Alright, so you wanna know how I got better at riding, kinda like those pro guys, right? It wasn’t like flipping a switch, let me tell you. Took a whole lot of saddle time and figuring things out the hard way.
First off, I just started riding more. Sounds dumb simple, but it’s the truth. I wasn’t timing myself or anything fancy at the beginning. Just getting out there, putting miles on the bike. Felt awkward as heck sometimes, especially on hills or trying to go fast. My legs would burn, I’d be breathing like I just ran a marathon after a short sprint.
Figuring Stuff Out
After a while, just riding wasn’t cutting it. I’d see other riders zipping past, looking smooth, and I was still struggling. So, I started paying attention. Watched how they sat on the bike, how they pedaled, how they took corners. Didn’t read any manuals, just used my eyes.
Then came the trial and error phase. Loads of it.
- Cornering: Tried leaning more. Scared myself silly a few times, almost wiped out. Slowly figured out how to shift my weight, look where I wanted to go, not at the front wheel. It started to click, little by little.
- Pedaling: Realized I was mashing down hard on the pedals, not spinning smoothly. Tried focusing on pulling up as well as pushing down. Felt weird at first, but my legs didn’t tire out as fast. Played around with the gears a lot more too, trying to keep a steady rhythm instead of grinding.
- Hills: Oh man, the hills. Used to hate ’em. Then I started tackling smaller ones first, trying to stay seated, find a gear I could spin without dying. Gradually took on bigger climbs. It never got easy, but I learned how to manage the effort. Stand up sometimes, sit down, breathe steady.
- Being Smooth: This was a big one. Tried to relax my arms and shoulders. Not have a death grip on the handlebars. Look further ahead down the road, not just five feet in front of me. Helped anticipate bumps and turns.
Putting in the Work
Honestly, the biggest thing was consistency. I made myself get out there even when I didn’t feel like it. Short rides, long rides, sunny days, even drizzly ones sometimes. Each ride, I’d try to focus on one little thing – maybe smooth pedaling for 10 minutes, or taking a familiar corner a bit better.
I also messed with my bike setup a bit. Nothing crazy, just adjusted the seat height and handlebar position until it felt more comfortable, less strained. A comfy rider is usually a better rider, I found.
Getting There
It took months, maybe even a year or more, before things really felt different. I wasn’t suddenly racing material, don’t get me wrong. But I felt more connected to the bike. Could handle it better, felt more efficient, could ride longer without feeling totally wrecked. That feeling of control, of being smooth, that’s when I thought, “Okay, this is starting to feel a bit more like those pro guys.”
So yeah, that’s my journey. No magic secrets. Just riding a lot, paying attention, trying stuff, and sticking with it. It’s mostly about the hours you put in and learning from your own mistakes out there on the road.
