I am brand new to riding, started out about a month ago on a 20 year old mountain bike that has been sitting (since new) in the garage. I started in order to lose a few unwanted pounds and have chosen the completion of at least 1 century next summer as my goal. I would like to thank Pete Olivieri for answering so many of my questions. After exchanging e-mails with Pete, and also realizing the mountain bike just wasn't fast enough, I decided that a road bike would probably be a good thing to add to my choice of rides....Well let me get to my question re: newbie mistakes, since picking up my new ride Saturday morning I have logged about 25 miles on it and had an issue with the chain skipping across the sprocket frequently (started at about mile 18) I took the bike back to where I purchased it (Campus Bicycle) where they found that I had managed to severely twist a link in the chain, Nelson at the shop had it fixed up for me in minutes and informed me that a common cause for what I had done is shifting up hill too late, applying too much pressure to the chain and derailleur at the same time, I had no idea that I could do that, I am used to chains as thick as chainsaw blades.

So I am wondering, as I am sure many other beginners have wondered, what else could/should I expect to do to the bike/me/both.

I never realized that getting in to cycling would be like learning a new language and a new physical skill all at the same time.

Sorry for this being so long, and thanks for any advance warnings with regard to what I am about to do to myself.