Fat Tire question

x2 - now I'm thasty.

Here is some very general tips...

For seat height, raise it up enough so if you put your HEELS on the peddles, your leg is straight and you just keep contact without having to lean to one side or stretching for it.  When you put the ball of your feet on the peddle, it will be close to your correct seat height.

The 1-3 on the left is for the three rings by the peddles.  Most likely 1 being the ring on the left, 2 being the one in the middle, and 3 being the one on the right.

1-8 are the rings on the back tire.  1 most likely being the biggest, and 8 being the smallest.

In general, I think the lower the number, the easier it is to peddle, but the slower you will go.

It's hard to say where you should be for a sprint with no clue on how strong you are or the course.  The combination of gearing makes bike easier or harder to peddle at the speed you are going.

IN GENERAL, I would say you would probably be good to just stay in '2' on the left, and move the right anywhere between 1-8 that makes it easy for you, but also makes you go as fast as you feel comfortable.

It's best to play around with them on a small incline/hill to see how they work.

don't be afraid to use them...

Think of it this way.  Ever drive a manual transmission?  Same thing.

When you are going slow or up a hill, you need to be in first gear for it to be easy for the engine (YOU being the engine when cycling).

When you get going a little faster, you get into 2nd gear, then 3rd....

Once you get going fast enough, then you are in your top gear.

Do you always stay in ONE gear when driving around town?  Nope.  You go through them based on your speed and your hills...

Get used to them.  It will make cycling better and more enjoyable...

You will do great.

x4

This is going to sound kind of stupid, but you can still crouch down a bit when you hit a headwind.  When I had a hybrid, I found myself leaning forward and making myself as small as possible.  That's how I knew I needed a road bike...

Incidentally, you mentioned the fat tires but didn't actually talk about tires.  How fat are the tires on your hybrid?  I would recommend going to a bike shop and asking for "slicks" - or, the narrowest tires that would fit on your particular wheels.  That will make the rolling resistance a lot less and riding becomes easier.  The bike shop people can also help you assess your seat height.

Good luck!

ETA:  I had a friend who installed aerobars on her hybrid.  Didn't hurt...