Hi, Kimmy!

When I read your post the first thing that struck me is how well you understand what was going wrong on the bike for you. Many new mountain bikers (myself included) do not at first understand what things are causing them problems...why they are falling, etc....but you *do* know what the issues are, so we know that you'll be able to overcome all of them, probably in short order.

I think you really will enjoy the challenge of mountain biking....the learning when to shift, the moving your weight around (which you've already tried), the finding the best line through rocks and roots, etc... But you'll really love being one with the bike - the way the bike will be an extension of you as you discover the woods and the wild parts near your home.

Next time find a better bike that fits you even better and you'll see how much fun you can have! Oh, and just put your regular pedals on the bike. It only takes a moment to swap the pedals between bikes, and it sounds like you'd feel more comfortable that way.

Ride on, Kimmy! Welcome to the dark side!

Hugs & Butterflies,
~T~