Riding a bike is the greatest thing ever! This week’s interview.

This week we are talking to our friend Jill. She is one year into her cycling adventure and has come a long way. Jill will take us through her journey and tell us what motivated her to start riding, the steps she took to get going, and the mistakes she may have made and the lessons she learned.

What is the absolute best thing about riding?

Oh wow, there are so many things. I love the idea that riding is a solitary thing but at the same time it can be done with friends and you can have a great conversation. I love that you can go places that you can’t go in a car – and more quickly and further than you could go if you walked. And, I also love that I can just put headphones on and disappear with my thoughts.

I love being outside, having fun and exercising.

So…there is no absolute one best thing?

No! There are so many different best things. It all depends on the day – there are so many different ways to ride. You can just go out to see wildlife, hang out with a friend, ride your commuter bike…there are many therapeutic ways to ride a bike!

How did you get started?

Good question, it depends on what you mean – had I ridden a bike before, as a kid, in university, or when I wanted to ride in a more focussed way – to become a cyclist?

You got me…I guess I mean where did it start, did you ride as a kid?

Sure, as a kid I rode constantly, long before helmets were around and my mom would let me out of the house and I’d be gone for the day! I loved being able to get around, go fast, fly down hills. The independence…

Is that what you’re after now?

Not quite, I like going fast now but it’s not the only the thing or what I’m seeking. It’s an escape, a chance to get out, an opportunity to get moving

Why did you want to start riding? As an adult…

I had a bike but I never used it, or at least not enough but I wanted to exercise more and my old bike was so heavy. I was going to buy a new bike at the time but my neighbour convinced me to buy a used bike. Not only did he help me find my perfect black and purple road bike but we now ride together every chance we can… which happens to be often because we’re married now!

That is some great motivation to help someone start riding!

Ok, it wasn’t just the bike that brought us together but to see the way his eyes lit up when he talked about his morning rides or the places he went to…and how he couldn’t wait to show me those places…And now we do those thing together and it is incredible to share those moments. And to be honest, sometimes riding together can be stressful and we could see early on how we reacted to adversity.

So yes, I would say if you plan on getting married you should ride together first to see what you are getting into (laughs again).

Would you describe yourself as an athlete?

No. But I’ve never considered myself athletic. When I think of an athlete I think of someone who practices their craft in pursuit of excellence. I see riding a bike as fairly easy, I mean it’s one of the things that every kid learns to do.

But then so many adults seem to forget, why is that?

Do they actually forget or are they just worried about failing and looking bad so we think…why try. You can’t forget how to ride a bike, it just comes back to you. The most importantpart of learning is to just do it, get going and give it a try and focus on the good.

Did you have any fears or misgivings? Did they go away? Did you do anything that helped?

I worried that I wouldn’t be good, or that I wouldn’t be able to keep up – and “clippy shoes. I didn’t want to fall over (laughs). It can be frustrating when you can’t be successful at something right away.

I can use clippy shoes now…And I feel like I hold my husband back sometimes, but he is terrific and tells me that he has three of his favourite things – outside time, his bike and me. And I still get frustrated that I ride and I feel stronger but I don’t seem to get faster.

For me it may seem intimidating to do something like a group ride, but it comes down to feeling like you may not belong – I just need to get out more and just go for it.

Have you made any mistakes along the way?

I wore underwear under my cycling shorts…I’ve learned since that when you wear bike shorts, it just the bike shorts haha. I think other than that I’ve made plenty but making mistakes is an important part of the learning process. Don’t be shy, embrace being new and ask a ton of questions!

Are there any lessons you would pass along to help others avoid a mistake?

Marry the person who knows about bikes? Maybe a bit more realistic would be don’t bother with a new bike, you can find a great used bike for a lot less money that you’ll need for helmets and shoes.

And, when you’re riding and you see a bunny in front of you..Don’t swerve, don’t try to avoid it…the bunny will move! I haven’t had to try this one yet but I’m told if you swerve or brake in a panic you will crash.

What’s next for your riding?

I’d like to try racing! It’s a scary prospect but ‘m competitive and I know that once I got involved I’d enjoy.

You live in the city…how do cope with traffic? How did you learn to get comfortable around cars?

I definitely am afraid of them but how else could you get around? I really only ride routes that I’ve ridden before. Car traffic is the reason that I haven’t ventured beyond the routes I know. |There just sees to be a lack of consideration.

One of my goals for next year is to meet more groups or people to ride with that are more my speed. Then I could learn from them too and learn things that would help me be a better rider. Like riding on hills or in a group.

What’s next for you? Do you have any special plans over the next year?

I’d like to try to do a long ride, a century, or to pick somewhere far. Biking to a camping weekend sounds like a lot of fun. Taking the GO train or VIA somewhere would be fun. To get faster. And of course, to get my kids out and have them fall in love with riding their bikes and finding new adventures.

And that’s what it’s all about isn’t ? Sharing the love of cycling, finding ways to bring it to more people!

Thank you Jill. It has been a pleasure talking with you and we can’t wait to check in next year and see how your riding has developed!