Can you swim and ride a bike?

[Ferne88]

I kind of assumed that most adults (save for those prevented from doing so by health reasons) could swim and ride a bike, but my friend reckons not.

So can you swim (so by that I mean at least a 50 meter length) and ride a bike?

Yes, but I don't know anyone with a Scandinavian heritage without these skills.

I'm a good swimmer and regularly do 1km a few times a week.

Cycling I can but just don't enjoy in the same way.

Learnt how to do both when I was at school.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Yes. Absolutely. Grew up on the beaches of Southern California. Swimming, skating, and cycling are essential. I cycle everywhere. It’s still my mode of transport. I love being on a bike. Absolutely love it!
I hate swimming. 😆 I love being near the water, next to the water, on the water. Can’t stand being in it. I’m like a cat living on a houseboat. Surround me with rivers and seas and pools. Just don’t make me go in them.

Can do both.

What's the saying... I could ride a bike much better than a shark, but a shark could swim faster than I could. So in a triathlon I guess it would come down to the run.

Yes, both, and with great competence.

Yes confident cyclist and strong swimmer (I'm 60).

I learned to swim as a kid, proper strokes and life saving. I still swim a couple of times a week for fitness.

I didn't get on a bike till I was 17. I wasn't allowed to as a child thanks to my older brother getting scared on the roads and my parents then deciding no one was having bikes. But I took to it pretty quickly and have cycled ever since, utility rather than sport.

Yes and so can DH but was away at a hen a couple weeks ago and one of the girls was worried about the kayaking as she can't swim

I never learnt to cycle as a child as my parents were old fashioned and thought bikes dangerous. I learnt cycling as a teen.

I didn't learn to swim until I was working and could pay to join a swimming pool.

I am 52. Nowadays people have more money and prioritise these things for children.

When I was young, you would learn how to cycle on someone else's bike, if you were cheeky enough to ask. As for swimming, the family would have to pay to join a club as we are 150km away from the sea.

No, can't do either. I know quite a lot of adults who can't swim. I only know of one other person who couldn't ride a bike as an adult but she then learned in her late thirties. Although, as pp pointed out, I'm not in the habit of asking people if they swim/ cycle.

Yes

Both. I absolutely DETEST swimming, but I made absolutely sure to take my children and help them learn. It's an important life skill.

Yes, both. Am Dutch though so riding a bike is as natural as walking and swimming lessons started aged 6 at my primary school.

Well, I CAN...

I didn't learn to ride a bike till I was 10, and that only because my friend taught me. H didn't learn till he went to university.

Yes, good swimmer and confident but not fast on the bike.

Yes, both. My dad taught me to do both. I grew up in the 80s and as a tween/teen spent loads of time in the local baths or on my bike with friends. Partner taught my 7 year old to ride his bike and he does swimming lessons, I think it's important to learn as a child if you can as much harder to master as an adult. Swimming especially for safety reasons

Depends on where one grew up. Where am from some men from the coast can swim many women cannot. Some poor people can bike as its their main form transport. Middle and rich cannot but some are learning both biking and swimming ib adulthood.
I havr learned swimming and biking in my 40s and am not particularly good at either

Yes to both. I used to do a bit of distance swimming before 2020, and then it got too crowded outside. Ive still got my shiny medals though. I did a couple of laps of the Serpentine which was fun, but it does taste a bit weird. The most fun were tidal river swim events. Really fast with catchers at the end so you didn't get swept out to sea if you missed the exit point.

Yes, I can do both. My husband can ride a bike but not swim, though.

I might struggle to swim 50 metres without stopping but I can definitely do 25.

I can ride a bike but only do it once every decade so I'm not very good. I tend to zigzag wildly to start but then I'm ok.

DH can ride a bike but can barely swim.

I can swim, not to any great standard but am confident swimming in open water on holiday, and in the pool occasionally. I learned to ride a bike aged 10 but never did it very often, and when I've tried again as an adult I failed miserably. I've never managed to pass a driving test either.

Yes to both. I know one person who grew up outside the UK and can do neither. I think almost everyone I know can do both.

I'm not a particularly strong swimmer but I'm great at treading water...so I could swim 50m but I might have to pause and tread for a bit (I'm assuming that counts?).

Bike, yes.

No. Not for want of trying. My body just isn't built right I think. Those of you who can are lucky and shouldn't take it for granted.