Despite the fact it looks as if we’re entering an ice age, the unofficial bicycling season lies just around the corner.

It often begins in earnest in early April and continues into early December, but, of course, diehards pedal all winter.

Even with cold and snow this March, I often spot colorfully dressed bicyclists racing along Routes 3, 17, 27 or 2. Bikers choose these roads for the added safety of a breakdown lane, and I might be one of them. By mid-April, the number of weekend bicyclists on Route 27 alone wows me.

I also pedal side roads far from major arteries and run into bikers in the middle of nowhere. I wonder how they found their way so far into backwoods Maine, and they’re probably asking the same about me.

Last fall, a commentator covering the Tour of Quebec City and Tour of Montreal made a brilliant observation about the skyrocketing popularity of bicycling worldwide.

The announcer figured most of the U.S. population has pedaled their way through childhood, so they just plain know how to ride a bike. Even after decades without bicycling, folks can jump right back onto a machine and pedal off, an easy hobby for adults to pick up again.

The commentator offered a contrasting thought to bicycling when he mentioned that children playing interscholastic sports — say football, basketball, soccer, baseball and lacrosse — make up a much smaller percentage of the population.

I participated in varsity football, basketball and baseball but seldom have a chance to participate in these sports now. In contrast, I can hop on a bike in my driveway and head up the road. What could be more simple?

Bicycling in Maine started gaining in popularity back in the 1970s, but compared to today, biker numbers were small then. Through the years since, this sport has attracted so many people that some areas now have more bicycle shops than sports shops.

Lots of folks get into bicycling to lose weight, and that plan can work, with a sensible diet, because the sport gives us an aerobic workout, and steep hills an anaerobic experience.

Once folks get into this sport, though, many of them never want to give it up. In short, even if bicycling were bad for me, I’d do it anyway.

Readers interested in getting into biking should first visit a reputable bicycle shop, where a knowledgeable employee can offer advice on what to buy for a bike, helmet, gel gloves, clothing, bicycle shoes and accessories.

(Bicycle shoes and pants need special mention, too. The shoes are wicked important for the sport, because the ultra-hard, stiff soles transfer all the injury from the legs into the drivetrain. Padding on the inside of bike pants also makes the day far more comfortable, and this padding design gets better every year.)

Technicians at bike shops make adjustments on the bicycle to fit the customer, including setting the seat height properly, maybe adjusting the handlebars, tweaking the rear and front derailleurs a little, tightening the brakes or whatever needs to be done. They can also make sure the helmet rests properly on the head.

A Maine March offers plenty of snow and cold, but it’s an excellent month to buy a bicycle, so when the first southwest winds blow into the state in April, bicyclists will be ready.

One suggestion of mine will probably make hard-core road bikers cringe. Skinny tires and drop handlebars on road bikes may frighten newcomers, so they should think about buying a hybrid (also called “cross”) with its wider tires and straight handlebar.

Cross bikes offer some of the appeals of a road bike and some of a mountain bike, so this choice works for a wide range of activities. However, it’s not perfect for any of them.

Later, a bicyclist with a cross bike can upgrade to a road bike. One appeal of the road bike’s skinny tires includes the ability to roll easier with less friction. Road bikes are just snappier, too, like a sports car.

Dropped bars look awkward to the untrained eye of a novice because the biker bends forward so much. However, when I hold the drop bars, the position of my body feels wicked comfortable because of the added stability.

One plus for drop handlebars is this: This design provides five or six different spots for bikers to hold their hands, which keeps them from getting “numb hands.” A straight bar has fewer options.

Here’s another point, too. At high speeds on long, steep hills — say 40 to 50 mph — I feel much more comfortable with my hands on the drop bars. It makes the bicycle feel more stable.

Ken Allen of Belgrade Lakes is a writer, editor and photographer. He can be contacted at:

KAllyn800@yahoo.com

 

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