Rough Night

[snyderd25]

Thank Marni and Trek 420. The coach says I have crappy tires. My bike is 5 years and I don't remember having them replaced. He also thinks I need something adjusted on chain/gear. I wonder if the second flat was bc I was going downhill and riding the break. Either way, 3 in one week is too many.

I've been reading up on the gear issue... I have a triple but it's shimano tiagra, so maybe I need to upgrade?

This is a very expensive sport.

Two days after the ride and I am still so sleepy and sound like an old lady who's smoked for 40 years. What is that about?

[missjean]

I was wondering about the number of flats too, but Trek420 & Muirenn covered that pretty well.
The whole switching gear thing gets better with practice. Before you put more money into your bike, take it to a well respected bike shop and ask if there is a mechanical reason you are having trouble with shifting, ie: worn chain & rings, gunked up cables & housing, etc.
If that's not what is causing the shifting problem, try to take some time and find a safe place to ride, best with some hills, and don't worry about anything (speed, distance) except practicing shifting - going up hill, down hill, fast, slow, stopping, starting. You'll get it soon enough!

[Trek420]

I've been reading up on the gear issue... I have a triple but it's shimano tiagra, so maybe I need to upgrade?

Tiagra is fine. Ride it till you need to replace parts. Shimano "ages together" If one part needs replacing like the front der I'd replace the whole power train then. Time for the upgrade.

By then you've trained for and done the first century and many many more. You're stronger and may want to consider different gearing. Higher cluster because you're doing more climbs and in a higher gear, maybe you get to the top and are spinning out on the downhill, or lower cluster because you want to do even more challenging hills.

I'd wait for that. Tiagra is a fine group.

Later if you go to 105 or even Ultegra you'll notice the crank set and I think it's called spline drive, thingie bopper that goes in the bottom bracket feels like a whole new bike! It's much stiffer, crisper and much cheaper than actually GETTING a new bike. But that can wait. You're fine.

[Sky King]

I had two flat tires and some major shifting problems resulting in lost and jammed chains.

Are you waiting to downshift until you are really mashing the gear? Downshift before the hill and keep spinning. The chain has a hard time moving to the lower gear when it has a great deal of tension on it. I suggest practicing on some small hills. Yes your bike may need some adjusting as well but I know if I wait to long to downshift as I am climbing I will end up dropping my chain.

[Trek420]

Downshift before the hill and keep spinning.

^ that.

I learned here from the wise women on TE that cyclists "shift with their eyes". This might take a while to know "I can do this in the big chain ring or I'll need the middle gear. I'll just have to adjust the back" or "OMG, I'll need the granny for this ".

You have more leeway with the back der. Your bike does not like to shift even that under pressure. MWBR here as we share tips and tricks on that. In other words it can be done but it's an experience, feel, knowing what you and your bike will do on what hill where kinda thang.

Mostly I'd look as you approach the climb, make you're best choice on the front der, pick the right gear for the approach of the hill and shift down as needed but not under load/pressure.

Does that make sense?

[wackyjacky1]

I did a ride in Corpus Christi, TX, a number of years ago and got three flats. It was super frustrating; I think I finished a couple hours after the rest of the group. Ugh. There was a ton of debris on the road, plus back then I wasn't as vigilant about making sure my tires were properly inflated. (A bonus: while repairing the last flat on that ride, I laid my gloves down on the ground -- in a fire ant hill! I didn't realize it until I pulled them back on and the ants started biting me. Yeah, probably the least fun I've ever had on a ride....)

Now I check my tire pressure before every long ride, and at least a couple times a week for my regular commute. That, along with the kevlar bead in my tires, has solved any flat problems for me.

Your sleepiness and breathing problems say "allergies" to me. The same thing happens to me after I exert myself especially hard. Plus a whopper headache. However, I recently went to an ear, nose and throat doctor and he prescribed Flo-nase and azelastine. Since I began using them, I am amazed at how much better I feel -- I have tons more energy, and feel like I can breathe so much better. I'm kicking myself for not seeing a doctor sooner; I had no idea I could feel this good! So I would suggest seeing a doctor about allergies.

[snyderd25]

Hi ladies! I stopped at the bike shop and my doctor today. Bike shop made some adjustments on my gears, tightened the breaks, and replaced the tires. As for the doctor, since I am no longer wheezing, she wasn't sure if it is an asthma issue or an allergy issue... so we are treating both... I have allergy meds and an inhaler for the big rides.

Thanks for all of your help and advice!

My next adventure will be this evening: got a dog seat for my hybrid and am going to see how Baxter likes riding around on my bike in the parking lot across the street!

[snyderd25]

Oh! And although sometimes I was mashing the pedals and the shifting issues were definitely user error, things were also changing on their own. I do need a low traffic hill to practice on.

[snyderd25]

Continental Gatorskins and I am pretty sure I overpaid... but that's the way this will go until I learn and can do more myself, I guess

[Trek420]

Continental Gatorskins and I am pretty sure I overpaid... but that's the way this will go until I learn and can do more myself, I guess

Excellent choice!

[snyderd25]

I am sad to say, I haven't been on them yet... I was a bum this week. Tomorrow... I will let you know.

[carlotta]

I do need a low traffic hill to practice on.

I'm not sure where you are in Philly, but if you're in center city the walkway on the Ben Franklin bridge is zero traffic and a decent hill. It's a little isolated, but I commute it 2x/week and usually see a couple runners, a commuter or two, and the DRPA jeep/cops are often parked halfway up on the Philly side.

Otherwise, Midvale Ave through East Falls is pretty good (as long as you avoid it between 5:30-6:30ish with the evening commuters-- I ride it then most days, but it's not low traffic). You can also turn up the driveway into the SEPTA station and get a high-grade, short hill. There are lots of other neighborhood streets in there with varying grades and little/no traffic.

Also in that area, the Wissahickon trail has a few bits of hill, and if you go up Forbidden Drive to Kitchens Lane, the ride from the parking lot at Kitchens Lane to Wissahickon Ave is steep, paved, low-traffic.

Those are what I can think of off the top of my head. Good luck, and I'll probably see you on the trail sometime if you ride Kelly Drive! (especially during commute hours)