Hi Colleen!

Welcome to TE !

Originally posted by ColleenT: SO i need to get in shape. that is the purpose of getting a bike. i live in the mountains so i'll either be going up a hill or down one. very little flat places to ride. so even if i have to PUSH the bike up the hills in the beginning, that is still exercise.
Cycling will surely get you into better shape! And, if in the beginning, you have to push your bike up a hill, I KNOW FOR SURE that after a month (or before that), you WILL be riding up that same hill!

I'm a new rider too, just started in June, and.......I'm having a BLAST!!!!

If I were you, I would learn how to shift FIRST in empty parking lots. Learn how to downshift (easier gears), so that when you are climbing a hill, you'll know how to do that.
It's much easier on your knees to keep "spinning" in lower gears.

Have lots of fun Colleen!

Have a great evening.

Denise