Light dawns...

....on Marblehead

OK, about three of my friends are telling me to go clipless recently.
Unfortunately, I still have these remnants of thinking of myself as I was a
year ago, out-of-shape, and not worthy (lol), and somewhat st00pidly
worried about falling over...as if... g

Yesterday, I'm looking down and realize once again, I've got the straps on
my left toe clip strap twisted and rubbing against the crank, it's almost
worn through the side of the strap.

In addition, last ride I'm inwardly griping b/c my left shoe has been
mis-positioned on the pedal (twisted to the side), and on the right shoe,
I'm rubbing the area of the shoe near the big toe on the side against that
crank, and mentally bitchin' about this rubbing and how it's probably
slowing me down.

This morning, I'm like, 'dude, time to go clipless, much?'. shaking head

So I'm going to cinch down the toe clips to keep the foot on the right part
of the pedal for a couple days - I'm still riding them loose.

This wknd I'm gonna drag myself to the LBS to get a pair of clipless pedals
and shoes and at least be able to try it out. I'll bring the bike and ask
the nice guys at Performance if they'll install them for me. Would it be
normal to ask they look at the 'float' and stuff and help me get them
adjusted, or is that too much to ask? I figure if my knees start to
complain, or I have some other problem with fit I can always swap out back
to the toeclips. I am a little worried that the piriformis syndrome, which
pulls my left knee out to the side about 10 degrees out of the aero
position (knees in), if I don't concentrate, will torque on my foot/ankle
if clipped in.

-B
I have a feeling I'll probably be kicking myself up and down the side of
Monticello mountain for not doing it sooner.

Badger_South wrote:
|| ...on Marblehead
||
|| OK, about three of my friends are telling me to go clipless recently.
|| Unfortunately, I still have these remnants of thinking of myself as
|| I was a year ago, out-of-shape, and not worthy (lol), and somewhat
|| st00pidly worried about falling over...as if... g
||
|| Yesterday, I'm looking down and realize once again, I've got the
|| straps on my left toe clip strap twisted and rubbing against the
|| crank, it's almost worn through the side of the strap.
||
|| In addition, last ride I'm inwardly griping b/c my left shoe has been
|| mis-positioned on the pedal (twisted to the side), and on the right
|| shoe, I'm rubbing the area of the shoe near the big toe on the side
|| against that crank, and mentally bitchin' about this rubbing and how
|| it's probably slowing me down.
||
|| This morning, I'm like, 'dude, time to go clipless, much?'. shaking
|| head
||
|| So I'm going to cinch down the toe clips to keep the foot on the
|| right part of the pedal for a couple days - I'm still riding them
|| loose.
||
|| This wknd I'm gonna drag myself to the LBS to get a pair of clipless
|| pedals and shoes and at least be able to try it out. I'll bring the
|| bike and ask the nice guys at Performance if they'll install them
|| for me. Would it be normal to ask they look at the 'float' and stuff
|| and help me get them adjusted, or is that too much to ask?

No....if you bought your bike there, certainly not.

I figure
|| if my knees start to complain, or I have some other problem with fit
|| I can always swap out back to the toeclips. I am a little worried
|| that the piriformis syndrome, which pulls my left knee out to the
|| side about 10 degrees out of the aero position (knees in), if I
|| don't concentrate, will torque on my foot/ankle if clipped in.
||

Hmmmm....I see. Maybe someone will be able to offer meaningful comments on
that, Badge.

As you know, I went clipless some time ago this year. As far as my road
bike is concerned, I'll never go back, though I am thinking of getting a
second bike that I can just hop on an ride in street clothes (like the
students on campus do).

Oh, expect to fall buddy! Just remember, you'll very likely fall when
you're barely moving, so it will hurt mainly your pride. As others here
told me, falling is a good motiviation to learn to clip out


|| -B
|| I have a feeling I'll probably be kicking myself up and down the
|| side of Monticello mountain for not doing it sooner.

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 07:06:20 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:




Oh, expect to fall buddy! Just remember, you'll very likely fall when
you're barely moving, so it will hurt mainly your pride. As others here
told me, falling is a good motiviation to learn to clip out


Hi, falling is an option. If you pay attention to what you are doing
and know your bike well enough, that shifting and braking are done
without need for thought, you can then concentrate on the pedals.

I suggest that you start on the trainer, or if no trainer, in an
empty parking lot or somewhere similar. Once you know how to clip in
and out, then you can begin to ride.
For me, the trick was to clip out early and to partially click out,
when I might have to stop. What I mean by that, is you disengage the
rear of the clip, but stay in the front. Then if you don't have to
stop, you can just snap back in.
Until I was comfortable with using the pedals, I focused on them. I
reminded myself to clip out.

Maybe, I'm just lucky, but I have never fallen, because I forgot to
clip out. In about 4800 miles of riding I have fallen once and that
was on a hill, when my chain came off to the inside. That happened
early this year and I put on a N-Gear Jump Stop, so it won't ever
happen again.
I think people fall, because they don't pay attention to what they are
doing. After a while, it becomes automatic.

And yes Badger, you will wonder why you didn't do this sooner. My
first set of clipless pedals were Shimano PD-M324, here, take a look -
http://bike.shimano.com/Footwear_Ped...number=PD-M324

I think they are excellent pedals to learn on and a benefit is that
you don't need to be clipped in, to use them. It comes in handy, in
the beginning, in high traffic and at busy intersections.

I still use them on my older bike.


Life is Good!
Jeff

"Jeff Starr" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 07:06:20 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:




Oh, expect to fall buddy! Just remember, you'll very likely fall when
you're barely moving, so it will hurt mainly your pride. As others here
told me, falling is a good motiviation to learn to clip out


Hi, falling is an option. If you pay attention to what you are doing
and know your bike well enough, that shifting and braking are done
without need for thought, you can then concentrate on the pedals.

I suggest that you start on the trainer, or if no trainer, in an
empty parking lot or somewhere similar. Once you know how to clip in
and out, then you can begin to ride.
For me, the trick was to clip out early and to partially click out,
when I might have to stop. What I mean by that, is you disengage the
rear of the clip, but stay in the front. Then if you don't have to
stop, you can just snap back in.
Until I was comfortable with using the pedals, I focused on them. I
reminded myself to clip out.

Maybe, I'm just lucky, but I have never fallen, because I forgot to
clip out. In about 4800 miles of riding I have fallen once and that
was on a hill, when my chain came off to the inside. That happened
early this year and I put on a N-Gear Jump Stop, so it won't ever
happen again.
I think people fall, because they don't pay attention to what they are
doing. After a while, it becomes automatic.

And yes Badger, you will wonder why you didn't do this sooner. My
first set of clipless pedals were Shimano PD-M324, here, take a look -

http://bike.shimano.com/Footwear_Ped...number=PD-M324


Those are the exact pedals the LBS recommended when I switched to clipless
pedals earlier this year. After 55 years of riding with regular pedals I
found the transition to the clipless rather painless. I just wish I had
done it sooner. I still use the platform side when I'm doing a lot of
stop-and-go riding but for longer I'm always clipped in. I've only fallen
once and that was an emergency stop. Thankfully it was on grassg

Beverly

Jeff Starr wrote:
|| On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 07:06:20 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
|| wrote:
||
||
||
|||
||| Oh, expect to fall buddy! Just remember, you'll very likely fall
||| when
||| you're barely moving, so it will hurt mainly your pride. As others
||| here
||| told me, falling is a good motiviation to learn to clip out
|||
||
|| Hi, falling is an option. If you pay attention to what you are doing
|| and know your bike well enough, that shifting and braking are done
|| without need for thought, you can then concentrate on the pedals.

Falling happens when you stop paying attention. It will happen for most.
It is best to assume it will happen, and if it doesn't you'll just be lucky.

||
|| I suggest that you start on the trainer, or if no trainer, in an
|| empty parking lot or somewhere similar. Once you know how to clip in
|| and out, then you can begin to ride.

I did all of this. I spent two hours at teh LBS on the trainer...I left
when the starting making grumbling noises But the cute bike shop girl
probably doesn't suspect that I was just trying to be in her presense (well,
that too).

After I got home, I did 3 separate short rides without falling. I thought I
had it down. However, as soon as I met my riding buddy for a long ride, as i
rode up and starting talking to him, I fell. I thought I could just clip
out one feet and lean on that foot. That was after 4 miles. Then, after
about 20 miles, the same damn thing happened again and I had been careful to
fully clip out both feet. Then, after 25 miles, I popped a spoke and my
rear wheel went out of true. My inexperience with clipless and with riding
a bike with a wheel out of true, while trying to make a U-turn in the middle
of the road, resulted in my third fall. All on the same day.

|| For me, the trick was to clip out early and to partially click out,
|| when I might have to stop. What I mean by that, is you disengage the
|| rear of the clip, but stay in the front.

How do you do that with SPDs? I have found that any kind of partially being
clipped in is a good way to fall. When I unclip, I unclip both feet.
Period.

Then if you don't have to
|| stop, you can just snap back in.
|| Until I was comfortable with using the pedals, I focused on them. I
|| reminded myself to clip out.

Well, I don't see how you cannot remind yourself to clip out. Even now, I
have to clip out. It's always a thought, especially near intersections and
stops. The only differece is I'm not so stressed about it, but it is still
an act I must think about.

||
|| Maybe, I'm just lucky, but I have never fallen, because I forgot to
|| clip out. In about 4800 miles of riding I have fallen once and that
|| was on a hill, when my chain came off to the inside. That happened
|| early this year and I put on a N-Gear Jump Stop, so it won't ever
|| happen again.

You are lucky.

|| I think people fall, because they don't pay attention to what they
|| are
|| doing.

I'd say that's exactly why people fall. Most humans can't pay attention to
anything 100% of the time, and when you're new to clipless, something will
steal your attention at first. After a few falls, you learn NOT to let that
happen.

|| After a while, it becomes automatic.
||

I'd say it because something that is no longer as big a deal as it was at
first, but it is far from automatic, at least for me.

|| And yes Badger, you will wonder why you didn't do this sooner. My
|| first set of clipless pedals were Shimano PD-M324, here, take a look
|| -
||
http://bike.shimano.com/Footwear_Ped...number=PD-M324
||
|| I think they are excellent pedals to learn on and a benefit is that
|| you don't need to be clipped in, to use them. It comes in handy, in
|| the beginning, in high traffic and at busy intersections.
||
|| I still use them on my older bike.
||
||
|| Life is Good!
|| Jeff

Roger Zoul wrote:

I thought I could just clip out one feet and lean on that foot. That
was after 4 miles. Then, after about 20 miles, the same damn thing
happened again and I had been careful to fully clip out both feet.

{snip}

When I unclip, I unclip both feet. Period.

Not to be critical, Roger, but you really shouldn't have to do that.
Unclipping one foot and putting it down when stopped is what 99.9% of riders
do.

Are you falling because your free foot SLIPS on the pavement (or trail)? Or
are you simply losing balance? (Saddle way too high, maybe?) Sounds like
something's going on that you could work on to correct.

Bill "unclipping both feet sounds MORE unstable (at least to me)" S.

B i l l S o r n s o n wrote:
|| Roger Zoul wrote:
|||
||| I thought I could just clip out one feet and lean on that foot. That
||| was after 4 miles. Then, after about 20 miles, the same damn thing
||| happened again and I had been careful to fully clip out both feet.
||
|| {snip}
||
||| When I unclip, I unclip both feet. Period.
||
|| Not to be critical, Roger, but you really shouldn't have to do that.
|| Unclipping one foot and putting it down when stopped is what 99.9%
|| of riders do.

I don't mine some attention at all, if it has to do with riding technique.

The first time I fell, I clipped out only one foot. I twas probably due to
the features of the road and my inexperience that resulted in my fall.
Someone here suggested to me the business about clipping out both feet, so I
do that as a matter of routine.

How can you know what 99.9% of riders do?

||
|| Are you falling because your free foot SLIPS on the pavement (or
|| trail)? Or are you simply losing balance? (Saddle way too high,
|| maybe?) Sounds like something's going on that you could work on to
|| correct.

I've only fallen 4 times, and 3 of those were on my first major ride while
clipless (as described above). I don't think I have a problem falling. I
have not slipped or lost balance. My 4 falls have mostly had to do with
thinking I'm clipped out while I'm really clipped in. More about not really
knowing where my foot is relative to the peddle.

At intersections I usually start up with both feet clipped out and riding on
the SPDs. I clip in asap, though

||
|| Bill "unclipping both feet sounds MORE unstable (at least to me)" S.

Hmm....

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 17:34:05 GMT, "B i l l S o r n s o n"
wrote:

Roger Zoul wrote:

I thought I could just clip out one feet and lean on that foot. That
was after 4 miles. Then, after about 20 miles, the same damn thing
happened again and I had been careful to fully clip out both feet.

{snip}

When I unclip, I unclip both feet. Period.

Not to be critical, Roger, but you really shouldn't have to do that.
Unclipping one foot and putting it down when stopped is what 99.9% of riders
do.

Are you falling because your free foot SLIPS on the pavement (or trail)? Or
are you simply losing balance? (Saddle way too high, maybe?) Sounds like
something's going on that you could work on to correct.

Bill "unclipping both feet sounds MORE unstable (at least to me)" S.

What I would like to ask at this juncture is (since I don't
understand, seriously) what would one be trying to prevent by using
such systems?

I'm confused by having to "clip" and "unclip" on a "clipless" system,
additionally. I've never fully understood pedal retention systems.

Thanks.

Michael J. Klein
Dasi Jen, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan, ROC
Please replace mousepotato with asiancastings
---------------------------------------------

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:53:31 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:

I suggest that you start on the trainer, or if no trainer, in an
|| empty parking lot or somewhere similar. Once you know how to clip in
|| and out, then you can begin to ride.

I did all of this. I spent two hours at teh LBS on the trainer...I left
when the starting making grumbling noises But the cute bike shop girl
probably doesn't suspect that I was just trying to be in her presense (well,
that too).

I'm -so- glad you chirped in here, b/c I don't know if I'd have thought of
that, getting on the trainer at the LBS and making sure the shoes were snug
and the cleats adjusted, and that my knee wouldn't be hurting. Don't think
they'll let me go 2 hours....you're kidding right? Either that or you're
exceptionally charming. Anyway, Brilliant!

When I called Performance they seemed puzzled at first, but then said 'sure
you could ride on the trainer'. They had a bunch of bikes on trainers set
up in front anyway. I asked if I could bring my bike in and if they would
swap 'em out for me as part of the package with my current pedals. I'll
have to get a pedal wrench anyway, incase something starts acting up and I
need to temp. switch back to toeclips, and also see how they get the pedals
off. I know it's simple.

I'm going in today. Yeehaw.

-B

Badger_South wrote:
|| On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:53:31 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
|| wrote:
||
||| I suggest that you start on the trainer, or if no trainer, in an
||||| empty parking lot or somewhere similar. Once you know how to clip
||||| in
||||| and out, then you can begin to ride.
|||
||| I did all of this. I spent two hours at teh LBS on the trainer...I
||| left when the starting making grumbling noises But the cute
||| bike shop girl probably doesn't suspect that I was just trying to
||| be in her presense (well, that too).
||
|| I'm -so- glad you chirped in here, b/c I don't know if I'd have
|| thought of that, getting on the trainer at the LBS and making sure
|| the shoes were snug and the cleats adjusted, and that my knee
|| wouldn't be hurting. Don't think they'll let me go 2 hours....you're
|| kidding right? Either that or you're exceptionally charming.
|| Anyway, Brilliant!
||

No, I'm not kidding Being nice, smiling a lot, and spending money all
seem to work. Honestly, I really wanted to ask the girl out, but since she's
10 years younger than I, I chickened out Maybe next year.


|| When I called Performance they seemed puzzled at first, but then
|| said 'sure you could ride on the trainer'. They had a bunch of bikes
|| on trainers set
|| up in front anyway. I asked if I could bring my bike in and if they
|| would swap 'em out for me as part of the package with my current
|| pedals. I'll
|| have to get a pedal wrench anyway, incase something starts acting up
|| and I need to temp. switch back to toeclips, and also see how they
|| get the pedals off. I know it's simple.

I'm not sure why they were puzzled, but who knows. Probably just the
employee you spoke with.

||
|| I'm going in today. Yeehaw.
||

Good deal. Practicing while riding on the grass ain't a bad idea, either.