Scared To Ride

[Bethany1]

I did it. I got her out, put the original tires back on and took her for a ride with my son and his friends. By the time I got back from a check-up from the LBS as my tires weren't aligning right, my son and his friends walked in and wanted to go.

About 2 miles out my son's crankset broke and we all just walked the rest of way home. Hopefully it's under some kind of warranty as he's had it less than year. He's got a Specialized Rockhopper and he busted something else about the crankset over the summer and got it fixed. The whole thing fell apart on him while he was riding. I'm just glad he didn't crash.

My Fargo keeps having shifting problems as the chain won't catch right on some of the gears. I had my LBS go over it earlier, but if I start going up a hill, it chokes up on me grinding gears as the chain tries to catch. Any help on that would be great.

It was nice to be out on a bike again and more fun with other people.

I had hoped to go out on the trail, but it's closed until deer season is over in the middle of January.

Thanks for the encouragement. My DH is totally supportive of cycling. He doesn't have a problem with me going alone, he just worries. He wasn't upset when I told him why I haven't been riding. He just said to ride when I felt like it.

[goride]

It is good to read that you went out and rode your bike. That really is the best way to get over your worries (personal experience speaking). I agree that the SPOT is a good suggestion. I don't often have it with me when I ride, as coverage in the area where I ride is pretty good, but I take it along when I hike, snowshoe, or XC ski.

[Melalvai]

Did your bike shop replace the chain? If they replaced the chain, and it hadn't been replaced in a long time, the cassette may have worn down to match the chain, and doesn't fit right with the new chain. Or it may just be an old cassette, they don't last forever.

[OakLeaf]

My Fargo keeps having shifting problems as the chain won't catch right on some of the gears. I had my LBS go over it earlier, but if I start going up a hill, it chokes up on me grinding gears as the chain tries to catch.

Do you only have trouble when you're climbing hills? Are you trying to shift under load? There's a little bit of technique involved in shifting while climbing - you need to get enough momentum to carry you forward, then soft-pedal as you shift, so that you're moving the chain through the derailleur across the gear teeth, but NOT putting a load on the chain. If you're pedaling hard, the derailleur isn't going to be able to shift right, because shifting involves moving the chain sideways and through the rear derailleur springs (which tension the chain regardless of whether you're shifting front or rear).

I think the best way to learn is to start by getting most of your shifting done at the bottom of the hill, before you're pedaling hard. You'll gain familiarity with the technique, though while you're learning, you'll have to spin up the hill in a lower gear than you'd probably like. As you figure out the muscle skills, you'll be able to shift under progressively tougher conditions.