new bike ,and very unhappy [Archive] - Women's Cycling Discussion Forums

suzieqtwa

01-23-2007, 08:23 AM

Well, I finally got my new TREK 2.1 out of layaway Sunday. I should be so happy ,but I'm not. :( It feels so foreign to me. Clip less pedals........ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh What was I thinking. Its not a good feeling to be locked into your bike. I only took it out for 5 minutes ,and tried going straight up a steep hill. I kept one foot out of the clip. The bike feels so light ,like it could tip over at any time. I haven't had time to ride it because by the time I get home from work its dark. I have no problem riding my hybrid in the dark. Now the gears....I get confused as to what makes me go fast ,or slow. Is there a easy way to remember. Did anyone else ever feel this way when going from a hybrid to a road bike ,and will I adjust.
I haven't taken any pictures because I don't like the bike too much. Will I ever learn to ride it. I feel wobbly on it. My TE friend Darcy and I are going to a State Park on Saturday to ride where its safe. She bought a TREK 5.2 ,and she is still learning. She said she felt the same way I did 3 months ago when she bought hers.
Suzie

IFjane

01-23-2007, 08:27 AM

Hang in there, Suzie! You will soon begin to feel good on that new bike, and I can assure you one day you will look back and realize you don't feel safe if you AREN'T locked into those pedals. You are doing the right thing by going to a safe place to begin riding. Take it slow and don't try to do anything too technical at first. Let us know how you feel after this weekend's ride.

Bluetree

01-23-2007, 08:29 AM

Don't worry Suzie, you will get used to it ... fast! :D

Soon you will learn to love going clipless and can't believe you ever did without them.

Don't worry too much about gearing for right now. It'll be much easier to adjust to your new bike by taking it one step at a time. If it helps, get some cheap $10 platform pedals and use them for a week or so to get used to the light weight. Then deal with pedals. Then deal with gearing. One step at a time... and most of all, have fun!

spokewench

01-23-2007, 08:32 AM

Give yourself some time on the bike - it is hard trying new bikes and going to a road bike with a different position and skinny tires. I remember the first time I tried to ride a roadbike in a parking lot - trying to see if it would fit. The first one I rode had really steap racing angles and wow, I almost didn't get a road bike, but I perservered found a nice bike; and then just started riding it! It took a while but it was okay. Just remember to try to relax. Sometimes, when I'm stressed by the feel of a bike, I just tell myself to relax my elbows, try to be smooth and round in my pedal stroke, look ahead instead of down and then Woohoo, we're going along and everything is right in the world!

Aint Doody

01-23-2007, 08:34 AM

Suzie, the other ladies are so right. We want you to come back and revive this post in the middle of the summer. I bet you'll be raving about how much you love your bike and how much better you're riding. Anything new feels a little scary and foreign at first. Don't give up.

mimitabby

01-23-2007, 08:35 AM

Suzie
i am still not into clipless on a single road bike yet, (Doing it on the stationary bike AND on the back of the tandem), so i can't address THAT.
But i must tell you that after riding my Bianchi since June, I am finally getting comfortable with the gears!!!!
For now, figure out a few gears and just stay in them, and when you get more light, take that bike out and put it through its paces. I have thrown my chain twice on hills, and I spend a lot of time looking at the chain. (where am I?)
I won't go into a lot of detail, but learning how to shift in the right direction
and where it gets you has taken a bit of time for me.
It's a long process, it is going to feel foreign for a while but don't give up.

suzieqtwa

01-23-2007, 08:58 AM

Mimi,
Ya ,my biggest fear is dropping the chain on a hill ,and falling over. I have lots of hills around here.

mimitabby

01-23-2007, 09:01 AM

Mimi,
Ya ,my biggest fear is dropping the chain on a hill ,and falling over. I have lots of hills around here.

I can really identify with that. Seems to me you shouldn't have to learn the bike gear ing AND going clipless at the same time.

When I threw the chain, I sure might have fallen if i was clipped in and wasn't used to it.

Do you want some chain advice? when dropping gears on a hill ONLY drop
from the triple because gravity will help you.
The back derailleur with all the 9 gears, only use that when there isn't so much pressure.
Someone here told me that and i haven't dropped the chain since.

Bluetree

01-23-2007, 09:05 AM

Suzie, I never change gears as I'm descending. I was taught to anticipate gear shifts before they are needed (before stopping, before getting to the apex of a hill) to prevent the chain drop. Hasn't happened since!

SouthernBelle

01-23-2007, 09:05 AM

I second some clip on platforms until you get used to everything else. I only used them for a week, but it made getting accustomed to the new bike much easier.

mimitabby

01-23-2007, 09:06 AM

Blue tree, I am talking about going UP hill.
that's where you throw the chain if you're not careful.

Bluetree

01-23-2007, 09:15 AM

I do the same thing. If I have to change my ring, I do if before I start a climb. However, I have familiarized myself with my local hills and know which gear I will need to do each one, and which ones have false flats and so on.

But I digress... Suzie, don't worry about gears right now. It will come in time! ;)

Geonz

01-23-2007, 09:33 AM

Welp, I don't know from clipless but I do know first thing I did wouldn't be charging up a hill :)

This is a new relationship. Get to know each other. She's got to get used to you, too :)

Triskeliongirl

01-23-2007, 09:34 AM

I had the same problem when I switched from a flat bar to a dropped bar bike. I took my bike to a park and practiced there. I didn't even deal with the clips (I had dual side pedals that are clip in on one side and platform on other). I suggest you start by putting the bike in your middle ring, so all you have to do is shift up and down the rear cogs. You may even practice that in a trainer if you have access to one. Get good at that, then learn to shift the front. Get good at that, then try riding with one foot clipped in and one free, then go to both feet. Give yourself time to adjust to each change.

suzieqtwa

01-23-2007, 09:42 AM

Thanks for all the advise...I know I will learn how to ride this bike in time ,but I've waited so long to get it ,and now I cant even ride it. I'm a lot tuffer than this ,and I know Ill be fine soon ,but I want to be fine now. I think I need balance. The bike is so much lighter than the hybrid. Maybe after this weekend Ill start to figure it . There were small platforms on the bike when I bought it ,but they took them off as I was leaving?
Mimi ,bluetree,I do understand about what your saying about the gears ,but what if I'm climbing a steep hill ,and I need to go into a lower gear in the back. ,should I just kinda lift off the pedal when I shift ,so there isn't pressure. I get confused as to what direction I should shift. I could pretty much leave the left gear in the middle...then I should have full range of the 9 gears in the back. Do I make sence??

EBD

01-23-2007, 09:42 AM

I dropped my chain a few times when I first got the road bike - and not even necessarily on hills! It definitely takes time. It was months before I started using my front chain ring at all - just left it in the middle and only used the rear gears. Learning to use the shifters is a little like learning to drive a stick shift - knowing how the mechanism works is certainly helpful, but you also just have to develop a "feel" for it. I practiced on a paved bike trail for a while before I braved traffic.

li10up

01-23-2007, 09:54 AM

Not sure if this will help with your shifting question but something to keep in mind...if you move the chain (front or back) closer to the bike frame (inside) you will move to an easier gear. Shifting the chain away from the frame or to the outside will put you in a harder gear. Yes, there are times when the gearing is close or overlaps that this isn't necessarily true...but generally speaking this is the case most of the time. Hope that helps.

Bluetree

01-23-2007, 10:05 AM

I'm a lot tuffer than this ,and I know Ill be fine soon ,but I want to be fine now.

Of course you're tough, girl... heck you've run marathons!
Honestly, I think you're worrying too much right now. You're thinking about hills and gears when right now you should be focused on getting comfortable on your bike. You know the saying, "You gotta learn to walk before you run..."

Like other people said, stay on relatively flat roads and in your middle ring for now. Get a feel for the bike and get used to clipless pedals. You'll fall down at first, get back up and realize it wasn't so bad. In no time, you'll be wondering what the fuss was all about.

In a few weeks or months, when you're ready to tackle the hills and learn about gearing, it will make much more sense because you don't have to worry about other the "stuff." TE will still be here. NOW GO RIDE!!!! {{{ pointing finger at door}}}

DarcyInOregon

01-23-2007, 11:03 AM

I think part of Suzie's dismay is because we signed up to do an event ride out of Portland in just a few weeks.

http://www.worstdayride.com/routes.html

Suzie signed up for the hilly 40-mile loop and expects to do it on her new road bike. I was more practical and I signed up for the flat 18-mile ride, because it is winter and I lose body heat despite my clothing layers, and because I want it to be a learning ride for me since I am still relatively new on my current Trek road bike (only 3 months.)

However Suzie is an amazing rider, even though she has been at it less than one year. She is out there in the winter cold, on her heavy hybrid, in the dark, riding 26 hilly miles with temperatures in the 20s and 30s. She burns 1200 to 1500 calories during one ride and thinks nothing of it, whereas if I was burning calories like that I would have to be chomping away during the entire ride to prevent myself from bonking. Suzie is strong and smart and she will revive this thread in the future months to tell you how wonderful her road bike is.

For the event ride in a few weeks, Suzie can always ride her hybrid for the hilly 40-mile loop, or change over and ride the itty bitty 18-mile loop. She does have options if she is not ready to ride her road bike for 40 miles of hills.

I am signing off. The sun is out. The temperature is in the mid-40s. I am taking my road bike out into the valley to do some riding. :)

Darcy

mimitabby

01-23-2007, 11:14 AM

Mimi ,bluetree,I do understand about what your saying about the gears ,but what if I'm climbing a steep hill ,and I need to go into a lower gear in the back. ,should I just kinda lift off the pedal when I shift ,so there isn't pressure. I get confused as to what direction I should shift. I could pretty much leave the left gear in the middle...then I should have full range of the 9 gears in the back. Do I make sense??

I think pre-planning your hills is the way to go. If you think you're going to need to go all the way down into granny gear, stay on your middle ring on the front and get really close to granny in the back BEFORE the hill becomes a 10% grade. Then, when the going gets really tough, drop down into your lower of the 3 front chain rings. From there, going the one or two clicks in the back to get to granny is not going to be as severe or hard to do.
that's what I've been doing, and so far (knock knock) it has worked for me!

Pedal Wench

01-23-2007, 11:17 AM

I'll second what someone else said regarding knowing which way to shift. Chain closer to the bike makes it easier to pedal uphill, away from the bike is harder, no matter if your shifting front or rear. Another easy tip is that the bigger lever is for moving to a bigger ring, whether Campy or Shimano. Little shifter (thumb for Campy) shifts to a smaller ring.

Duck on Wheels

01-23-2007, 11:23 AM

Practice clipping and unclipping on the flats as much as you can before the ride. Make sure to adjust your pedals so it's as easy as possible to unclip. Remember to unclip at intersections, a nice bit before actually stopping. Then ... don't worry about it. I've had a dog lunge at me, had my chain fall off, had my chain buckle and stop ... so far I've always managed to unclip in time (touch wood). And I'm an old lady who's always been a klutz. Just ask Trek about the many klutz stories the family tells (the time she got stuck with one foot on the boat and one on the pier ... and fell between; the time she knocked somebody off the dock cuz she turned around while holding a mast; the time she stood in line for potatoes with a lambchop on her plate and :eek: dangled the plate by its edge so the lamb chop fell off; the time she tossed the salad -- literally, and so on) :o I have to be the ultimate test of whether one can learn to ride a lightweight bike with clipless pedals, and hey, I took to it like a Duck on Wheels. If I can do it, so can you. :)

Cyclo Kitty

01-23-2007, 11:26 AM

Is there a park with a soft-ish field near you? I practiced the clipless pedals a lot in field before I dared take my cross bike on the road. I love them now but still have stupid days on them. The BSG told me even he still clips out right and leans left sometimes...and he's been riding for a long time.

You do have to ease into it a little slowly; I found that shifting got a lot easier to understand after riding in the trainer. I could actually see and feel the effect of shifting gears at the same time, so if you have access to a trainer, you might try that. (BSG explained it, DH explained it, I've ridden the bike up and down hills but until I could watch and feel it made little sense.)

This is also my first light weight bike, and the responsiveness combined with the weight is still a little scary. That's where the park came in handy again. Lucky for me there's a park with pine forests and a sandy beach and I don't mind cleaning the chain...but sand and pine needles are better to land on. The car-free riding helped a lot as well, so I ride really early when it's not too cold.

Good luck...I thought I'd made the most expensive mistake a couple weeks ago, but keep pedaling and it has to get better!

oxysback

01-23-2007, 11:38 AM

I think part of Suzie's dismay is because we signed up to do an event ride out of Portland in just a few weeks.

http://www.worstdayride.com/routes.html

Dang...too bad this ride is on a Sunday or else I'd sign up, too!

What time are you guys riding on Saturday (I'm assuming you'll be going to Champoeg)? Need another rider??:)

alpinerabbit

01-23-2007, 12:49 PM

.... The bike feels so light ,like it could tip over at any time. ..... Did anyone else ever feel this way when going from a hybrid to a road bike ,and will I adjust......Will I ever learn to ride it. I feel wobbly on it. ...

Me!:D

Read some of my very first posts! :eek: I had no problem with the clipless pedals, had tested them before but aaaah the fear.

Perhaps it is because we share first names??

BleeckerSt_Girl

01-23-2007, 01:01 PM

Suzie, first things first.
Go with Darcy to the park area where it's FLAT this weekend! You are very lucky to have a supporting friend to go with you and keep you company, also to be there if you get hurt somehow.
Practice for a couple of hours on flat or slightly rolling- no steep hills yet! Leave your front gear in the middle ring for a while and practice changing back and forth on the rear gears, but avoid the 1 or 2 extreme ones on either end. (If it starts making chain noise, avoid that one). When you get the hang of that, try the opposite: leave your back gear in the middle section, and practice only changing back and forth amongst the 3 front rings.

Get comfortable with riding and turning and practice clipping in and out. Try only having one foot clipped. Then switch to the other for a while. Practice stopping so that the bike will lean to the side you WANT when it's stopping. Don't expect to get smooth on all these things in only a day or two! I remember riding in the school parking lots for DAYS, just flat, doing figure eights and turns, starting and stopping. I liked the parking lots because they had yellow lines that I sometimes used like slolom markers for zig-zag practice. :D Don't practice in dangerous traffic until you are feeling a bit more steady. Wobbly is not abnormal when going from a hyrid to a road bike.
You'll be fine, just go slow and enjoy the learning process- don't always only think of the destination, remember to enjoy the journey! :)

liberty

01-23-2007, 01:53 PM

I can sympathize completely to the hybrid to road bike thing. Learning the gears was totally different, and I was never sure if I was shifting to a harder or easier gear. (I'm sure there are proper terms for "harder or easier", but I will hide behind my novice status) Finally I named the gear shifters. Looking down onto the handle bars as if you were seated on the saddle, think of the shape as a U. Starting from the top left side of the U, the first gear mechanism is "hard", the second is "easy", then moving to the right side of the bike, the bottom shifter is "hard" and the top shifter is "easy". So if I've been off the bike for any length of time (which I have over the holidays) it doesn't take too long to get reaccustomed to road bike shifting again. I just repeat to myself "hard, easy, hard, easy", and it helps me remember. I have to look down at the chain to see what gear I am in and how many I can move up or down. If your hills are massive, you can always keep the front in the easy gear, and just play with the back... I tried to ride my hybrid when I was recovering from the dog wreck, and boy did I miss the road bike! So while there is a learning curve, I don't think you will regret getting your new bike. Have fun.

li10up

01-23-2007, 01:58 PM

For learning to clip in and out you can try this. Wear your bike shoe on the foot that you usually want to clip out of and put on the ground when you come to a stop. On the other foot wear a street shoe...one with a firm sole will work better than a soft running shoe. That way you don't have to worry about your one foot accidentally cliping in. This way you will always have a free foot to try to bail out on. Then just ride along and clip in and out...you don't even have to come to a stop. Just unclip, clip in, repeat. Once you have that foot down, switch out your shoes to the other foot. You'll have it down in no time. Good luck, and remember...almost everyone falls at least once. Think of it as a rite of passage. :)

ace

01-23-2007, 01:58 PM

Another helpful tip in transitioning to clipless-

When I was learning how to clip in and out a few months ago, I had a friend (who was just lounging around watching me ride up and down the street) periodically shout "stop!" at me, and immediately had to stop. That way I felt like I was getting some good practice in at having to unclip without warning. It made me feel a lot more sure of myself.

Good luck to you- I'll be making the transition from a hybrid to a road bike myself soon, and I'll be following your progress with interest!

mimitabby

01-23-2007, 02:03 PM

DarcyInOregon

01-23-2007, 05:24 PM

Dang...too bad this ride is on a Sunday or else I'd sign up, too!

What time are you guys riding on Saturday (I'm assuming you'll be going to Champoeg)? Need another rider??:)

Hi Ellen, I thought about you for the event ride, but it is on a Sunday so I didn't send you the info. If you want to join us on Saturday, we will be in Champoeg Park around 1 p.m. (I think.) You have been on a road bike for longer than either Suzie or me, so you can give both of us pointers I am certain. We will be in the parking area that is called the Riverside Picnic area, which is turning left at the first ranger hut and following the road to where it ends in a parking lot.

I did 18.8 miles today, and I am learning that I am not much of a winter rider. My legs turned to popsicles around mile 12, and my blood sugar got very low, despite eating dried apricots every few miles. My bike speed was slower than a sea turtle on sand.

Darcy

tygab

01-23-2007, 06:30 PM

I think you've already gotten very excellent feedback here. When I went through this with my Pilot 2.1, I felt all the same things, but on top of that I wasn't even fit or riding, used to traffic, etc. Riding at first was not enjoyable for me at all! In fact there were days I wondered why I was doing it.

I fell over the first time I rode my Pilot. This was in a parking lot. For a bike trail.
Going on the bike trail at all was scary but I felt it had to be more predictable than a road (flat for one). So, I got comfortable with the general feel of the bike, then the pedals, then I added roads, then I started hills, then I added mileage etc. All in little steps. By the end of the summer I was able to complete my weekend long charity ride, and every little thing along the way seemed a distant memory.

Sounds to me like you are tackling the whole enchilada and that might be what's stressing you. Feel free to pick one area to work on and get comfortable with it, then gradually expand. I think you'll be able to get there fast with your base comfort in riding already!

Stay positive, don't get down on yourself - you will get thru this all!

suzieqtwa

01-23-2007, 07:40 PM

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just got home from work ,and THANKS LADIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm going to take it one step at a time. I think Ellen will be joining us at the park...hopefully to help us. I will have her ,and Darcy with me when I fall ,and make a fool of myself. :eek: I don't know what I was thinking trying to go straight up a hill last night. Ill probably end up doing the 18 mile charity ride ,but just maybe ,Ill be ready for the 40 miles of hills.
I like the idea of naming the gears...I need to make some sense of it all. I think was got me upset is that I have been waiting so long for this bike ,and now I have it ,and I cant even ride it.
The fact that it is so light it feels like I'm going to blow over.
About 20 years ago ,I bought a VW that I couldn't drive off the lot because I couldn't drive a stick. My friend drove it for me...I used to be scared to death to get in it especially if I had to stop on a hill. Now alls I drive is a stick. I know it will come to me ,and Ill look back on this thread ,and smile ,but now I just want to be comfortable.
Thanks Lisa for the recommendation on the Kelvar tires....I love them. One less thing to worry about (getting flats).
Ill let you know how my ride went Saturday...I'm bringing my camera ,so we will have pictures.
Thanks TE :)

light_sabe_r

01-23-2007, 11:06 PM

Hey Suzie. Seems as though i'm late as Usual. But I've also done the transition from Hybrid to Roadie recently as well. You're story is like reading my diary from November last year!!! MWAHAHA.

The thing that scared me the most about riding my brand spanking new P!nk was that I couldn't stop. the brake pads were... How do you say... CHEAP AND FREAKING NASTY. That was my only gripe with my bike after riding the hills of my commute.

Some new brakes fixed that and BF gave me his old Bianchi brake set because they've been "broken in" and I don't have to grip as much.

i took her out on a couple of rides with initally BF and FELL... ALOT. Usually slow clipping out type falls but I was on the road. Or the fact I had her in the wrong gear going up hill. This was not good.

The only way i got used to her was to ride her on my own on my terms at my speeds along familiar tracks for a bit. Sure my average speed was 12kph (which I think is around 7mph) and I walked her accross every intersection and clipped in ONLY on FLATS... and it took me a good ten metres to PREPARE TO STOP.

But I did it.

NOW for the gears...

Have you got Shimano? Just remember

LEFT, Big handle=UP Little handle = Down
RIGHT, Big Handle=Down Little Handle =Up

^_^ Only figured that out this month! I even rode a Triathlon thinking the right side was reversed! :P Still managed a decent time though.

Anyhue, Good luck. you'll do fine. Just get out for some rides on your own when you're ready. The nerves will stop, Trust me. You'll be worn out after your first few rides (my heart rate was NEVER higher) because of the added adrenalin... Once that settles down you'll have it down pact.

YOU CAN DO IT SUZIE!!!!!! :D

Bad JuJu

01-24-2007, 05:01 AM

Another "day-late-dollar-short" pep talk here. LOL
I can't really empathize with your new bike issues--I think I just haven't always been smart enough to know when I should be afraid of something. Does that make sense? So, for example, I just started right off using toeclips when I got my first "adult" bicycle, and of course I fell down. Might've saved myself a fall or two if I'd thought it over first and realized, "Hey, this might take some getting used to." But nooooooooooooo.:rolleyes:

My point, though, is that fear can be the thing that keeps us safe and lets us know when we need to take it slow. So...take it slow--as someone else said, one step at a time. Have fun on your event ride and let us know how it went!
GO SUZIE GO SUZIE GO SUZIE!!!

suzieqtwa

01-24-2007, 08:54 AM

Light Sabe...thanks for the advise. I know the gears will get me confused when I'm going up a hill ,and Ill get frustrated...I know Ill just start shifting ,and fall.
JuJu...like you I don't know when I should be afraid of things...that is why I went straight up the hill the first time I got on the bike. I really thought I was going to get on it ,and ride away ,like it was natural. I want to mark the shifters so Ill remember which way to shift...has anyone ever done that????

li10up

01-24-2007, 09:11 AM

Do you have the shifters that have the thumb button? If so, you can just remember "Thumb=Tough." That is for the right hand where most of your shifting will be done. Just the opposite for the left hand. Or you can remember that the thumb pushes the chain right the lever pushes it left. And on the left hand the lever pushes the chain right and the thumb pushes it left (the same directions you are pushing the levers/thumb button. Remember, chain towards bike is easier, chain away from bike is tougher. Or chain to the left is easier, chain to the right is tougher.

bcipam

01-24-2007, 09:24 AM

The same thing happened to me and I think it happens to everyone. Before my current road bike, I was riding a 20 year old Spec. Expedition with down tube shifters, large touring tires, longer wheel base, flat pedals with cages. The new bike was as opposite as you can imagine. I had to learn how to shift all over again. Because of the shorter wheel base, and narrower tires, the bike felt sooooooo squirrelly. I was scared to death of the clipless pedals. BUT... it took only one long ride and I was in love. Shifting, using the pedals, handling all came second nature to me... as easy as riding a bike! And I loved the handling, the speed it excelerated and the easy shifting. My old bike was a clunker!

Get out somewhere where there is no crazy stuff where you can just ride, play with the shifters, get a feel for handling and practice engaging and disengaging the pedals. I think you will be totally amazed at how quickly to all becomes second nature.

bcipam

01-24-2007, 09:28 AM

I want to mark the shifters so Ill remember which way to shift...has anyone ever done that????

Uncertain your component group but the one thing that help me was getting a FLIGHT DECK Computer - it is designed to work with Shimano Ultegra or Dura Ace. It shows you which gear you are in and as you shift where you are going. It actually has little dots on the display to show you if you are in the Big, middle or little (I have a triple) front Chain ring and also a display to show you where you are at in the rear. Great awesome tool! If you have Campy check with the bike shop they may also have a computer that does the same thing.

Triskeliongirl

01-24-2007, 09:39 AM

Hi Suzie, I think you can be ready for your event, just take it a day at a time between now and then. One key thing is that I never try to shift the front ring while going up hill. SO, when you see a hill coming get in either your granny or middle ring as you expect you'll need, and then try to anticipate the gear you'll need in back, but then move up or down the back as necessary. If you are worried about falling cuz you won't have a low enough gear, then use the granny for comfort purposes until you learn better what you can do in what gear. If you don't have a trainer, ask the guys at your LBS if you can use one of theirs to practice the shifts until you are understand how it works. Its really not that hard but you do need to practice. If the terrain is rolling, the easiest thing may be to do everything from your middle ring in front, so all you have to worry about are rear shifts. You should never drop your chain on a rear shift, only a front one. Also make sure someone (maybe in your LBS) explains 'trim' to you. I didn't say in my last post that I had about a day to get used to my new drop handlebar bike before riding the seagull century (it arrived late). While it was scary at first, by the end of the ride I was definitely one with the bike!

oxysback

01-24-2007, 09:59 AM

Hi Ellen, I thought about you for the event ride, but it is on a Sunday so I didn't send you the info. If you want to join us on Saturday, we will be in Champoeg Park around 1 p.m. (I think.) You have been on a road bike for longer than either Suzie or me, so you can give both of us pointers I am certain. We will be in the parking area that is called the Riverside Picnic area, which is turning left at the first ranger hut and following the road to where it ends in a parking lot.

I did 18.8 miles today, and I am learning that I am not much of a winter rider. My legs turned to popsicles around mile 12, and my blood sugar got very low, despite eating dried apricots every few miles. My bike speed was slower than a sea turtle on sand.

Darcy

Well, I just pm'ed Suzie that I wouldn't be able to make it, but in re-thinking things I can postpone the celebratory lunch with my daughter (she's finally at her grade level for reading after a lot of hard work on her part...yay!!) and go later in the afternoon, so if 1pm works for you guys I'll be there!

(Holy run-on sentance, Batman!!)

I'm right with ya on speed, Darcy. I can count on one had the times I've been on my bike since September. :eek: :eek: :eek: I need a kick in the pants!!

Leslie Power

01-24-2007, 11:22 AM

Hi Susie and all -
I just joined this list an hour ago :o).
Three ways to think about shifting:
1) "Hand feel."
I didn't notice, but are your shifters STI? If so, it's harder at first because you're just clicking stuff, and the shifters don't stay in any one position. However, you get the "body memory" soon enough. Downhill, your left hand does one big motion and your right hand flutters. Uphill, your left hand flicks once or twice and your right hand cranks. (I realize this will sound ridiculous to non -STI riders!)
2) Look at the chain.
Use your eyes to help shift! While toodling in a safe place, just look down at the chain while you shift and see how it moves. When it moves to the right, you're upshifting, big gears for flats and downhills. When it moves to the left, you're downshifting to make things easy for yourself when you climb.
3) Chainrings (front) and cogs (back)
In front, you either have two or three rings. If you have a lot of hills, I hope you have three. Anyhow, the big ring is like .. "overdrive." You use it when you're speeding on flats or going downhill, for more power in easy-to-pedal circumstances. If you have 3 in front, the littlest one, the "granny," is just for uphills. Then the main ring is kinda your working ring. So, the chainrings (left hand) are for big adjustments. The cogs (right hand) are how you fine-tune your shifting. Way to the right, the littlest cog, is for more flat/downhill/power riding. Way to the left makes things easier.

re: dropping the chain on uphill shifting and falling over, yeah, been there, but only when I first got clipless. You learn to shift early, shift gently, and mostly, you DO learn when you drop the chain to instantly clip out. Really.

Happy Riding,
Leslie

AnnieBikes

01-24-2007, 01:33 PM

I am new here, too, but thought I could put in my $.02 worth, as well. I thought I would NEVER learn to shift after switching from a Mountain bike to a roadie. It takes a long time to get used to a new bike, but one day you will be riding along and realize that you did not have to look down to see what gear you were in. It becomes old hat, like with your old bike. You think the day will never come, but hang in there, it will, and sooner than you think.

As far as the clipless pedals go...I resisted forever...and then my son said "try them on my bike" and he lowered his seat and we rode up and done a section of a rails to trails bike path. It was flat and I practiced getting in and out of them. My local bike shop sold me what others here have talked about..flats on one side and cleats on the other and that saved the day. If I got nervous on the MTB then I just clicked out and flipped the pedals. I was almost a year before I switch to clips alone on both the bikes, road and MTN. Yes, I fell off a few times, and after two and a half years, I still occasionally do that...mostly when I have come to a stop and forget to unclip!! Now, I can't imagine being without clips. One day at a time, one thing at a time and soon you will wonder what this thread was all about. Good luck!!! We are rooting for you!!

slinkedog

01-24-2007, 03:57 PM

It helped me SO MUCH to put my bike into the trainer and practice shifting gears while looking down and clipping in and out of the pedals. Don't know if you have access to one, but if you do, I highly recommend spending a few hours messing with your bike in the trainer. :)

Denise223

01-25-2007, 10:25 AM

Hi Suzie:D !

You have received lots of great advice here :D ! I don't have a road bike (yet....), so I can't give you any advice that would help.

I am really happy to hear that you & Darcy are friends (who met through TE), and will be meeting up with Ellen (oxysback) for the ride on Saturday :) !! I LOVE hearing that people meet up for rides and it's all through TE.

I can't wait to hear how much fun you guys are going to have & look forward to seeing photos :D !!

Peace & Love to you and yours,

Denise

KSH

01-25-2007, 10:34 AM

WOW! Suzie... I am so sorry to hear about your struggles and your non-love of your bike.

It's going to take some practice to get use to it. Especially since you are going from one type of bike to another.

When I first got my road bike... I was scared. It was fast... and I was clipped in... and I didn't have a CLUE about how/when/why to shift. I seriously found out how to make it to my granny gear a year after I bought the bike. So sad, I know.

Now... this story totally reminds me of myself!

About 20 years ago ,I bought a VW that I couldn't drive off the lot because I couldn't drive a stick. My friend drove it for me...I used to be scared to death to get in it especially if I had to stop on a hill. Now alls I drive is a stick. I know it will come to me ,and Ill look back on this thread ,and smile ,but now I just want to be comfortable.

When I got my first car, it was a stick shift. I seriously had issues driving it for about 6 months. I ran a lot of red lights and stop signs for fear of having to get out of first again! But as you know, if you are determined enough, you can teach yourself something new and scary!

But, with practice... and time... oh and being completely headstrong and nutty (riding group rides that were too fast for me when I only had around 50 miles on my bike)... did I get use to the bike and learn how to love and use it.

Keep at it. Practice it will get better.