New to cycling

"Frank Krygowski" wrote in message
...
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.

I am in England Frank. I live not far from the Bristol to Bath Cyclepath.
http://www.southglos.gov.uk/corporat...ets/cycb&b.htm
and in that leaflet you'll see mention of the Avon Cycleway which is about
five minutes from my home, downhill...30 minutes pushing the bike back!
I actually rode part of the Bristol to Bath cyclepath on the old boys bike
but I'm now told it's not safe to be alone riding there, too many muggers
and criminals along the way, I did see police warning signs in one part
I am sure I can find lessons here, good idea. I am finding it hard to cycle
straight and then look behind to see if a car is coming before I turn.
Method for little things like that I'm sure could easily be taught so I can
ride safely.


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.

Sadly, even with lights. it's not safe here to ride at night or seemingly in
the day in some areas. I will have to go in a group on any longer journey.


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.

Sorry if I caused confusion. We don't have to use a bell here but all new
bikes must be sold with one. As a pedestrian that walked the Avon on
practically a daily basis I can honestly say that many bikes crept up behind
me unheard and I always appreciated the ones that rang their bell before
overtaking me.

(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!
I've heard of car tyres that don't go down when they have a puncture so I
see no reason why bikes don't have the same, except I guess the tyres would
be rather expensive. Didn't long life lightbulbs meet a sticky end? I guess
puncture repair kits and inner tubes could go the same way
Thank you for taking the time to respond.

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.

I'd still get at least basic lights early even if you don't plan to
ride at night. You never know if you are using the bike for
transportation when you might end up having to ride home after dark.
Or if you are just using it for recreation, you are having so much fun
on your ride you don't realize darkness is approaching and you're far
from home!

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!)

Apparently the City of Toronto police found it amusing to hand out a
whole whackload of tickets for not having that almost-useless device.
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/cyclin...004_july.htm#5

I do find a bell is useful for alerting would-be jaywalkers that
aren't looking in your direction and figure because they don't hear a
car its safe to cross, as well as traffic that doesn't seem aware of
your presence (never good to assume they will hear you, but you can
try ringing the bell and see if they then make eye contact)

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.

And mountain bikes can have either a Presta valve (skinnier valve) or
a Schraeder valve (similar to a car tire)

Mrs X wrote:

I am in England Frank. I live not far from the Bristol to Bath
Cyclepath.

Wave to Danny if you see him on his recumbent, then :-)

And why not stroll along to uk.rec.cycling where some more English cyclists
hang out?

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington
University

Tanya wrote:
Frank Krygowski wrote:

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!)


Apparently the City of Toronto police found it amusing to hand out a
whole whackload of tickets for not having that almost-useless device.
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/cyclin...004_july.htm#5

Yes, I heard about that. It's similar to the "You must touch your foot
to the ground at a stop sign" ruling, when used against a person who did
a 60-second trackstand instead.



I do find a bell is useful for alerting would-be jaywalkers that
aren't looking in your direction and figure because they don't hear a
car its safe to cross, as well as traffic that doesn't seem aware of
your presence (never good to assume they will hear you, but you can
try ringing the bell and see if they then make eye contact)

Well, a bell's not totally useless. It's just "almost useless."

My route to work includes a very short multi-use path which connects
some dead end streets. Today I came up behind a woman walking. I
dinged away on my almost-useless bell, going slower and slower. No
reaction. Then I said "Bicycle, excuse me," and she finally noticed me
and moved aside.

I can't think of an instance where the bell works better than my voice.


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

Don't you have this backwards?
To "cross-chain" would be to combine the big (outside) chainring with the
big (inside) cog, or to combine the small (inside) chainring with the small
(outside) cog.

But your point is well taken; I've been amazed at how many younger cyclists
completely ignore this. Are they misinformed or am I just not up on the
technology?

keydates wrote in message ...

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

In article ,
Frank Krygowski wrote:

My route to work includes a very short multi-use path which connects
some dead end streets. Today I came up behind a woman walking. I
dinged away on my almost-useless bell, going slower and slower. No
reaction. Then I said "Bicycle, excuse me," and she finally noticed me
and moved aside.

i thimk it depends on how well the ped's are conditioned. On the Fox
River Trail, St. Charles to Batavia, my Incredibell(TM) moves most of 'em
out of the way at about 50 feet with one ding.

..max

--
the part of
was played by maxwell monningh 8-p

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
...
Mrs X wrote:

I am in England Frank. I live not far from the Bristol to Bath
Cyclepath.

Wave to Danny if you see him on his recumbent, then :-)
I saw a man fiddling with a recumbent when I was out on the boys bike, it
was just before the train station. I didn't realise what it was and thought
it to be a go kart, I remember thinking " they shouldn't be allowed on the
cyclepath"
As I passed I realised my mistake.
I have subbed to the uk group now.

"Mrs X" wrote in message
...

[snip]

I am in England Frank. I live not far from the Bristol to Bath
Cyclepath.
http://www.southglos.gov.uk/corporat...ets/cycb&b.htm
and in that leaflet you'll see mention of the Avon Cycleway which
is about
five minutes from my home, downhill...30 minutes pushing the bike
back!
I actually rode part of the Bristol to Bath cyclepath on the old
boys bike
but I'm now told it's not safe to be alone riding there, too many
muggers
and criminals along the way, I did see police warning signs in one
part
I am sure I can find lessons here, good idea. I am finding it hard
to cycle
straight and then look behind to see if a car is coming before I
turn.
Method for little things like that I'm sure could easily be taught
so I can
ride safely.

Greetings from London, but my mother lives in Bristol, as does my
sister, and family.

There's an outfit called Life Cycle UK, 86 Colston St, Bristol, phone
0117-929-0440, web site www.lifecycleuk.org.uk that does bike
training. In fact they've just been working with the CTC - the
Cyclists' Touring Club, a famous name - to reform and revitalise all
Britain's bike training. They used to be known as Cycle West, and in
the days of Avon County used to write the free quarterly newsletter
that the county used to put out. That was a good publication. It's
a shame it's defunct.

According to their web site, individual training, like a personal
trainer, I suppose, is £20 per session, 90 min in the first session,
follow ups one hour. That's about £5 cheaper than London prices for
such things. They also do training for groups.

Regarding danger on the bike path, I would think it depends on when
you go. Weekend daytime, and weekday commuting times, at least,
ought to be busy enough, I would have thought, for there not to be a
problem. You could phone up Sustrans, also Bristol located, and see
if they have a volunteer ranger for your locality, and ask the ranger
for better information .

Regarding gears, it might be a good thing if you could put your bike
on some kind of stand, with its wheels off the ground, and then,
while turning the pedals by hand, watch what the chain does, jumping
from cog to cog, as you work the gear changers. The stands they have
in bike shops are ideal, but using a piece of rope dangling from
something can also serve. There's nothing like actually watching it
to understand what's going on, and you can get an idea of the
relationship between how fast the pedals go round, and how fast the
wheel goes round, for different gears.

Jeremy Parker

Frank Krygowski wrote:

Yes, I heard about that. It's similar to the "You must touch your foot
to the ground at a stop sign" ruling, when used against a person who did
a 60-second trackstand instead.

Our local police traffic sergeant is a cyclist; a few members of the
PD are even members of the local cycling advocacy group. Stated policy
is that trackstands are okay in this city, which is cool.

Around here, the only time the police actually ticket cyclists is when
a collision occurs and the cyclist is at fault.

RFM

Mrs X wrote:


I am in England Frank. I live not far from the Bristol to Bath Cyclepath.

Oh! You sounded so much closer. The wind must be blowing from the east
today!

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