It’s all about getting your balance when you first learn to ride a bike. You could say the same about life in general.

You might start off on a small tricycle and learn how to push the pedals to get yourself moving forward. And then there’s the steering, which is useful when you really don’t want to be riding off the pavement or crashing into lamp posts.

It’s a voyage of discovery, like when you first get starry eyed and fall in love with a girl, and then try kissing. It all seems new and strange at times.

Then you move on to a bigger bike with a pair of stabilisers, and sitting on the higher saddle gives you a much better view of the world.

Meanwhile, in the background, mum and dad are gently encouraging, making sure you don’t get hurt and nourishing young legs with food and drink.

Then the stabilisers are removed and it’s time to ride for real! It takes several attempts, and you fall off a few times, but, eventually, you get your balance. You get up to speed and are more in control.

But most important, you learn how to use the brakes, get your breath and see where you’ve got to. And you get a bell fitted to the handlebars, so you can let people know you’re coming.

The first few journeys show you the world is a big place with lots to explore, and that you can find ways of getting there faster. Okay, you get out of breath, but you get stronger and eventually manage to get further.

You could say you had more than one pair of stabilisers. There were the ones that were bolted on to the wheels of your bike, but also your mum and dad, gently steering you on to the right road, so you could carry on exploring.