frame question

[melissam]

Denise,

The 2003 Nirvana was available in a 13" XS frame, so this is probably what you're riding. Yes, it's a "grown up" bike, not a kid's bike!

Enjoy!

-- Melissa

[Denise223]

Hi Melissa!

Thank you for responding to me.

I'm glad to hear that Gary Fisher did have a 13" adult frame... Thoughts were running through my head that if I'm riding a "kids frame", at my weight, I'll probably eventually break it, or something..

Thank you again!

Denise

[melissam]

Denise,

Glad I could help put your mind at ease.

Hey, if you keep on riding the Nirvana, you won't be at your weight for long!

My mantra is: just keep on pedaling, no matter what! It doesn't matter how slow you are, as long as you keep on pedaling. Because you can't get faster if you don't keep pedaling!

BTW, I'm short too. I'm 5'1" (and a half!) It's good to have a bike that fits! I have a 14" WSD Trek Mountain Bike and a 47cm Trek WSD Road Bike -- both are a joy to ride because they fit me well.

Keep on pedaling!!

-- Melissa

[Denise223]

Hi Melissa!

Hey, if you keep on riding the Nirvana, you won't be at your weight for long!

Thanks for saying that - I needed to hear that today !
And, BTW, I'm also 5' 1 & 1/2" too - I've just always said 5' 2" for whatever reason.....

I really am a beginner rider (at 45). When my husband & I got our bikes in 2004, I couldn't make my way out of large parking lots (to ride around in).
Cars, Mack trucks scare me to death when I'm on a bike!! So.....the riding I did in '04/'05 was probably less than 10 hours total (on the road, anyway.)

But......on June 5th we checked out a local bikeway path not far from our house. Put the bikes on our rack & drove out there.
The longest I've ridden (thus far) is 11/12 miles.

To be honest, I'm kind of afraid to do the whole length of the bikeway....I'm thinking to myself...."what if there's a hill, and I can't get back up it??"

I just stop at 11 miles (even though I definitely feel I can go longer), and say, "well, that's enough for today!".

I SINCERELY want to get past that, and do the whole path. It's 22 miles round trip.
What's the worst thing that could happen??
I could get tired, and have to walk my bike back......... or,
My husband could ride back, get the car and pick me up.... (I really don't want that to happen....)

On the 11th we went out to a couple towns over on a route where there's not much traffic, and there were some hills (a hill to me, anyway -- to a seasoned rider, my hill would probably be like going over a pebble!!

Anyhow, my husband kept looking back to check on me, (God Bless him, I don't want to wreck his ride!), but, when I'm going up "this hill", I'm getting a little frustrated because it's harder than a flat surface and it's taking me awhile -- BUT, I KNOW the only way I'm going to get better is to get through these things.... Right??

I desperately want to keep loving getting out there & riding -- I don't ever want it to feel "like exercise"..
I know that I've got to bring my bike to my bike shop & have it checked out, because when I shift from the very hardest gear to like 2 gears easier than that -- it's like I'm "spinning" -- there's absolutely NO resistence - and I'm only going two gears easier than the highest gear....
And, I'm hearing noise out of my left ear, in the back of my bike (where the derailleur is.... perhaps that's out of sync or something??)

(I've got to learn "gear lingo", b/c all I really know is 'hardest gear/easiest gear".)

We're going out riding when my husband gets home from work. It's a very nice day & finally, a day without rain!!

I know I'm going to feel a lot more comfortable riding because I got a pair of PI shorts yesterday and went to Target today and got a couple of Champion C9 tops...(I didn't want to spend a lot of money on one top, after paying for my shorts yesterday... )...
But, if I'm going to feel drier & more comfy, (rather than wearing cotton shorts/shirt & sweating to death in them.... really doesn't feel good at all!), then the $$ I spent of these shorts will be well worth it !

Thanks for listening Melissa! I didn't expect to go on & on, but I just wanted to get out how I was feeling!!

Have a beautiful & peaceful day!!

Denise

[melissam]

Denise,

That's awesome! You keep riding that bike path by your house. I can't wait to hear about the day that you decide to go around the entire path -- all 22 miles of it! But remember that doing the part you're comfortable with is so much better than not doing any of it at all.

There's no substitute for Time in the Saddle (or TITS as it's sometimes referred to around here.) You'll just keep getting better & better, and will have a ton of fun during the process.

As far as your gearing goes, well, we could figure some of it out by looking at the gear ratios. How many teeth on the front chainrings and how many teeth on the back rings. Let's see, according to the Gary Fisher website, your front chain rings have 48, 38, and 28 teeth. Your back rings range from 11 teeth on the little one to 30 teeth on the biggest one. And if we convert that to gear inches...

Wait a minute! When you say that you shifted to two gears easier, are you shifting the front (using the left hand control) or the back (using the right hand control)? Each time you change the front, there's a huge difference in gear inches. So...if you're changing from your big chainring to the little one, yeah, it's gonna feel like spinning! Changing to different cogs in the back is the way to fine tune.

My apologies if you knew this and you're changing the gears using the rear derailleur.

Well, if you're interested in knowing the gear inches, let me know!

Have a great time riding -- it's what it's all about!! And keep on pedaling!

-- Melissa

PS If you want to build confidence riding with traffic, one of the best ways to do this is to join a club and go on a group ride. There's strength in numbers, plus some of the seasoned members can give you safety tips on riding in traffic.

[DirtDiva]

Quite a few of the Gary Fisher bikes come in a 13" XS option, but I guess that one doesn't any more.

[melissam]

Denise,

Here's the gearing for your bike, assuming it has the wheels, tires, chainrings, and rear cassette listed on the Gary Fisher site.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/attac...1&d=1150495201


So, when you're on the little chainring (28) and the biggest gear in the back (30), your gear inches are 25.5. Your hardest gear is the big chainring (48) and the little gear in the back (11) -- gear inches = 119.2.

Don't get too caught up in the numbers. They're a good way to quantify how hard or easy a gear is, assuming all else is equal -- terrain, wind, etc.

Hope this helps!

-- Melissa

Edit: oh drat, the gear inches table doesn't show up really well, no matter what I do. Hopefully my last edit will work.

[Denise223]

Hi Melissa & tlkiwi!

tlkiwi

Thanks for the info!! You live in such a beautiful area.... I hope one day to visit out there .

Melissa

Wait a minute! When you say that you shifted to two gears easier, are you shifting the front (using the left hand control) or the back (using the right hand control)? Each time you change the front, there's a huge difference in gear inches. So...if you're changing from your big chainring to the little one, yeah, it's gonna feel like spinning! Changing to different cogs in the back is the way to fine tune.

Thanks for all the info on gears, etc.... I'm using the right hand control when I feel like I'm "spinning". From the 8 to the 6. It's really strange. Then if I go to 4, I can feel resistence again.

My apologies if you knew this and you're changing the gears using the rear derailleur

No apologies necessary, I didn't know this info - but certainly appreciate the extra knowledge !

BTW, I checked out your bikes on the Trek website, and they are really NICE BIKES!!!

Well, if you're interested in knowing the gear inches, let me know!

Sure, if you have the time, the more I know - the better!! Thank you!

And, TITS ( ), I didn't know that either!!

I can't wait to hear about the day that you decide to go around the entire path -- all 22 miles of it!

Thanks for being so upbeat, too! It's really appreciated, Melissa!! I am so thrilled that I found this website -- so many wonderful women here !

Well, we're heading out for a ride now. Take good care! I look forward to "talking" with you again.

Happy Riding!

Denise

[melissam]

Denise,

OK, I finally was able to post a chart of your gear inches.

But you know, from what you describe, your derailleurs may be out of adjustment. You might have your LBS (Local Bike Shop -- not as funny as the TITS acronym) take a look.

Happy Riding!!

-- Melissa (who should be WORKING!!! Oops. But this is so much more fun.)