Maiden Voyage

[jjcac1]

I guess I felt like if I was standing I would normally have stood with a wide stance but on the bike I feel like my feet are too close together, like I have wide hips and my knees aren't inline w/ my feet? Does that make sense? Almost like that my hips - knees - feet felt more like a V than being perpendicular lines.

But is this something I will just get used to?

[MomOnBike]

I think what you are talking about is referred to as a(the?) Q factor. Don't ask me where the name comes from. Some people just need their feet further apart for whatever reason (wide hips, etc.). It sounds like you may be one of those people.

Some bike shops sell gadgets called knee savers that move your feet further apart by (I think) moving your pedal further from the crank. You might look into them. With a name like knee savers, they might be important.

Something to think about, in any case.

[JoHunter]

Congrats on having a successful (and fall free) maiden voyage! I find it impossible to keep a high cadence because my knees hurt like mad if I try to go more than 80rpm, this is mostly I think to having very short legs and long cranks. I think with time and practice gears will become a piece of cake. I'm still struggling as I have friction downtube shifters so I keep flailing around trying to find the things, then I have to be careful that the chain actually moves smoothly. O_o

What kind of bike is Molly?

[CorsairMac]

I'm still struggling as I have friction downtube shifters so I keep flailing around trying to find the things, then I have to be careful that the chain actually moves smoothly. O_o

Smoothly??......ya mean they're supposed to shift smoothly??....lol my LBS mechanic calls my stem shifters "grind em til ya find em" shifters!

[MomOnBike]

my LBS mechanic calls my stem shifters "grind em til ya find em" shifters!

I don't have problems shifting (mostly) smoothly on stem shifters. My hand just seems to know where the next gear is. Must be a musician/string player thing. I knew all those lessons would be worth something someday...