Just getting started

[Velocivixen]

@sadieme, when you shift gears you do what is called "light" pedaling, meaning you keep pedaling but you decrease the pressure you are putting on the pedals. A good thing to know is that as you see a hill coming, don't wait until you're halfway up the hill and realize it's too hard to keep pedaling, but ANTICIPATE that the hill will be more challenging and shift to a lower/easier gear just as you begin to climb. You can still shift gears when you are pedaling strongly, but the increased load on the chain while shifting is not optimal. The idea, in general, with pedaling is to get into a comfortable & sustainable cadence (revolutions per minute) and be able to maintain that whether on the flats, going up or down a hill. So going up a hill you'll need a lower gear, and since going down a hill is easier due to gravity, you would shift to a higher/harder gear. There is a trick to shifting if you're already going up a hill and you're pushing down on the pedals really hard: you slightly turn to the side and give 1 hard pedal, and because you're turning perpendicular to the hill it takes pressure off the chain for a split second and that's when you shift down to a lower gear. It's easier if you see it vs reading about it.

Regarding your saddle (seat, but call it a "saddle"), if you are sliding forward I would try slightly tipping the nose of the saddle up. My saddle uses a 5mm Allen wrench with 1 bolt attaching the clamp to the rails beneath the saddle. I loosen up this bolt (not all the way, but enough so you can tip the nose up or down), and as I move the nose I hear and feel "clicks" and I move the nose only 1 or 2 clicks, tighten and go for a ride. So etimes moving a saddle too far forward will cause you to put more pressure on your hands resulting in sore hands, wrists, shoulders.
Also check your tire pressure daily prior to each ride. The pressure (usually a range) is listed in the side of your tire. Using a lower pressure in the range makes for a softer ride. Tubes naturally can loose 3 or so psi per day.

[Velocivixen]

Sadieme, yes the Co2 canister is under very high pressure and you use that instead of pumping air to fill up your tube. Some canisters must screw onto your Valve stem (so you need to know whether your stems are Presta or Schrader) or come sort of clip on using a special trigger activated "gun". pumping air into a tube on the side of the road with mini pumps like you would carry with you is difficult because those pumps are so tiny. They don't pump as much air as a floor pump. So Co2 with a trigger device that attaches to the valve takes like 1 second to inflate a tire. The downside is that if you get a bunch of flats on a ride and run out of cartridges. Some folks carry both.

[goldfinch]

But, I did raise the saddle a bit after reading some things here. I was amazed at how much difference it made! I was much more comfortable and the whole ride was easier. Now, I am thinking about moving it forward a bit. I kept scooting my butt back so I was sitting more comfortably. Maybe that will help? Advice and suggestions gladly accepted!

I kept scooting back on my seat. It turned out that my seat was too far forward and by pushing myself back I was looking for a position further back. You might try moving it back a bit. I would try back and forward positions before messing with tilt.

[sadieme]

wow... thanks again for all the great information! I will have to play with the saddle and see how it feels. I imagine its going to be trial and error but thats part of the fun I guess!

I had no idea that tires lose air that easily. I have a small hand pump , but it sounds like the co2 cannisters are the way to go. Will have to pick up one of those too!

Thanks!

[jusdooit]

Also changing the front (either up or down) one ring is approximately the same as 3 rings in the back. I mention this beacause before changing the rfont front you wwant to change the rear in an opposite fashion app 3 rings first. For example if you're going to make it easier to pedal by changing the front to a smaller ring, the change the back to a bigger ring followed immediately by changing the front. This takes a little (maybe a lot) of practice. It wil keep you from "spinning" or "mashing" when chainging gears. (Hope all that made sense.)

[sadieme]

I just spent some time trying to figure out the gears and doing some saddle adjustments.

Not sure whats wrong, but the chain wont move to the outer (largest) chainring. It just goes from the small one to the middle one. Sometimes it 'rattles' when on the middle one. Not sure if thats because its trying to get settled in, or what. I dont know the terminology but the piece that seems to be 'moving' the chain maybe isnt allowing it to move as far towards the outside as it should? Although it is moving to the outside. But when it 'rattles' it appears to be because the chain is hitting that piece when its on the middle ring.

Thought and suggestions appreciated.

Does that make sense?

sorry for the ramble.

[tytbody]

I had similar issues as you had
Sadime, when trying out my bike. I was scooting back also. Didn't know why. it was good reading that i would need a seat adjustment. I'd love to ride along side someone that knows what's going on and what to try.

Even though I looked at the video, when I read you all say shift down, does that mean in the numbers on the right-hand gear?

Which gear do you use more often? Seems you all are referring to the left one. I've always only used the right because I don't know when to shift. When I would shift, I'd use the right one.

so down shifting is making the number larger or smaller on the front or the back?

Sadieme - I do hear what you are trying to say and I don't know what is happening but I understand, the clanking. Something is not catching on the gear thing. What do they call that when the chain is on the thingy? lol. boy do I need to learn parts. If they have a detailed picture of parts, I could talk more sensibly, (I hope at least) lol

[goldfinch]

Shifting down is going to a lower gear. So, if you have numbers on your shifter shifting down will be to lower numbers. If you actually look at the rings on your bike, when you shift down on the front you will go from larger chain rings to smaller. This is using the left hand shifter. In contrast, when you shift down to a lower gear on the rear, using your right hand shifter, you will be using larger size cogs. But you still will be shifting down to easier gears and the numbers on your shifting mechanism will be going lower.

So, first gear on the left hand shifter coupled with first gear on the right will be the lowest gear of all. But you will be on the biggest cog on the back and smallest chain ring on the front.

[goldfinch]

Not sure whats wrong, but the chain wont move to the outer (largest) chainring. It just goes from the small one to the middle one. Sometimes it 'rattles' when on the middle one. Not sure if thats because its trying to get settled in, or what. I dont know the terminology but the piece that seems to be 'moving' the chain maybe isnt allowing it to move as far towards the outside as it should? Although it is moving to the outside. But when it 'rattles' it appears to be because the chain is hitting that piece when its on the middle ring.

Thought and suggestions appreciated.

Does that make sense?

sorry for the ramble.

The chain is rubbing on your front derailleur mechanism. On my old bike when I shifted using the left hand shifter for the front derailleur I had to push the shifter one and a half times to have it shift up to the next highest gear. Going down, I only had to click the shifter once. So, depending on your type of shifting mechanism, that may be the problem.

Otherwise, you might have to have your front derailleur adjusted.

Another issue is that it is harder to shift up the front derailleur than other shifting you will do. You are effectively moving up several gears. You can't push the pedals hard when shifting on the front. Just easily pedal as you shift.

[Velocivixen]

The derailleur in the front is not moving the chain up to the big ring. As the chain goes around the middle chain ring, the chain is rubbing on the derailleur cage (looking down from the top is looks like a parallelogram. Please watch this youtube video and it will explain everything. I have watched many videos and this guy explains it very well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tQxJ...eature=related

Hope it helps.

[tytbody]

Wow. that was scary just sitting here watching that chain come off. He was good. Great clear pictures.

I'm reading about the gears now. I feel like i'm in Bike terminology school.

[sadieme]

I spent two hours trying to watch that video, and only got 2 min downloaded. (Gotta love dial up!) So i gave up. However... I did check out that link to Sheldon Browns page. TONS of great info there. I will spend a lot of time there educating myself. It also has a glossery of terms that is going to be a great help!

Oh, I also picked up a co2 cannister and some 'Monkey Butt' stuff. I think I had read that name here somewhere.. as something that would help chafing, which has been an issue for me. I hope it works!

And all your posts have a wealth of information! Now to absorb it all!

I took the bike to my LBS today and he is going to look at it and do whatever adjusting needs to be done so hopefully it should be good to go when I pick it up this afternoon.

[tytbody]

Monkey but stuff.? Hum .. I've not gotten riding pants yet so I may need this when I do start. The names people give their products. You'd never think to look under a name like that for something for riding chaffing...

[sadieme]

Got it back and he told me it shifts "smooth as butter." I havent tried it yet but plan to tomorrow.

I had purchased a new saddle shortly after I got it because the leather, hard one hurt my tail. But now, after doing some more reading, I am thinking that maybe that would be better then the gel one I got to replace it.

Tomorrow might be an interesting ride!

[tytbody]

Was the problem the Deraile Sadieme?