Learning...

[I like Skol]

I think I struck gold with trying that park, as the thought of being able to ride right around the track without stopping is on my mind...

Both my kids learnt to ride without stabilisers at the local Sains'bury's* car park (*other supermarkets are available!). They have an overflow carpark that has barriers across the entrance for most of the year and is only used when the Christmas mayhem strikes. It is perfect for learning as it is a wide open space with just the occasional lampost to look out for and it is far easier to learn how to ride on a smooth, level, hard surface than on grass or gravel which can be hard work to pedal on. There are also full lane markings with giveways and T junctions so once the stabilisers were dispensed with we could also cover some basic road discipline.

I there anywhere like this near you Swampy?

EDIT: Just been messing about learning something myself. Now I can post specific google maps into cyclechat posts. This is the carpark I am refering to - Sainsbury's overflow carpark

 

[Mugshot]

That is interesting cop! I guess you have to look at gears as a unit, not individually. Like its not front gear 1, 2 and 3 and then rear gear 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Its gear front1 rear 6 or front3 rear 2 etc

That's about the size of it.
It's best to avoid smallest on the front and smallest on the back at the same time and the same with biggest front and back. So 1 and 7 or 2 and 1, it puts your chain at more of an angle than it may be happy with and you may find it's rubs on the front derailleur too. Don't panic if you do end up with either of these configurations but avoid them if you can remember to
Edit: Sorry Swampy, think you've got 3 rings at the front so that should read 1 and 7 or 3 and 1

 

[swampyseifer]

nah Skol, I aint got anything like that near me that I know of!

thanks mugshot...and yeah, 21 gear bike!

 

[Scoosh]

Do you drive a car ?

If not, ignore the rest of this post, as it probably won't make much sense.

If so, then see if you can make sense of this :
- when driving a car, if you are at, say 2500 rpm in 5th gear, you are cruising along nice and comfortably
- if you come to a slight incline, to maintain that 2500 rpm, you will need to change down to 4th gear, or press the accelerator a bit harder
- if the hill gets steeper, you will need to change down again to 3rd - or press even harder on the accelerator - which might cause the engine to start 'bumping' and complaining !

It's basically the same on a bike. To keep your pedal rpm ('cadence' in cyclo-speak ) roughly constant, use the gears to maintain a steady foot pressure on the pedals. If it starts to get harder, like when you come to the hill, change down to a lower gear. This is better for your knees than pressing harder on the pedals.

Naturally, if your rpm remain constant, your speed will decrease as you change down to a lower (easier) gear - just like on a car.

HTH and keep it coming - all of you ! It is really exciting being able to go down Memory Lane and remember those early days .... <gazes wistfully into the distance ... >

 

[swampyseifer]

thanks scoosh that does make sense!

And typically, I'e had another set back. just went out to go riding in that park again. Got me foot pump out to pump both tyres (which I do before every ride), put the pump on the back tyre, pumped it up...went to take the pump thing off the valve and it had stuck, so I tugged on it quite a bit and it was firmly stuck! So I then got annoyed and tugged really hard and the whole valve tore free from the inner tube still attached to the pump!

So now I'm having to spend my lunch going to buy a new inner tube instead of cycling! GAH!

 

[daSmirnov]

Oh well, you'll be a pro at swapping tubes out. Trust me it'll come in handy later in the year when you're 50 miles from home and have a puncture.

 

[youngoldbloke]

thanks scoosh that does make sense!

And typically, I'e had another set back. just went out to go riding in that park again. Got me foot pump out to pump both tyres (which I do before every ride), put the pump on the back tyre, pumped it up...went to take the pump thing off the valve and it had stuck, so I tugged on it quite a bit and it was firmly stuck! So I then got annoyed and tugged really hard and the whole valve tore free from the inner tube still attached to the pump!

So now I'm having to spend my lunch going to buy a new inner tube instead of cycling! GAH!

Oh dear! I think we've all done that at one time or another. What works for me is to firmly PUSH the pump head (chuck) off the valve, using both thumbs, from the tyre side. Don't pull it!

 

[swampyseifer]

right well I went out and got two new innertubes. Only £4.99 so worth it at that price!

Managed to get it on with no real fuss, thought the whole gear/derailleur/chain setup would make it harder but it wasnt really.

Quickly took it out and rode round the park in the pitch black...hit a bit of icy floor that nearly threw me off...ran fine though, so job well done! Also, its another 0.43 miles to go on the log! lol

 

[swampyseifer]

Yo all...

been out again today on that track by my flat...in the pouring rain and wind, quite an experience I must say. its nice when the wind isnt blowing but god its horrible when youre cycling into it!

also, my first tumble! I was going round the worst corner on the track, its a tight turn and its uphill. Not entirely sure what happened but I think as I pumped down with my left leg, I threw a bit too much weight behind it as it looks like the front wheel skidded sideways (as there was a great gouge in the track) to the right, not much I could do with it, just went over! That didnt hurt too much, what did was my ankel got trapped between the frame and the pedal crank/arm/thing...that did hurt!

Still, I got straight back on and just went round the track the other way instead!

Anyway, not so much to mention in these posts now as I pretty much know what I should be doing, just a matter or keeping doing it!

Oh there was one thing that was annoying, on my right gear shifter (the back gears) the bottom handle drops the gear down and the top raises a gear. On the left gear shifter (for the front gears) its reversed, the bottome handle raises the gear and the top handle lowers the gear. I found that out at a bad time and nearly fell off again!

2.87 miles under the belt now!

 

[Hip Priest]

Keep on truckin'

 

[HLaB]

Keep at it Swampy

 

[BrumJim]

Fall was probably due to having the inside pedal down (or rotating) whilst leaning over round a corner. Even us experienced cyclists (although I guess not the pros) still do it occasionally.

Trick is to get into the habit of having the outside foot at the bottom when cornering, i.e. when turning right, right foot is up, and left foot is down. However in your case you were uphill and therefore pedalling, so I guess the only answer is to go a bit slower and lean less.

 

[Headgardener]

Swampy so that you understand how the gears work support the rear of the bike off the ground, two chairs and a broom handle under the saddle nose are a start, and spin the pedals while changing up and down through the gears. You will find that in the bottom gear it will be easy to turn the pedals and as you move up the gears it will become more difficult but the rear wheel will turn faster. As a prievous poster has said don't run the chain in large front and rear and small front and rear as this will damage your chain and derailliers (the parts that move the chain from one cog to another).

 

[mydodgyfeet]

brilliant. well done you

 

[swampyseifer]

Just to say that I went out about an hour to ago to get me bike.....and its not there! Some theiving **** has stolen it!

What makes it worse was it was chained up on a combination padlock without a front wheel in a "secure" underground carpark/garage...that in theory is only accessed by residents of the two blocks of apartments that live near me. So chances are the bugger who nicked it lives within a few hundred metres of me!

I've made a post in the STOLEN forum but I just thought I'd come on here to let my adoring fans know that it dont look like I'll be posting much more on this thread for a while at least...