More cycling in France

[fenfirsttimer]

There I was a novice cyclist feeling really proud of my 10 to 12 mile rides on the Fens thinking I am getting a tad fitter and quite good at this cycling lark.....then I went to Haute Vienne region of France

........ and met HILLS. Boy were they steep. And HEAT 30+ Lovely but not when trying to cycle up steep hills!

I had to get off and walk so many times it was quite demoralising but on the third day I did get to the top of one hill without stoping so progress was being made.

In my defence I was on a borrowed man's bike which was a tad large for me - I really had to reach for the handle bars and each time I tried to change to first the chain came off!

However it was fun whizzing downhill back from the shops with the baguettes hanging off the handle bars and wine bouncing in the basket of my friends bike.

I am sure had we had a few more weeks out there those hills would have been a doddle....

Now where can I find one locally to put the theory to the test

 

[Nebulous]

One of the great things about France is its variety. I went and it was extremely flat!

The North-East of Scotland is fairly hilly, though I generally avoid the worst of them. We generally go to France on holiday, and this year took bikes for the first time. We were in South-West France, Aquitaine, in what is basically a huge national park. It was flat with lots of trees and a lot of dedicated cycle paths. I had a mountain bike, no computer, only a very vague idea of the distances I was doing, and it was great. It didn't do a huge amount for my training though!

 

[lulubel]

For hills in the heat .....

Get in a low gear, find a rhythm you can sustain, and breathe!

If you're getting overheated, find a bit of shade and sit down and rest for a while until you've cooled off.