Using Sturmey Archer Gears!

When I first got my glorious Caprice, I was very concerned.

I was out of breath just nipping around the block, then I went on a ride down the sea front and had to get off and push on what I felt was a bit of a minor hill.

How on Earth was I going to ever get up that enormous hill going out of my town? I wouldn’t be able to even manage the flat bits afterwards without sweating like a rider in the Tour de France.

I didn’t really think about the gears. I tried to change into second, but failed and just figured maybe you weren’t supposed to change gears then. Maybe it was an automatic?

I didn’t know, but I wasn’t feeling optimistic about using Caprice for getting to and from the station.

Fast forward to three in the morning, whilst I’m asleep, resting my exhausted legs, and my phone rings.

It’s the Boy, drunk, who has just got back from a night out and wants to know how my ride went. I tell him my hill and gear problems, and my fear that I’ll never make it to the station, that it was all useless.

“There’sh thesh gears, schturmmey something, and you have to pedal backwardsh for them to work” he slurred.

“Sturmey Archer? That’s what I’ve got. I have to pedal backwards?”

“Yeshh”

“That might be my problem.”

“No, itsh that you’re a schilly!”

So there’s that. Thanks to pedalling backwards I am no longer pedalling up hills in the highest gear. And no longer getting off and walking! (Except the massive hill outside my town, but baby steps!)

I made it to Bridgend, and back, by the way. My next challenge is all the way to Cardiff! I may catch the train at stations closer and closer until I’m going the whole way.