I've been reading for a few weeks. I figure it is time to say hello. So, I bought my first bike about a month ago with the ultimate goal of commuting to work 16 miles. I work long hours at the hospital and I figured it would provide time for just me (and an opportunity to work off all the junk patients bring and I happily eat).
I got a Novara mountain bike mostly because a road bike's skinny tires terrified me and I loved the disk brakes. I took off the tires and put slicks on. I really was enjoying it and even though I was terrified, I decided to buy clipless pedals last weekend. I got Forte Campus Pedals (per someone's recommendation here) and Cannondale shoes. I played around in an empty parking lot and then rode 10 miles and I DIDN'T FALL! And I really liked it.
Now I'm feeling more confident and worried that I should have just gotten a rode bike. I'm working really hard to keep up with my sister on her road bike (She's new to it). But when I was riding last weekend my husband said it looks like I'm not taking advantage of my gears and that's why I'm slow. He, of course, is an inline skater and couldn't really tell me how to do it better (or at least not in a way that didn't irritate me) So, how the heck do I learn to use my gears better? Any suggestions?