new bike ,and very unhappy

[suzieqtwa]

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]

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.

[spokewench]

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!

[Bluetree]

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

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!

[Aint Doody]

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]

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]

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

[mimitabby]

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]

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]

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.

[li10up]

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.

[alpinerabbit]

.... 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!

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

Perhaps it is because we share first names??

[Leslie Power]

Hi Susie and all -
I just joined this list an hour ago ).
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]

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]

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.