I rode a lot as a kid, mostly on mountain bikes that were a level or two above BSO 'cuz that's what people got their kids in the 80s and early 90s.
Driving happened. Then grad school happened, and I couldn't afford gas, parking, or car repairs. My old MTB was awful, so I mostly took the bus. Some of my friends had vintage road bikes, and they seemed fast and cool.
I got an old road bike for $75 on CL. I started riding for errands and realized I could save time by doing a mixed-mode bike/bus commute. Riding the bike was fun, and I started riding recreationally on paved paths, working up to 20 or 30 miles at a time. My derailleurs got smashed in the bus storage bin, and the bike became a fixed gear.
One day, I decided to try a one-way commute, 33 miles, without taking the bus. There were no paths for that route, just roads. I nailed it, and had fun. The rides got longer, and continued, even when there was no destination. Eventually I got a proper road bike and succumbed to cycling clothes. So it goes.