I'm a bike virgin and I need help!!!

I'm so thrilled to have just stumbled across this message board today, and plan to spend some serious time sifting through it all in the next few days.

I'm hoping, though, that someone can point me in the right direction... here is my deal: I just inherited a bicycle a week ago - it's a Trek Navigator 300, almost brand new. I'm REAL psyched to start riding, and have so far taken it out twice. However, I am utterly clueless about riding the thing. I haven't ridden a bike since I was a kid. I don't know the first thing about shifting gears (how to do it, when to do it, why to do it), breaking properly, and pretty much anything else. Does anyone know a good resource for true beginners to learn such things? Or can a kind soul take a moment to at least explain the shifting gears part to me so that I don't kill myself and the bike the next time I attempt to take it for a spin?

Is everyone this clueless when they first start riding? I feel lost, but so frustrated because I want to ride!!!

Can't speak for everybody, but I was pretty clueless when I started, having not ridden since my NO-gear bike in high school. So I had to learn all that too. The easiest way by far is to find a friend, colleague, acquaintance, on the spot who can SHOW you. Hard to describe in words only. If there's an REI store around, they may have classes that would work for you. So might a local bike shop.

I have to say, I don't think you'll find a better resource than this humble board.
There is such a wealth of knowledge on every subject - from shifting gears to what gear to wear.
My suggestion would be to go ahead as planned, and spend the next few days reading through the threads. Do keywork searches, you'll be amazed how much has been covered and in such detail.

Oh, and congratulations on entering the wonderful world of cycling - you're about to embark on a wonderful adventure! Very few (if any) enter cycling knowing much more than how to make the wheels turn - whether it's their first time as a kid, or in later life when they rediscover the joys of a bike.
Ask lots - everyone here is really friendly and will never make you feel anything less than empowered!

Welcome to the wonderful world of cycling! I would suggest you check with your local bike club and see if they offer a bke handling class. Our club offers a free 6 week course this time of year and it is packed with information (shifting gears, riding in groups, how to change a tire, etc).

Good luck and enjoy your new bike.

First of all, congratulations on getting your bike.

Second of all, I see you live in the Boston area. There is a group called MassBike Coalition that offers courses and workshops for all skill levels. I haven't taken any of their classes, so I can't personally vouch, but it sounds like a good place for you to start. They have a series of intro courses you could try:

http://www.massbike.org/skills/classes.htm

Also, depending on where in Boston you are, there's an REI in the Landmark Center near Fenway, a whole lot of bike shops on Comm Ave including a new Landry's, and for the burbs there's Wheelworks in Belmont and my personal fav., CycleLoft in Burlington.

Once you get going, I'd highly reccomend a ride on the Minuteman Bike Path...it goes from Davis Square out to Bedford.

Happy Riding!

Emily

Everyone has already given you some great advice but I have another suggestion for you.

A good way to get initially aquainted with the gears and what they do is to feel them at work. Take your bike to a quiet area (probably not easy to find in Boston!) like a parking lot early on a Sunday. You want to be where there aren't any big hills and where there is no traffic to worry about. Then, start riding. Ride in a fairly strait line and try shifting one lever at a time. You'll be able to feel how it gets easier and harder to pedal depending on which lever you use. Basically, the levers on the right hand change the rear gears and one ones on the left change the front ones. One lever on each side makes it harder to pedal and one makes it easier. The back gears have smaller increments of change, so you want to play with those first (the right hand).

Once you've gotten a feel for which lever makes it harder or easier to pedal, then you can start to imagine how they'll work going up or down hills or on flat road.

Another idea is to flip the bike over so it's resting on the handle bars and saddle (do this on a blanket, grass or carpet so that you don't scratch anything) and as you move the pedals, shift the gear levers and watch what happens. This won't help you understand which hand does what because everything is upside down, but it will help you get an idea of HOW they work.

To learn the finer points of when to shift and how to make things work the most effeciently, the best thing to do would be either take a class, or start asking questions of local cyclists!

Best of luck...and HAVE FUN!! :D

You've got a good bike - I think you'll enjoy riding it.
I believe the Navigator has a triple. That means there are three rings on the front - you might begin by shifting that ring to the middle and leaving it there - then only shift the rear rings for the first week or so. You'll be able to get the general idea of shifting without going overboard. When you are comfortable with the gears you can get to leaving that in the middle and only changing the back - then start changing the front, too.
As for breaking, to begin with - try to remember to break primarily on the back wheel (using the right hand).
Both of these suggestions are a great way to start IMHO. But, they aren’t a great way to continue, once comfortable with the bike and riding, start using all the gears and the breaks more efficiently.
Finally, make some adjustments to make the bike fit you as well as you can - or go to one of the places mentioned above. You’ll be much happier if the seat is the right height.
Have Fun!!!

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Originally Posted by TsPoet

As for breaking, to begin with - try to remember to break primarily on the back wheel (using the right hand).

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Keep in mind that braking with the rear brake only or even mostly will make you skid.

In general bike use, it is highly recommended to learn to brake mostly with the front brake (like 60-40 front-rear), which actually stops you, whereas the rear brake only "drags" you.

The ratio changes when going downhill at high speed but even there you should be feathering both brakes, certainly not only the rear one.

The bike handling course, which I also strongly recommend, will also help with this. Or, while you're in that parking lot, also try braking with only the rear, only the front, or both brakes, at different speeds, with different braking intensities...

Welcome to the wonderful world of cycling! You'll soon feel like you're 7 years old again!

I really appreciate everyone's responses... I'm running out the door for a weekend trip, but will delve into this board when I'm back on Monday. Thanks to everyone who took the time to write.

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Originally Posted by Grog

Keep in mind that braking with the rear brake only or even mostly will make you skid.

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Wait, what?? During my fitting last night, LBS guy told me to always use rear brake first, only use front brakes for 'hard stops', and be sure to lean back when using front brakes so I do not pitch forward.

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Originally Posted by pikato

Wait, what?? During my fitting last night, LBS guy told me to always use rear brake first, only use front brakes for 'hard stops', and be sure to lean back when using front brakes so I do not pitch forward.

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She's talking performance. Your LBS and I are talking ease and safety. You always want to learn to use the rear brake first. When you get into performance, you'll learn to use your brakes to help with cornering, etc.
Start by emphasizing rear. When you get faster and more zippy, use the front more, but only after you are comfortable and know the limits. It'll come.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TsPoet

She's talking performance. Your LBS and I are talking ease and safety.

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I am definitely talking about safety.

Unless you jam the brakes at some speed, you won't go over the handlebars. If you use the rear brake with any force, you'll make your rear wheel skid, endangering both yourself and any cyclist that may be on your side (which is often the case when stopping at intersections in a city).

Plus, I repeat, only the front brake actually STOPS the bike. The rear brake only makes your rear wheel drag on the pavement. So stop promptly, efficiently, and above all safely, you have to learn to use the front brake.

This is why I strongly suggest trying different ways of braking in a parking lot, where you can set yourself a spot for braking (I want to stop my wheel right at this line - not beyond it). You can experiment with one brake or the other, with both brakes, with different speeds too.

When braking, you should be using only the front or both brakes depending on the situation (if going at high speed you may indeed want to start feathering the rear brake to slow yourself down before you hit the front brake) and transfering your weight to the rear of the bike (moving to the rear of your saddle).

I invite anyone who doubts this to consult great references like Effective Cycling, Sheldon Brown's braking page (http://sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html), or any cycling book.

I KNOW everyone is scared to fly over the handlebars, but because of this fear of a situation that may happen only exceptionally, they endanger themselves in ALL other normal riding/commuting situations by not using their brakes properly.

Please, please, please, learn to use your front and rear brakes adequately.

One important thing is when you have the chain on the smallest ring in front, you should not have it on the smallest ones in the back. This will make the chain diagonal and you might drop it or even break it.