Self-Taught Biking on Hills

It was a perfect day – cool and crisp and sunny. I needed to pick up a loaf of bread. I hadn’t ridden my bike in a while. What better reasons to go for a bike ride?

I invited my husband to join me. He claimed too much to do. I asked if he was really just concerned that I would ride too slowly. He finally admitted that his knee was bothering him and he was afraid of the hills on the way home from Best Buns, my favorite bread store.

So what was I, wimpiest hill biker, thinking? I pumped up my tires and set out on my own. On the way to the store, I noticed that there was a persistent clicking noise with every pedal rotation when the front deraileur was in the center position. Wonder what’s up with that? I thought.

After looking very French with my baguette and dog biscuit sticking out of my bike bag, I decided to go on over to Spokes and get some advice on the clicking noise. Getting from Shirlington on one side of I-395 to Quaker Lane on the other is a bit daunting. I opted to walk my bike so as not to further annoy the hordes of motorists who knew I had no business on that busy exchange over the highway.

I love the guys at Spokes. First of all, they always look at your bike right away when you walk in with your helmet on, knowing you are in the middle of a ride and really don’t want to leave it. Second, they never make you feel stupid when it’s something as simple as the brake cable that was causing the clicking noise. And third, they never charge anything for a simple diagnosis and repair. I guess they figure you paid them enough money for the bike originally. So my Specialized Sequoia was back in business with no more click.

Then I remembered those various hills I had to deal with on the way home. Here was the strategy I used today: (1) get up momentum BEFORE the hill, (2) lean forward and make my legs do the work, (3) don’t be afraid to shift into the easiest gear, (4) think about the great lunch I was going to make when I got home. This seemed to work like a charm. I rode, albeit slowly, up every blasted hill and arrived home to be greeted by “That was quick!”

So maybe, just maybe, I’m learning to cope with hills. However, I’m still waiting for a session with my friend who is a biker and a trainer. I’m ready to do some serious work to strengthen my legs. As much as I hate exercise, it’s a good thing to do!