Answer: The bikes were a way to show independence and growing up. Getting a bicycle at age nine is like a rite of passage for children. I learned how to ride a bike around 7 which is pretty late to most. It meant nothing at the time because I never cared to but then it showed me that realistically I could do anything I wanted if I really tried hard enough. I gained a way to make friends, transportation and a sense of freedom in a way.