Ouch that doesn't sound good
@Seamab I'm sure you'll get back into it if the notion takes you.
I'll be keeping an eye on my chain for sure.
For me the flywheel feels like a real benefit on the flat or into the wind, and maybe a little on the climbs (although very hard work).
Sometimes I think I'm over geared, running 48x16 or appx 79" in old money, but I've not been beaten by any local hills yet. Caveat: there are some I know not to even attempt though - eg. Redstone Rig!
Downhills are the least fun I would say, especially as I don't have a lot of weight/power to use my legs as brakes - I only weigh about 60kg. That certainly puts me off lowering the gear. But I'm getting more confident as time goes on so will stick with what I've got for now. Saying that, I might change to an 18T cog in the winter just to have a bit more control over my speed when I'll be commuting in dark/wet conditions.