New guy, 53, questions, about getting on a bike

Don Wiss wrote:
On Sat, 23 Feb 2008, landotter wrote:

I like SPD just fine, but I really like my bike that's got plain
pedals--as whatever I'm currently wearing is fine.

As a utilitarian rider I simply use whatever shoes I'm wearing, though
leather soled ones are a bit slippery. Clips only make sense if you always
start and end your ride at home, and don't have to walk someplace in
between.

That is why I suggested Power Grips, which work fine with ordinary
shoes, while providing most of the benefits of "clipless" systems and/or
clips and straps.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

"landotter" wrote:
On Feb 23, 4:52 pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
"landotter" wrote:
On Feb 23, 3:18 pm, garagecapital wrote:
Been thinking of getting a road bike after doing a lot of spinning.
But two things have lodged in the back of my head: 1) I notice getting
on my spin bike is hard, lifting the leg way up and onto the seat; I
often cheat by getting on with one leg through in front of the seat.
Can I do that on a bike --or do I need to? Maybe spin bikes are
taller? 2) and related to that, the clips I use, seems like they will
be hard to pop into while riding. Do I do one while stationary? And
what about stopping/falling? Locked into clips. Wow, that sounds like
a potential hazard. Any other guys who haven;t been on a bike in 35
yeas go through this?
You'll be fine, as others mentioned, you can tilt a bike. Don't feel
obligated to get a pure road bike like everybody else--get something
you'll actually feel comfortable on. Don't feel obligated to use
clips, either, a good choice for road riding in sneakers are big
platform pedals with sneakers, like off roaders use.
An example, and yeah, you can get them cheaper:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...estore_ID=1472
The Forté Shovel platform pedal is $15 MORE than the Shimano PD-M324
hybrid platform/SPD pedal:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=13207. Of course,
that price does not include SPD compatible shoes, but those are not
needed for the platform side.

What's the point of your post?

It seems odd to mention that platform pedals are "cheaper" than other
pedals, while posting an URL to a page that shows platform pedals that
are MORE expensive than the "clipless" [1] pedals shown on the same page.

I was simply giving a visual example of what a platform pedal looks
like--and not as an interim solution on the path to SPD. Big platforms
grip your shoes plenty enough to get a good spin going.

I suppose that depends on the definition of "good spin". I would not
want to ride hard or for long distances without foot retention.

Want cheaper ones? Jack**** Primos run $50 and have cart bearings.

I like SPD just fine, but I really like my bike that's got plain
pedals--as whatever I'm currently wearing is fine.

Dual sided SPD is the worst of both worlds. Yuck.

I thought the worst were "road" systems with huge cleats (e.g. Look)
that make it impossible to do anything but hobble when off the bike.

[1] "Clipless" as a common description for pedals one clips into was an
unfortunate choice, and certainly confusing to newbies.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

On Feb 23, 4:38*pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:

Point of order - I was not suggesting a recumbent bicycle in this
thread. This is NOT a recumbent bicycle by any stretch of the
imagination, but an upright with a lower seating position and the cranks
moved forward: http://www.ransbikes.com/Fusion07.htm. One wonders if
Mr. Hunt looked at the link, or just did not read carefully and made a
false assumption. Sheesh.

--
Tom Sherman

Before you accuse me of making assumptions, read what I wrote, not
what you *assume* I wrote.
Another poster suggests that you may need flexibility exercises to
ride a conventional bike. If your only problem is getting that first
leg over I really doubt you need any such special exercises and you
certainly don't need any "special" bike just to ride.
Where do I say you suggested a recumbent bike? You mentioned a
crankforward design and I mentioned recumbents, both of which can be
fairly described as "special" bikes. Stop being so damned touchy.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Bob Hunt wrote:
On Feb 23, 4:38 pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:

Point of order - I was not suggesting a recumbent bicycle in this
thread. This is NOT a recumbent bicycle by any stretch of the
imagination, but an upright with a lower seating position and the cranks
moved forward: http://www.ransbikes.com/Fusion07.htm. One wonders if
Mr. Hunt looked at the link, or just did not read carefully and made a
false assumption. Sheesh.

--
Tom Sherman

Before you accuse me of making assumptions, read what I wrote, not
what you *assume* I wrote.
Another poster suggests that you may need flexibility exercises to
ride a conventional bike. If your only problem is getting that first
leg over I really doubt you need any such special exercises and you
certainly don't need any "special" bike just to ride.

Where do I say you suggested a recumbent bike? You mentioned a
crankforward design and I mentioned recumbents, both of which can be
fairly described as "special" bikes. Stop being so damned touchy.

Oh please. It was quite transparent who you were referring to and why
(at least to anyone who is a "regular" on the group).

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

On Feb 23, 8:18 pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
Don Wiss wrote:
On Sat, 23 Feb 2008, landotter wrote:

I like SPD just fine, but I really like my bike that's got plain
pedals--as whatever I'm currently wearing is fine.

As a utilitarian rider I simply use whatever shoes I'm wearing, though
leather soled ones are a bit slippery. Clips only make sense if you always
start and end your ride at home, and don't have to walk someplace in
between.

That is why I suggested Power Grips, which work fine with ordinary
shoes, while providing most of the benefits of "clipless" systems and/or
clips and straps.

Power grips might be good, but they make me think of those 70s
exercise bikes that old aunties kept in their spare room that always
smelt of Vagisil, sweat, and Crest.

"landotter" wrote:
On Feb 23, 8:18 pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
Don Wiss wrote:
On Sat, 23 Feb 2008, landotter wrote:
I like SPD just fine, but I really like my bike that's got plain
pedals--as whatever I'm currently wearing is fine.
As a utilitarian rider I simply use whatever shoes I'm wearing, though
leather soled ones are a bit slippery. Clips only make sense if you always
start and end your ride at home, and don't have to walk someplace in
between.
That is why I suggested Power Grips, which work fine with ordinary
shoes, while providing most of the benefits of "clipless" systems and/or
clips and straps.

Power grips might be good, but they make me think of those 70s
exercise bikes that old aunties kept in their spare room that always
smelt of Vagisil, sweat, and Crest.

Thanks for the mental image - I am skipping breakfast now.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

On Feb 24, 9:15 am, Tom Sherman
wrote:
"landotter" wrote:
On Feb 23, 8:18 pm, Tom Sherman
wrote:
Don Wiss wrote:
On Sat, 23 Feb 2008, landotter wrote:
I like SPD just fine, but I really like my bike that's got plain
pedals--as whatever I'm currently wearing is fine.
As a utilitarian rider I simply use whatever shoes I'm wearing, though
leather soled ones are a bit slippery. Clips only make sense if you always
start and end your ride at home, and don't have to walk someplace in
between.
That is why I suggested Power Grips, which work fine with ordinary
shoes, while providing most of the benefits of "clipless" systems and/or
clips and straps.

Power grips might be good, but they make me think of those 70s
exercise bikes that old aunties kept in their spare room that always
smelt of Vagisil, sweat, and Crest.

Thanks for the mental image - I am skipping breakfast now.

Add pee to it and you're good till suppertime!

Where do I say you suggested a recumbent bike? You mentioned a
crankforward design and I mentioned recumbents, both of which can be
fairly described as "special" bikes. Stop being so damned touchy.


Oh please. It was quite transparent who you were referring to and why (at
least to anyone who is a "regular" on the group).

Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia


That gave me my big laugh of the day! First, he says you are being too
touchy and then, to prove you're not, you go off on a snit! Lol. He nailed
you, Tom!

Pat the Clock wrote:
Where do I say you suggested a recumbent bike? You mentioned a
crankforward design and I mentioned recumbents, both of which can be
fairly described as "special" bikes. Stop being so damned touchy.


Oh please. It was quite transparent who you were referring to and why (at
least to anyone who is a "regular" on the group).

Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia


That gave me my big laugh of the day! First, he says you are being too
touchy and then, to prove you're not, you go off on a snit! Lol. He nailed
you, Tom!

If you can not see what Mr. Hunt was referring to, you have not be
around here long and/or paying attention. Sheesh.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

In article ,
Art Harris writes:
garagecapital wrote:
Been thinking of getting a road bike after doing a lot of spinning.
But two things have lodged in the back of my head: 1) I notice getting
on my spin bike is hard, lifting the leg way up and onto the seat; I
often cheat by getting on with one leg through in front of the seat.
Can I *do that on a bike --or do I need to?
On a road bike you don't "Lift your leg up and onto the seat."

You can say that again :-)

I guess what's meant is lifting one's leg up and /over/ the seat.

But I still prefer the good ol' cowboy mount. Since it
involves momentarily standing on one pedal while swinging
the other leg over the saddle, standing on the first pedal
elevates the rider somewhat in relation to the bike.

If I have something tall in the rear rack's milk crate,
I've got to kick my right leg over the top tube, with
my left foot on the ground. At age 54 I still have no
problems doing that, as long as I lean the bike a little
away from me. Same if I have to start on a steepish incline.
I believe this is why so many off-road riders prefer shorter
frames/longer seatposts. Properly sized road bikes don't need
a lot of seatpost showing, as appears to be the recent trend.

You
first straddle the top tube, and then get into the saddle as you push
off.
See:
http://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html
http://sheldonbrown.com/beginners/index.html

Some folks worry about whether to commence pedalling
on the left or the right side, to avoid strain on
the drive train. I can't be bothered with such
triviality. I'd rather just go.

I think mounting a safety bicycle is much easier
than mounting an ordinary (penny-farthing.)
Controlled dismounting, even more so.


cheers,
Tom
--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca