I'll be moving to a downtown area and decided that riding a bike would be good for both commuting ease and fitness, so I bought one now so I'm adjusted and look like a pro by the time I move in June.
I'm a big researcher, so I researched bikes (chose a Trek 7100), pondered my route, reviewed the laws and set out for a very reasonable 1.25 ride to the gym and back.
It was all going well, maybe a little slow and cautious, and then I hit a hill and came close to rolling backwards, and walked my bike up the last bit. I'd like to repeat this as little as possible. I'd hit the bike at the gym for a few weeks to adjust to the sitting, the change of the use in muscles. I'm a little overweight (5-6, 155), but extremely fit for my size (and down from 165), and it wasn't even a very big hill. When I think about the hills in my immediate vicinity even, it was incredibly meek. Is there some muscle I need to strengthen, to concentrate on? Is there some program on the bike at the gym that can help me? Should I add resistance?
I fear going to the gym an hour later some day and coming home when all the kids are riding home from school to be zipped by by an 8 year-old. Granted I am new to riding (haven't ridden in about 13 years) but I'm fit, and would like to become the kind of person who can keep up with a biking club, or at least bike as far as I can walk (I do have no trouble walking, even jogging up a hill).