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Light dawns...



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 28th 04, 10:18 AM
Badger_South
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Default 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.


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  #2  
Old October 28th 04, 12:06 PM
Roger Zoul
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Default

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.


  #3  
Old October 28th 04, 12:33 PM
Super Slinky
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Default

Badger_South says...

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.


Toe clips? Yuck. Clipless is a big step up from that. I highly recommend
Speedplay Frogs for a bunch of reasons. They have a lot of rotational
float, which will lay your knee concerns to rest. They are the easiest
clipless pedals to get out of, bar none. There is no spring resistance
at all, just rotate and you are out. Getting in isn't any more difficult
than any other pedal. They are mountain bike pedals and the cleats are
recessed into the soles for better walkability. On the downside, they
are somewhat expensive at about $105 for the basic chromoly version, and
you will probably need to spend some time with a utility knife carving
out enough room for the cleats. If you ever own any, use some wax based
lube on the pedals and cleats every other ride or so. Don't be put off
because they are made for MTBs, MTB shoes and pedals make all kinds of
sense for recreational roadies.
  #4  
Old October 28th 04, 01:20 PM
Badger_South
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Default

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:33:11 GMT, Super Slinky wrote:

Badger_South says...

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.


Toe clips? Yuck. Clipless is a big step up from that. I highly recommend
Speedplay Frogs for a bunch of reasons. They have a lot of rotational
float, which will lay your knee concerns to rest. They are the easiest
clipless pedals to get out of, bar none. There is no spring resistance
at all, just rotate and you are out. Getting in isn't any more difficult
than any other pedal. They are mountain bike pedals and the cleats are
recessed into the soles for better walkability. On the downside, they
are somewhat expensive at about $105 for the basic chromoly version, and
you will probably need to spend some time with a utility knife carving
out enough room for the cleats. If you ever own any, use some wax based
lube on the pedals and cleats every other ride or so. Don't be put off
because they are made for MTBs, MTB shoes and pedals make all kinds of
sense for recreational roadies.


Really, but for me it was a little bit of a progression, and I pretty much
realized this a year ago. I have a hip injury which limits my flex on one
side, as I say, and makes me a bit less agile. Thus the need for caution.

However, on a side note, I'm happy to report the daily climbing that little
2 mile 5% grade is definitely helping the hip/lowerback/piriformis. Sime
days I'm limping a little in the parking lot, but by the end of the ride,
I'm feeling great. Hip always feels better doing my 26 hill route than my
flatter route. I don't think the length has that much to do with it; I'm
not sagging or losing at anytime or anything, normally.

In contrast, when doing 20-30miles on the flats spinning up, I'm usually
limping quite a bit when off the bike for the first three days back, and
some of the time I have to use a cane (on the bike I'm fine). Somehow that
joint (sacro-iliac?) or lower lumbar (root cause?) is getting
extrastressful accessory work during spinning. The climbing in the saddle
is somehow therapeutic, probably due to the power curve of pushing through
the hip when climbing, dunno.

PS thanks for the help. Just what I wanted. The speed play so easy to get
out of..that doesn't mean I'll accidently unclip by accident more easily
would it?

-B


  #5  
Old October 28th 04, 03:35 PM
Super Slinky
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Default

Badger_South says...

PS thanks for the help. Just what I wanted. The speed play so easy to get
out of..that doesn't mean I'll accidently unclip by accident more easily
would it?


No, they are impossible to get out of without the rotation. A good
analogy would be the way a doorknob/latch works. The latch on a doorknob
mechanism is wedge shaped so it will go in one way and latch and you
can't pull the door back without twisting the doorknob. The Frogs work
on the same principle. There is no spring on the pedals but the cleats
have a wedge shaped latch that compresses when your feet press down on
the pedal, then it will open up and lock when the cleat is fully
engaged. You can't clip out the way you clipped in, you have to twist to
get them off.
  #6  
Old October 28th 04, 04:01 PM
David L. Johnson
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Default

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 05:18:40 -0400, Badger_South wrote:

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?


They should get you adjusted properly, but that is not easy to do, and
frankly I'd expect them to not spend as much time on it as you really
should. Be prepared to have to fiddle with the adjustments on your own,
to get it right.

Several points:

You will fall. Live with it. You will fall when you roll to a stop,
then remember that you are clipped in a half-second too late, and forget
how to get out. But you won't be moving, so the only injury will be to
your pride.

Make sure to get the angle adjusted correctly. Most pedals now have some
float, so it would not seem to be critical, but spd's usually still have
some tension to them that rotates your foot to one spot. Speedplay Frogs
have totally free float, but they take somewhat longer to adjust to. I
love them, but they may or may not be for you. Performance is probably
not going to recommend them, either.

If you do get spd's, make sure to get the angle adjusted correctly. I
hurt my knee once on a tour, and blame it on mis-adjusted cleats.

Get mountain-bike style cleats and shoes. It is far better to be able to
actually walk in the shoes. Get the stiffest shoe you can find.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I can
_`\(,_ | assure you that mine are all greater. -- A. Einstein
(_)/ (_) |


  #7  
Old October 28th 04, 04:03 PM
David L. Johnson
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On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 08:20:48 -0400, Badger_South wrote:

PS thanks for the help. Just what I wanted. The speed play so easy to get
out of..that doesn't mean I'll accidently unclip by accident more easily
would it?


No. It has never happened to me. I did accidentally unclip with the
spd's, though.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Become MicroSoft-free forever. Ask me how.
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) |


  #8  
Old October 28th 04, 04:30 PM
Jeff Starr
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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
  #9  
Old October 28th 04, 04:39 PM
Beverly
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Default


"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




  #10  
Old October 28th 04, 04:53 PM
Roger Zoul
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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


 




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