Bicycling for Ladies / The Common Sense of Bicycling; with Hints as to the Art of Wheeling—Advice to Beginners—Dress—Care of the Bicycle—Mechanics—Training—Exercise, etc., etc.

by Maria E. Ward

Hills should be ridden easily, or not ridden at all. It is easier to wheel up an ascent than to walk up, if the wheeling is properly done. Always stop before the hill proves too much for you. Never think any incline too steep to attempt; this is the first move on the road to successful hill-climbing.

The seat for hill-work should be made to support the body. The bicyclist should not be obliged to cling to the handles to keep from slipping off over the saddle; there should be something else to push against. To get all possible power out of the levers, there should be a sufficiency of fulcrum for the lever to work against; and the saddle should certainly be made to do duty in hill-work.

If there is no support from the rear of the saddle, the fulcrum must be located at the handle-bars, which should have all possible strain removed from them to lessen the pedal work. A saddle placed at this angle is of little use as a fulcrum on an incline. In all work, levers and fulcrums are kept in position by the hands, unless the weight is supported from the saddle. If this principle of the application of power is considered, the usual difficulty of hill-climbing is overcome. Why should it be harder to wheel up hill than to walk up and push a bicycle?

In the first place, it is necessary to be able to stay on the bicycle without holding yourself on; in the next place, to know how to apply the power; and then to perform the work, keeping all essential points well in mind. Wheel up hill with the mouth shut, or get off; wheel slowly; concentrate power to apply it most effectively.

Power is needed in overcoming both the crank dead centres. The weight should be applied to force the crank downward, and the weight lifted to let the other crank rise. The body sways to ease the handle pull, and the bicycle mounts steadily. The inertia, of course, becomes more apparent as the weight is resisted by gravity; so do not attempt to force or strain, with the idea that hill-climbing is something that must be done. It should be done only when it can be done easily.

The rule for climbing universally recommended reads, “Pay no attention to the hills. Ride them.” This is good as far as it goes, but it is of little assistance in mounting an incline.

There are two kinds of grades independent of the angle—the increase grade and the decrease grade, in ascending, and in descending as well; for descending is only the reverse of ascending. In approaching an ascending grade, always note its character, whether long or short, what the pitch is, and particularly if the angle of ascent increases or decreases at the top of the incline, and prepare for the work before you.

BACK PEDALING—SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF WEIGHT.

Each hill has its peculiarities, which must be studied and conquered. The actual mounting to the top is not all you have to do; you should mount in proper trim, arriving at the summit fresh and fit. It is most saddening to see some one else mount a hill easily, leaving you, puffing and pushing, half way up, and to know that, when you reach the top, speechless and exhausted, that exasperating person will be seated there, cool, contemplative, and comfortable.