Meet the Member, Rebecca Mills
Rebecca Mills (Becky) is our first Meet the Member of 2021. Becky is quite new to cycling but as you can see from the photos she's really enjoying it. Even though she was a relative novice when she first joined the club a little more than a year ago, Becky has competently led groups of six when restrictions allowed. Good on you Becky!
What was your first proper bike?
I currently only have one bike which I bought in Summer 2019. It's a Cannondale alloy synapse. I am already realising that one bike is not enough though, and the next one is currently on order. I am getting a lighter carbon bike to try and buy some better performance on the hills.
How long have you been a Macc Wheeler?
I joined the Wheelers in Autumn 2019. I didn't really come on many rides before the first lockdown. I was a regular on the Saturday social and occasionally managed the Sunday easy ride. At the time that is all I could manage as I wasn't very fit. But I look forward to going on more rides when we are allowed. I have "led" some of the smaller groups on the Saturday social and the JAR when we were in groups of six.
Tell us about your most memorable ride with the club
I have really enjoyed all of the rides with the wheelers. The most memorable ones are the ones that have not always gone to plan. We had an entertaining JAR one Thursday where we rode down Bradford Lane full of cobbles, went through wheat fields, I carried my bike across a muddy field, and we ended up going through a quarry! I also got my first puncture on Pexhill. It was a ride I said I would never forget!
Do you have any cycling goal's for 2021 ?
I have set a goal of 4,000 miles this year. I would also love to do a coast to coast once we are allowed to ride in groups. It would be great to go with a few Wheelers. I have managed my first 100k ride in 2020, so maybe 100 miles will be a target this year too.
What does cycling mean to you?
If it wasn't for cycling I would have rarely left the house over the last year, so it has saved my sanity. I am growing to like the hills. The first time I went up to the hanging gate I thought I had developed asthma when I reached the top. I can now ride up and actually talk to someone at the top.
Do you have any top tips for other cyclists?
There seem to be as many opinions on the "right way" to cycle as members of the wheelers. So just concentrate on what feels right for you.