are stored in this memory system, making them resistant to forgetting. This scientific understanding reinforces the idiom’s meaning.

Synonyms

• it’s second nature.
• it’s like falling off a log.
• it’s a piece of cake.

Variants

• just like riding a bicycle.
• it’s like riding a bike

Conclusion

The idiom “like riding a bike” has been in use since at least the early 20th century to describe the enduring nature of certain learned skills. Its origins are linked to the universal experience of learning to ride a bicycle and the lasting memory of that skill. The phrase effectively captures the concept of procedural memory, highlighting how some abilities, once acquired, remain with us indefinitely.

Important