New to cycling

Hello group.
I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain bike. It has gears but I
have no idea how to use them, that is WHEN to use which gear. There is a
switch on the left handlebar with no instruction and a switch on the right
with 1 2 3 4 5 but I can't seem to get it in 1 without pushing the left
switch forward. Is that correct or do need to adjust something?
At this stage I do not have a light front or back or a saddlebag.
I haven't ridden a bike for 30 + years except for a rusty old boys bike
that I rescued from the shed and rode for 5 hours up the cyclepath last
week. I enjoyed it so much I decided to get a ladies and take up cycling as
a hobby, hence my purchase.
I have cycled around the district this evening much to the amusement of the
local children and the shame of my teenage daughter ( the bike is a luminous
shocking pink)
I intend to paint the bike to tone down the colour so any help on how to do
it cheaply would be appreciated. It doesn't have to be a brilliant job as I
foresee myself purchasing a lighter possibly new bike in the near future, if
of course I continue.
The new law that states all bikes must be sold with a bell.... Does that
include 2nd hand bikes? I don't seem to have one....
Also the pump. I don't have a bicycle pump. Would I be right in assuming a
standard pump doesn't fit the mountain bike tyre valves?
TIA

"Mrs X" wrote: I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain
bike.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You have so many questions--do you have a friend or acquaintance who rides?
Many of these things require hands-on inspection and advice. Get someone to
ride with you and help you out.

And, have fun!

"Mrs X" wrote in message
...
Hello group.
I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain bike. It has gears but I
have no idea how to use them, that is WHEN to use which gear. There is a
switch on the left handlebar with no instruction and a switch on the right
with 1 2 3 4 5 but I can't seem to get it in 1 without pushing the left
switch forward. Is that correct or do need to adjust something?
At this stage I do not have a light front or back or a saddlebag.
I haven't ridden a bike for 30 + years except for a rusty old boys bike
that I rescued from the shed and rode for 5 hours up the cyclepath last
week. I enjoyed it so much I decided to get a ladies and take up cycling
as
a hobby, hence my purchase.
I have cycled around the district this evening much to the amusement of
the
local children and the shame of my teenage daughter ( the bike is a
luminous
shocking pink)
I intend to paint the bike to tone down the colour so any help on how to
do
it cheaply would be appreciated. It doesn't have to be a brilliant job as
I
foresee myself purchasing a lighter possibly new bike in the near future,
if
of course I continue.
The new law that states all bikes must be sold with a bell.... Does that
include 2nd hand bikes? I don't seem to have one....
Also the pump. I don't have a bicycle pump. Would I be right in assuming a
standard pump doesn't fit the mountain bike tyre valves?
TIA


It's gonna take a little time to get all your questions answered. Be
patient and just enjoy while you learn.

The shifter on the left controls the derailleur that moves the chain between
the large and small chainrings that are up there with your pedals. Put the
chain on the bigger chainring when you're on flatter terrain and on the
smaller ones as the route gets hillier. These shifts of the chain up near
your pedals make really big differences with each shift in the effort it
takes to keep the pedals turning.

The shifter on the right controls the chain movement on the "cassette" which
is an assembly of cogs connected to the axle of the rear wheel. Probably
the lower the number, the easier the pedaling which means the larger the
gear back there. (On the back wheel, the larger the cog, the easier the
pedaling.) Shifts of the chain along these cogs make smaller changes in the
amount of pedaling effort required. They're kinda like fine-tuning.

You want to avoid having to really mash hard on the pedals or grind along
with a slow pedaling cadence. This will wear your legs out quickly and can
do long-term damage to your knees. Ideally, you should find a pedaling
cadence of between 80 and 100 rpms with which you're comfortable for a
sustained period of time. Then the idea is to keep shifting your gears,
depending on your terrain, to keep you pedaling at that comfortable cadence.
Your speed will vary, but that's OK.

Later you'll learn to apply power for climbing hills faster and that sort of
thing. But for now, learn to keep shifting so you maintain a nice, steady
rhythm on the pedals. That may involve quite a lot of shifting except on
the flattest terrain. So be it.

I'll leave your other questions to others. I've gotta run. Welcome back to
cycling!

Bob C.

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:01:47 +0100, , "Mrs
X" wrote:

Hello group.
I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain bike. It has gears but I
have no idea how to use them, that is WHEN to use which gear. There is a
switch on the left handlebar with no instruction and a switch on the right
with 1 2 3 4 5 but I can't seem to get it in 1 without pushing the left
switch forward. Is that correct or do need to adjust something?
At this stage I do not have a light front or back or a saddlebag.
I haven't ridden a bike for 30 + years except for a rusty old boys bike
that I rescued from the shed and rode for 5 hours up the cyclepath last
week. I enjoyed it so much I decided to get a ladies and take up cycling as
a hobby, hence my purchase.

Gotta watch out for those rusty boy bikes lurking in sheds. Their
charms are insidious and their allure irresistible. You're had.

Welcome back. Do also check uk.rec.cycling for specific local
information.

Sheldon Brown's web site is recommended reading for answers to
questions and general interest. Many of the articles are intended for
novice cyclists
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/articles.html

I have cycled around the district this evening much to the amusement of the
local children and the shame of my teenage daughter ( the bike is a luminous
shocking pink)
I intend to paint the bike to tone down the colour so any help on how to do
it cheaply would be appreciated. It doesn't have to be a brilliant job as I
foresee myself purchasing a lighter possibly new bike in the near future, if
of course I continue.

That's a very sensible approach. Pink bikes are easily identifiable in
a jumble of bikes as well as being inherently more theft resistant.

The new law that states all bikes must be sold with a bell.... Does that
include 2nd hand bikes? I don't seem to have one....
Also the pump. I don't have a bicycle pump. Would I be right in assuming a
standard pump doesn't fit the mountain bike tyre valves?
TIA

A trip to your nearest bicycle shop will be able to accessorise your
bike to your liking. Bells are cool. Bigger bells are louder. Ping
bells are brash like chihuahuas. Riding near other bicycles and
pedestrians bells are a polite cheerful recognizable warning.

Bicycle tire inner tubes come with two type of valves. Most pumps
these days fit both. A frame fitting pump is difficult to mount on
some step-through type frames and might not fit your next bike.
--
zk

"psycholist" wrote in message
...

"Mrs X" wrote in message
...
Hello group.
I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain bike. It has gears but
I
have no idea how to use them, that is WHEN to use which gear. There is a
switch on the left handlebar with no instruction and a switch on the
right
with 1 2 3 4 5 but I can't seem to get it in 1 without pushing the left
switch forward. Is that correct or do need to adjust something?
At this stage I do not have a light front or back or a saddlebag.
I haven't ridden a bike for 30 + years except for a rusty old boys bike
that I rescued from the shed and rode for 5 hours up the cyclepath last
week. I enjoyed it so much I decided to get a ladies and take up cycling
as
a hobby, hence my purchase.
I have cycled around the district this evening much to the amusement of
the
local children and the shame of my teenage daughter ( the bike is a
luminous
shocking pink)
I intend to paint the bike to tone down the colour so any help on how to
do
it cheaply would be appreciated. It doesn't have to be a brilliant job
as
I
foresee myself purchasing a lighter possibly new bike in the near
future,
if
of course I continue.
The new law that states all bikes must be sold with a bell.... Does that
include 2nd hand bikes? I don't seem to have one....
Also the pump. I don't have a bicycle pump. Would I be right in assuming
a
standard pump doesn't fit the mountain bike tyre valves?
TIA


It's gonna take a little time to get all your questions answered. Be
patient and just enjoy while you learn.

The shifter on the left controls the derailleur that moves the chain
between
the large and small chainrings that are up there with your pedals. Put
the
chain on the bigger chainring when you're on flatter terrain and on the
smaller ones as the route gets hillier. These shifts of the chain up near
your pedals make really big differences with each shift in the effort it
takes to keep the pedals turning.

The shifter on the right controls the chain movement on the "cassette"
which
is an assembly of cogs connected to the axle of the rear wheel. Probably
the lower the number, the easier the pedaling which means the larger the
gear back there. (On the back wheel, the larger the cog, the easier the
pedaling.) Shifts of the chain along these cogs make smaller changes in
the
amount of pedaling effort required. They're kinda like fine-tuning.

You want to avoid having to really mash hard on the pedals or grind along
with a slow pedaling cadence. This will wear your legs out quickly and
can
do long-term damage to your knees. Ideally, you should find a pedaling
cadence of between 80 and 100 rpms with which you're comfortable for a
sustained period of time. Then the idea is to keep shifting your gears,
depending on your terrain, to keep you pedaling at that comfortable
cadence.
Your speed will vary, but that's OK.

Later you'll learn to apply power for climbing hills faster and that sort
of
thing. But for now, learn to keep shifting so you maintain a nice, steady
rhythm on the pedals. That may involve quite a lot of shifting except on
the flattest terrain. So be it.

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain. I can't wait to try it out
tomorrow!

"Zoot Katz" wrote in message
...
Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:01:47 +0100, , "Mrs
X" wrote:

Hello group.
I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain bike. It has gears but
I
have no idea how to use them, that is WHEN to use which gear. There is a
switch on the left handlebar with no instruction and a switch on the
right
with 1 2 3 4 5 but I can't seem to get it in 1 without pushing the left
switch forward. Is that correct or do need to adjust something?
At this stage I do not have a light front or back or a saddlebag.
I haven't ridden a bike for 30 + years except for a rusty old boys bike
that I rescued from the shed and rode for 5 hours up the cyclepath last
week. I enjoyed it so much I decided to get a ladies and take up cycling
as
a hobby, hence my purchase.

Gotta watch out for those rusty boy bikes lurking in sheds. Their
charms are insidious and their allure irresistible. You're had.



Welcome back. Do also check uk.rec.cycling for specific local
information.

Thank you. I missed that one. Just subscribed and looked through.


Sheldon Brown's web site is recommended reading for answers to
questions and general interest. Many of the articles are intended for
novice cyclists
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/articles.html

very good. I see I've a lot to learn. Already I note I had no idea how to
brake!

I have cycled around the district this evening much to the amusement of
the
local children and the shame of my teenage daughter ( the bike is a
luminous
shocking pink)
I intend to paint the bike to tone down the colour so any help on how to
do
it cheaply would be appreciated. It doesn't have to be a brilliant job as
I
foresee myself purchasing a lighter possibly new bike in the near future,
if
of course I continue.

That's a very sensible approach. Pink bikes are easily identifiable in
a jumble of bikes as well as being inherently more theft resistant.

The new law that states all bikes must be sold with a bell.... Does that
include 2nd hand bikes? I don't seem to have one....
Also the pump. I don't have a bicycle pump. Would I be right in assuming
a
standard pump doesn't fit the mountain bike tyre valves?
TIA

A trip to your nearest bicycle shop will be able to accessorise your
bike to your liking. Bells are cool. Bigger bells are louder. Ping
bells are brash like chihuahuas. Riding near other bicycles and
pedestrians bells are a polite cheerful recognizable warning.

Bicycle tire inner tubes come with two type of valves. Most pumps
these days fit both. A frame fitting pump is difficult to mount on
some step-through type frames and might not fit your next bike.

You've given me lots to think about and do.
My thanks once again

"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

"Mrs X" wrote: I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain
bike.(clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You have so many questions--do you have a friend or acquaintance who
rides?
Many of these things require hands-on inspection and advice. Get someone
to
ride with you and help you out.

I don't know anyone around here that rides a bike but I found and lost a
leaflet on " learning to service your bike" lessons nearby, in a community
hall or something. If I can find it again then who knows, I may find someone
to come out riding now and again as well as learn a thing or two about
bikes.

And, have fun!

Definitely!

It might/probably is in Sheldon Brown's site, but don't "cross-chain."
Meaning, don't go into the biggest chainring up front and the smallest
(or second smallest) cog in the rear and vice versa.


--
keydates

keydates wrote:
It might/probably is in Sheldon Brown's site, but don't "cross-chain."
Meaning, don't go into the biggest chainring up front and the smallest
(or second smallest) cog in the rear and vice versa.

And don't post like keydates or no one will know WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT.

Bill "quotation, attribution, context" S.

Mrs X wrote:

Hello group.
I have just purchased a 2nd hand ladies mountain bike. It has gears but I
have no idea how to use them, that is WHEN to use which gear. There is a
switch on the left handlebar with no instruction and a switch on the right
with 1 2 3 4 5 but I can't seem to get it in 1 without pushing the left
switch forward. Is that correct or do need to adjust something?

You're starting from the very beginning. I'd suggest doing some general
reading on the fundamentals of cycling. Or, you could sign up for a
short course in bicycling. Visit http://www.bikeleague.org and go to
the Education and Advocacy page. Look for a Bike Ed instructor in your
area.

You may enjoy http://www.bicyclinglife.com

At http://www.bicyclinglife.com/SafetySkills/ the "Frank & Fred"
articles cover a little of what you ask about.

Also, see http://www.bicyclinglife.com/HowTo/ShiftABike.htm

At this stage I do not have a light front or back or a saddlebag.

Hmmm. At this stage, you may be better off riding only in the daytime.
But once you're confident enough and skilled enough, riding at night
is fun. Good lights are still not easy to get, though. That same site
has some info on lights.

A saddlebag (or a handlebar bag, which I prefer) is very handy. It
gives you a place to stash your flat tire tools, your spare tube and
patch kit, your jacket, a snack or two, the book you bought at a
bookstore, etc. I'd get one soon.


I haven't ridden a bike for 30 + years except for a rusty old boys bike
that I rescued from the shed and rode for 5 hours up the cyclepath last
week. I enjoyed it so much I decided to get a ladies and take up cycling as
a hobby, hence my purchase.
....
The new law that states all bikes must be sold with a bell.... Does that
include 2nd hand bikes? I don't seem to have one....

I think this varies state by state. My state requires bikes to have a
bell, but they're rare as hen's teeth, and I don't know anyone who's
been ticketed for not having that almost-useless device.

(The people that _don't_ have them include all the bicycling cops I know!)

Also the pump. I don't have a bicycle pump. Would I be right in assuming a
standard pump doesn't fit the mountain bike tyre valves?

Nope. You can get a pump to fit either (or both) of the two types of
valves. And unless you never ride further than you can walk, you need
to have a pump as well as the other few things necessary to fix a flat.

Someday bikes won't get flat tires. I hope I live long enough to see
that - but I doubt it!




--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]