Like riding a bicycle
Like riding a bicycle
A skill once learned, never forgotten
A skill once learned, never forgottenThe idiom 'like riding a bicycle' refers to the concept that certain skills, once they are learned, are never forgotten, no matter how much time passes without practicing them. The phrase is often used to encourage someone about to perform a task they haven't done in a long time, reassuring them that their past experience and muscle memory will aid in their ability to perform the task again. It underscores the lasting nature of learned skills and the human brain's capacity to retain procedural memories over long periods.
The idiom 'like riding a bicycle' refers to the concept that certain skills, once they are learned, are never forgotten, no matter how much time passes without practicing them. The phrase is often used to encourage someone about to perform a task they haven't done in a long time, reassuring them that their past experience and muscle memory will aid in their ability to perform the task again. It underscores the lasting nature of learned skills and the human brain's capacity to retain procedural memories over long periods.
Use cases
After 20 years without a game of chess, Martin moved his pieces with a surprising agility. It was like riding a bicycle.
Despite her initial hesitation, Maria's steps in the salsa dance were as fluid as if she had never stopped dancing. It truly was like riding a bicycle.
When the retired carpenter picked up his tools to help his grandson build a birdhouse, his expertise was evident. His skill was like riding a bicycle.
Tom was nervous about going back to driving in the snow after moving to a warm climate for years, but it came back to him instantly—like riding a bicycle.
Lily doubted she could still ride a bike after so many years, but as soon as she mounted, she pedaled off effortlessly, proving it was just like riding a bicycle.
Even after years away from the laboratory, when Dr. Ellis conducted the experiment, her technique was flawless. It was like riding a bicycle to her.
Sarah hadn't sketched since she was a teenager, but when she picked up a pencil, the drawing flowed from her hand, like riding a bicycle.
Phil hadn't spoken his native language since moving abroad as a child, but when he returned for a visit, the words came back to him like riding a bicycle.
Jenna feared she had forgotten the recipe for her grandmother's pie, but as she began to measure and mix, each step came naturally—like riding a bicycle.
After not touching a guitar for years, Alex strummed a few chords and was surprised to find his fingers moving smoothly across the fretboard, like riding a bicycle.
