On mounting the top of a grade, never hurry or increase speed; wheel along slowly and easily, with the mouth shut, until rested and really ready to start up. If there is a good coast, don’t hurry to it, but keep working gently until the balance of the respiratory organs is fully restored. Then take the coast, and all the benefits of hard work, and rest, and the exhilarating effects of swift motion and free oxidation are fully realized.
To work in balance or equilibrium is the aim of hill-work, and there should not be too abrupt a transition after severe exertion. Pedal along at a pace to restore the breathing after hard work, then change; never dismount when breathless, but wheel along slowly. The strain is thus much less than by forcing the body to accommodate itself to a change of position just when a general easing is required, a general slackening of all the muscles that have been at work.
Rest always before dismounting long enough at least to restore breathing; and rather than coast after climbing, back-pedal gently and slowly if the grade should descend from the top of the ascent.
Never let a hill get the better of you, if it is one that you have a chance to attack a second time. Set to work and study it. Find out the changes of grade, and prepare for a change in the amount of power at the proper place in the incline. See if the grade is simple, prolonged, or compound. If the surface is very smooth, it will be more difficult. There is a bit of road that I remember well, a country road, seemingly good enough, with a little grade perhaps in some places; but, one after another, it dismounted us all. A heavy Telford pavement was laid, but there was still a mile and a half of that road that winded the best of us every time. Though it was up grade all the way, experience had taught us that at places we must stop, and mount again and go on. Our machines were heavy, but this fact did not explain what puzzled us; for it ought not to be easier to start a heavy wheel up a grade than to continue to wheel up steadily. Knowing this bit of road so well, we were on the lookout to note its effect on others; and there were always wheels lined up at some part of the road, and a curious variety of expressions on the countenances of their riders—puzzled defeat on those unacquainted with the road, and sad determination on those who knew it too well.
After a careful study of this grade, that was long but not steep, and seemingly not difficult, we found it made up of a series of differently inclined planes and curves, the up-curves all against us; and, taken from foot to top, there was a continued increase of pitch, with certain changes that were all against wheeling; and moreover a generally increasing pitch for the whole distance, and four places of change of grade, each change an increase of pitch and an increased angle of ascent. The smooth surface concealed these difficulties at first, making the deceptive stretch appear easy and inviting. It was like the inside of a curved line set with scollops.
To overcome this most difficult kind of incline, wheel along at a good pace, note the increase of grade, and drop the heel at the beginning of the down stroke, or rather while the pedal is half way on the up stroke and the foot is prepared to resist the change. Take into consideration the fact that an increase of power is necessary; look where to apply it, adjust the balance of the body to the work, and your work will be effective.
CHAPTER IX.
Position and Power.
The racing wheelman has adopted a position that has received much censure—a position accepted as the one enabling applied power to produce the greatest speed. If this position is analyzed and compared with the erect position, several interesting features may be noted, and by comparing the two positions, important information may be gathered.
The bicyclist seated upon the saddle, not against it, has little power for work. The thrust is downward; there can be no forward push or backward thrust, unless the hands grip the handle-bars and pull against the push, if the push needed is greater than can be resisted by the weight of the body.