Originally Posted by
RaleighBikeGuy
I would check to see if a crank is loose on the spindle. Try standing on the cranks and to see if they move and then reverse them and try again. If you are grinding away up hills on a loose crank you will ruin the spindle and crank.
If it were me, I would try to get the gearing low enough that I could pedal up the hills seated in first gear; though I don't have any hills where I live, so I guess I don't really know if that is practical or not.
I'm going to take it in to my bike guy to get it lubbed and adjusted. I'll have him check the cranks, and the pedals to be sure they're okay. I'm in "training" for a 7 day bike tour of western Ireland this summer with 8 high school kids, so I need to be in decent shape. Hence the long, slightly hilly rides. No mountains in Ireland, but plenty of gently rolling lanes. I am pondering lowering the gears once more, but I don't mind where it is, as long as I can pump up the hills without hurting the bike. I like pumping up the hills, to be honest. It reminds me of being a little kid.