Originally Posted by
IK_biker
NCEL
You have neither the understanding nor the skill needed to fix the issues you describe.
Those come at the price of hands-on experience which can not be gained on the interwebs.
You can not be helped on this forum.
Going to a bike shop is your only option. Otherwise, you are going to ultimately ruin the bike, get hurt - or both.
I'm sorry, I have to disagree. The questions as posed are very solvable, and all the answers given will certainly help NCEL at least make a stab at fixing the problems.
There is very little about a bike that's complicated. Some of it may be mysterious to the newcomer, but fortunately there are a lot of resources specifically devoted to shining light into previously unknown corners.
www.Sheldonbrown.com is the first of these that springs to mind, and of course Bikeforums.
**EDIT** Whoops, I see this is a repeat of Post 5. Well, I suppose it's such good advice it bears repeating!
Don't take the naysayers to seriously, NCEL. It just sounds like SOMEONE had a big glass of Haterade today.