I Think I'm Cycling!!!

[Pat "5mph"]

The issue I have with braking is that I started to try to cycle with the seat in the lowest position and hence able to use my feet if I looked off balance and was gonna topple over. Now its at the correct height, I can't use my feet and in turn (embarrassingly) will brake and it all goes a bit Pete Tong.

No worries, Beanhead.
I've been cycling almost every day for over a year now, started like you with a too low saddle, raised it bit by bit following the good advice on here.
Because I'm on the short side, can't reach the ground with my feet, I slide down the saddle when stopping.
Hilariously the other day miss judged the lights, braked to a stop a few seconds before sliding down, toppled over

 

[Beanhead]

Yep first timer cycling

 

[Nigelnaturist]

 

[themosquitoking]

Go for it mate, you'll soon be popping wheelies.

 

[Beanhead]

Ah man, woke up really early, unlocked the bike and I didn't even think, just looked ahead and away I went.

It was only until I was half way down the road did I realise what I was doing, lol. Might seem really small for some but it was a huge relief. Been better at braking but I know I need to work on my gearing when I'm going uphill and downhill.

Still really wobbly uphill; but I can now turn without falling off.

P.S. my god was it cold, my fingers were numb, but it was worth it!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Ah man, woke up really early, unlocked the bike and I didn't even think, just looked ahead and away I went.

It was only until I was half way down the road did I realise what I was doing, lol. Might seem really small for some but it was a huge relief. Been better at braking but I know I need to work on my gearing when I'm going uphill and downhill.

Still really wobbly uphill; but I can now turn without falling off.

P.S. my god was it cold, my fingers were numb, but it was worth it!

Keep at it you will get faster up those hills, and be less wobbly.

 

[Widge]

Hi Beanhead..........

well done on getting out there!

Gears are your friend.....change around-that's why they are there......but, essentially, any 21-30 speed gear system has about 8 'useable' combinations ranging from grinding up a hill as low as you can go to engaging warp factor OMG mode on the big ring!

USE your gears.......largest at the back and small chainring for hills......all the cogs in the middle ring for 'general-purpose' flat riding, and smallest 2 or 3 cogs at the rear and big chainring for whoopy-do descents. It will kind of become intuitive the more you use them.

Some people ride 'fixxies' and serious roadies have just 2 non-compact big gear chainsets. Pay no attention!

HTH

w

 

[RiflemanSmith]

When I first started I used to grind along only using the top two gears then I read on here to stay on the middle ring which I have used up until recently.
My cadence was to low I could never even get to 70 with out bouncing up and down like a loony.
So now I stay on the outer ring but I still find it hard with my cadence the gear I use to get 80/90 is still a little bouncy and I can't get any decent speed up.
The next gear up I can only average 70/80 but my speed is okay 15/18mph average.
So it depends on the gearing of your bike and how you feel as long as you can cruise a long at a nice pace with an efficient pedal stroke and it's comfortable you will find the gear that is right for you and you.
My wrist ache and go numb but this is due to my bike being much to big for me, my fault I bought the bike