Perhaps it was memories of scraped knees from childhood misadventures in gravel, or worrying about my ability to stay vertical after a lengthy hiatus. I haven’t ridden a bike in close to 25 years, before this summer. I now know–with certainty–that when people say “it’s like riding a bike”, this is one skill that never leaves you.

However, there is a serious difference between the bike I was riding around my neighborhood as a kid, and the full-suspension mountain bike I’m riding now. There’s also a difference in the terrain I’m riding on and the distances that I ride, which translates into a few things I wasn’t expecting, and wish someone had told me about as a newbie mountain biker.

Bike shorts REALLY matter. I knew enough to know this but what I didn’t realize was that regardless of what padding you are wearing, you are going to be saddle sore when you first get started. This is normal and it will get better the more you ride.

If you are a klutz like me, I also suggest adding some shin guards to your shopping basket. I did not do this and my shins look like I live with a two-year old in tap shoes who likes to kick. I hate to admit it but my shin cuts, scrapes and bruises are not due to trees on tight single track (I’m nowhere near good enough yet for that). Instead, I seem to have a serious problem getting my bike in and out of our house, and freak out when I have to stop at a cross-walk or red light. Shin guards are on my shopping list now.

The best tip? If you haven’t ridden a bike in forever, take 5 minutes and read a blog on how to shift gears when going uphill (Like this great blog on Total Women’s Cycling). My husband kept telling me to shift when we’d come to a hill and so I did… to a harder gear.

Let me tell you, this does not make a girl feel great about her fitness level when you have to walk your bike up every hill you come across. If I were to do this over again, I would definitely do a bit more research before I went out on my bike.

I still can’t quite get it right on really steep hills if the terrain is muddy, uneven or has loose gravel, but I can switch gears and make it up hills with a gentler gradient. This all comes with practice. Find a route with hills that you know well and keep trying it over and over again.

Even better, if you live somewhere with a ski hill nearby, or a great network of trails, check to see if there are any clubs that offer skills lessons or drop-in riding. I missed the only clinic offered in my area but am definitely going to sign up next spring.

My very first ride in the mountains happened to be a wide single track that my husband insisted I could do. And you know what? With some hard work and grit and a little luck, I did it.