Your Bike’s Gears Might Be The Reason Hills Feel So Hard
You are in your easiest gear, halfway up the steep hill that always decides how the ride ends. Your legs are barely turning. We usually blame our legs, our fitness,…
How Long Do Bib Shorts Last, and When to Replace Them?
Two pairs of bib shorts, almost 13 years old, at least 7,000 miles between them, washed with the family laundry and still going. Then came the obvious reply: 7,000 miles…
Scared of Riding in Traffic? How to Build Your Nerve One Short Ride at a Time
You’re halfway around the quiet neighborhood loop, and the ride feels good until you picture turning left onto the main road. A small voice starts listing every car that might…
Expensive Bike or Strong Legs: What Really Gets You Up Hills?
You’re grinding up a long climb when someone glides past on a bike that costs more than your car. Was it the bike, or were they just stronger? Bring that…
Why Drivers Can Look Right At You And Still Not See You
You’re rolling toward a side road, and a driver waiting to pull out turns their head and looks straight at you. So you keep going. You’ve been seen. Then the…
Is the Weather Really Too Bad to Ride, or Just an Excuse?
The radar shows a green blob creeping toward your usual loop. You’re already negotiating with yourself. Is it a reason to stay in, or just permission to skip? We all…
Should You Ride With a Rear-View Mirror?
A car’s engine rises somewhere behind you on a narrow road. You can’t tell how close it is, or how much room it will leave. You twist your neck to…
Starting Cycling as a Woman: The Honest Guide Nobody Gave You
You’ve got the bike, the helmet, and a friend who keeps saying “you’ll love it.” Then comes the first proper ride. The legs feel fine, the route is lovely, and…
When a Ride Falls Apart Halfway: How to Get Over It and Go Again
You’re halfway around the loop, a long way from home, and it’s gone. Your legs feel hollow, or the group is a dot shrinking up the road, or the rear…
Why Some Cyclists Sneer at Kickstands (and Others Swear by Them)
You roll up to the café stop and somebody’s road bike is standing upright on its own. The rest of us are leaning ours against a wall, a post, or…