All the gear - No idea!!

[Farmkat]

Hi there
I'm on the scrounge for some tips please. My new sig.other is a really keen cyclist and in a moment of madness I agreed to join him in his hobby( obviously still trying to make a good impression!)
So he's bought be a lovely custom road bike which was made up by our LBS, shoes, helmet, jersey....the works.
Problem is however much I adore the bike, Im struggling to get to grips with the gearing ( its a compact), and dont get me started on the shoes!!!! Really comfortable but I have sooo many bruises..... I've got the theory of twisting out off the pedals but when I dont think what Im doing.... well I believe you guys call it a "clipless moment"

So I'd love any tips you guys can offer. Im relatively fit as I work with horses for a living and enjoy running, so I have visions of tackling a tri one day, if only I can master the damm bike. Its sitting in my hallway(too precious to live in the garage) smirking at me!!
Please help!

PS My other half does try to help but it's that long suffering tone of voice..................

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Hi Farmkat, welcome to this worthy organ.

We all have those clipless momonts so don't let them put you off. Treat them as a kind of "right of passage". Just think, you wouldn't dismount a horse without disengaging first one stirrup, then the other. Clipless pedals are exactly the same.

Keep with it lass. You won't regret it.

Oh, by the way, I know about keeping bikes in the house. We have two in the loft and two in the hallway. Others slightly less worthy live in the garage. That's the way it gets you.

 

[marooncat]

Just think, you wouldn't dismount a horse without disengaging first one stirrup, then the other. Clipless pedals are exactly the same.

However should you be dismounting a horse in a hurry (normally head first over its shoulder in my case) your feet tend to disengage from the stirrups of their own accord and you do not end up with the horse on top of you still attached

Seriously, I have cycled for a few years and have only been brave enough to go "clipless" last week and did my 4th commute today with them, so far I have not forgotten to unclip but I know the time will come. I find I am ok when I am going up to a junction that I know about, my worry is when I have to stop in a hurry unexpectidly!!

 

[Gerry Attrick]

However should you be dismounting a horse in a hurry (normally head first over its shoulder in my case) your feet tend to disengage from the stirrups of their own accord and you do not end up with the horse on top of you still attached

Seriously, I have cycled for a few years and have only been brave enough to go "clipless" last week and did my 4th commute today with them, so far I have not forgotten to unclip but I know the time will come. I find I am ok when I am going up to a junction that I know about, my worry is when I have to stop in a hurry unexpectidly!!

Oh dear....I have usually exited a horse unintentionally rearwards!

 

[Farmkat]

Thats exactly the problem. For example, yesterday I managed to jam my gears. Other half shouted "Stop" so I did!!!!! Splat!!!! Arnica out again LOL!!

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Ah sure 'tis a steep learning curve

 

[Spinney]

Give up on the shoes/clips until you have got the hang of the gears. Get the LBS to put a pair of normal pedals on for a while, and ride in trainers - that way you only have to concentrate on one new thing at once (i.e the gears). You can easily get the clip pedals put back on later.

And maybe go out for a few rides without the other half - just concentrate on getting the hang of the gears etc, without the pressure of having to keep up/being watched!

Spinney
(who is just getting the hang of new bike with drop handlebars, and has not ventured as far as clip-on shoes yet!)

 

[I am Spartacus]

too much, too soon

 

[swee'pea99]

Give up on the shoes/clips until you have got the hang of the gears. Get the LBS to put a pair of normal pedals on for a while, and ride in trainers - that way you only have to concentrate on one new thing at once (i.e the gears). You can easily get the clip pedals put back on later.

And maybe go out for a few rides without the other half - just concentrate on getting the hang of the gears etc, without the pressure of having to keep up/being watched!

Spinney
(who is just getting the hang of new bike with drop handlebars, and has not ventured as far as clip-on shoes yet!)

Excellent advice. You can ride a bike, right? Start there. Pootle around and enjoy it. Set yourself a target: 'I'll fit those special pedals on October 1st.' Master one thing at a time. Above all, enjoy it. The rest will come. Oh, and welcome.

(Oh, bikes are a lot more robust than people imagine. If you wanted to, you could leave it outside and keep your horse in the hall. Just a thought.)

 

[Globalti]

If he shouts at you now over a trivial thing like gear choice, what will he be like in a few years time?

Teaching a novice to ride and use a bike to its best advantage needs patience and the understanding that it takes a while for the new neural pathways to become established.

 

[Arch]

[quote name='swee'pea99']
(Oh, bikes are a lot more robust than people imagine. If you wanted to, you could leave it outside and keep your horse in the hall. Just a thought.)[/QUOTE]


On the other hand, bikes don't poo....

I agree about taking it a bit at a time. Any new bike takes a while to get used to, and dealing with a new bike feel, plus new gears, plus clipless, is too much.

 

[lukesdad]

A little bit of experience with this from the opposite side if you like.My wife has worked with horses all her life Ive cycled all my life. When we first met decided we d learn each others disciplines I bought her abike she bought me a horse 16 2 part bred Im sure you get the drift so I put her in Clipless Pedals Stright Off.

How she got on Was amazing she used to slip out on her own to alocal army road and practice till she got it perfect. She was dertermined to master it, and got used to the pedals long before the gears to be truthfull she still hasnt fully mastered those,

 

[purplepolly]

and got used to the pedals long before the gears to be truthfull she still hasnt fully mastered those,

Hubgears - twist the gripshift one way to go uphill, twist the gripshift the other way to go downhill. Simples.

 

[stroanite]

the other advantage of switching to 'normal' pedals (preferably with toeclips) is you'll get a better idea of where the cleats ought to sit on your feet when you finally make the transition (if you ever do - my wife's perfectly happy on 70 mile road rides and MTB red/black without ever going near clipless)

 

[peanut]

Hi farmkat welcome to the best cycling forum on the net .

Sounds like your partner is expecting you to pick up too many things at once as well as get used to cycling on busy roads.
I think it might be a good idea to reduce the number of new things for a while until you have mastered the most important gear changes.

I changed my gear levers to a differant type recently and I am still making mistakes and I have been cycling for over 20 years

Why not put some ordinary platform pedals on for a few weeks until you get the hang of the gears.

Concentrate on using just the right hand gear lever for a while. leave the chain on the small chainring at the front (or the middle ring if its a triple) and just change gears with the right lever.

Try not to think about which gear you are in but rather think about how hard it is to pedal. Change gear to make it harder or easier as required and you'll soon get the hang of it.
If you move the gear lever the wrong way ,no harm done, just move it 2x or 3x times in the opposite direction until the pedaling effort feels comfortable.
good luck