Summer Evening Rides

Riding a Raleigh DL-1 type bike over-the-road and on some pretty demanding hills is not easy. The bike is kind of heavy for going uphill, and the brakes are underwhelming going downhill. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try it.

This Raleigh export model roadster is geared pretty low - 44 teeth on the sprocket and 21 teeth on the cog. This gives it at least some ability to climb hills, provided you are smart and conserve your energy, and use the low first gear to climb. The old-style long crank arms give decent leverage, and if you corkscrew your way up the hill, you should be able to make it just fine. Your mindset needs to be one of gradually getting to the top rather than thrashing up a hill with this bike.

Going downhill requires awareness and planning. You're not going to be able to fly down a hill and then slam on the brakes for an emergency stop. The best idea is to allow the bike to coast down the hill, but with judicious use of the brakes so that you do not "out-ride your ability to stop". If you ride on particularly quiet roads, you can corkscrew to the bottom as a skier might do on a steep hill.

But with some patience and the understanding that your goal is to make the journey - rather than racing to the finish - you can complete an over-the-road ride with a DL-1 type bikes on some pretty steep hills. And unlike lighter, faster bikes, the DL-1 can take you over these roads, bet they paved or unpaved dirt.