Clipless: the first 24

cc said:

realize that you're not going to make a tranny.

Family newsgroup, buddy.

Bill "standards" S.

Quoted message said:

I will say that the power gained by being locked in is great. I feel
like I can strengthen a whole extra set of muscles . . not to mention
feeling at least 1.5 times faster when I stand up and mash by
pushing/pulling. That is a clear advantage. The control while
airborne is also fantastic; it's nice to be one with your ride.

Yes.

You'll be back on platforms in no time 😉

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So, awash with the praise of clipless pedals, I got on the wagon. Threw

down

Quoted message said:

for a set of eggbeaters, which should be here next week, and some shoes
yesterday. After n years of riding platforms on BMX and mountain bikes
(where n is a large number), however, I just couldn't wait to see what all
the fuss was about. So, looking forward to better spinning, as well as
avoiding the weekly meetings of my shins and my pedals, I threw on an old
pair of SPDs I had laying around (they came with another bike), and

decided

Quoted message said:

to start tooling around last nite.

I of course experienced the helpless feeling as I tipped over (multiple
times), with nothing to do about it. Truly unique. I haven't had that "I'm
going to eat [censored] in a moment, please stand by" feeling in a while.
Reminiscent of speed wobbles when hauling ass on a skateboard, or realize
that you're not going to make a tranny. Anyway, so the grass didn't really
do me much harm, and I managed to get the cleats in adjustment.

Rode to work today, and some 20-odd miles to run an errand and back, with

an

Quoted message said:

extended detour to some flat trails out by the Bay:

http://www.stanford.edu/~ccreese/images/miscpost/sl_park1.JPG
http://www.stanford.edu/~ccreese/images/miscpost/sl_park2.JPG

It was a good chance to get a feeling for clipping in/out, but it sure was

a

Quoted message said:

painful experience. I suppose that n is just too large a number, or my

"fly

Quoted message said:

now, dab later" style just makes staying in the pedals difficult, but I
certainly spread around whatever damage I was doing to my shins before. I
guess it probably wasn't a great idea to ride over mixed gravel/hardpan
doing wheelies with my new pedals . . . should have learned my lesson

doing

Quoted message said:

the same thing last nite. I managed to fall over the back, onto my hip and
leg. My shin already had a gorgeous scab on it:

http://www.stanford.edu/~ccreese/images/miscpost/nice_legs.JPG

I'd show you the part where a rock tore through shorts, boxers, and left

ass

Quoted message said:

cheek, but i suppose this is mixed company . An additional disrespect to

my

Quoted message said:

leg was the fact that when riding through close brush, I was unable to

lift

Quoted message said:

my leg, as I could with platforms. I therefore felt quite exquisitely any
foliage that happened to be close enough. Anyway, so many incidents and

much

Quoted message said:

pain later, I'm finally getting the hang of it. I don't know how long

until

Quoted message said:

I'll be able to dab smoothly, but hopefully it'll work out.

I will say that the power gained by being locked in is great. I feel like

I

Quoted message said:

can strengthen a whole extra set of muscles . . not to mention feeling at
least 1.5 times faster when I stand up and mash by pushing/pulling. That

is

Quoted message said:

a clear advantage. The control while airborne is also fantastic; it's nice
to be one with your ride.

Maybe if the hip bruises well, i.e. turns cool colors, I'll throw up a

pic.

Quoted message said:

. .

cc

After riding clipped in for years, as soon as I get on a bike with
platforms, I feel as equally unsafe as you probably do clipped in. I can't
go at any speed downhill as my feet and legs are allover the place. The
thought of being able to protect my shins though would sway it for
me......ouch!

One thing I have found with egg beaters over spd's is the ability to have a
dab. Never managed it with spd's, and I'm still getting used to egg
beaters. Things can only get better.

Good luck

gravelr......Ash

Good luck and remember that eggbeaters have 2 setting 1 with a lot of float
and 1 with almost no float .Try that way first .My buddies have eggbeater
and the more float the more you have to turn your foot to get out harder to
dab that way. Me I like a little more platform on the pedal body so I use
Ritchy pedals the v3 pros .They work for me ??
PS Great pic of the bay!

Jamie TrailBlazer At Large said:

Good luck and remember that eggbeaters have 2 setting 1 with a lot of
float and 1 with almost no float .Try that way first .My buddies have
eggbeater and the more float the more you have to turn your foot to get
out harder to dab that way. Me I like a little more platform on the pedal
body so I use Ritchy pedals the v3 pros .They work for me ??
PS Great pic of the bay!

Nah, the float is the same either way you set up the cleats, but you CAN
choose the release angle: either 15 or 20 degrees. Most people start with
the 15 degree setting, and I would recommend that if you're new to clipless
because the Shimanos you've been practicing with only have around 10 degree
release angle.

http://members.cox.net/jhnmorgan/mtb/CliplessFAQ.txt

John M

"Ashley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"cc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

After riding clipped in for years, as soon as I get on a bike with
platforms, I feel as equally unsafe as you probably do clipped in. I

can't

Quoted message said:

go at any speed downhill as my feet and legs are allover the place. The
thought of being able to protect my shins though would sway it for
me......ouch!

Yes, I can imagine that. I'm worried that I'll get to a place where
platforms feel unstable, but clipless feel stifling.

Yeah, it's not so pleasant gouging the shins. Ironically, the shin injury in
the picture was caused by a freak softball accident. Well, not really freak.
I slid into a base in shorts, and didn't commit enough to land on my ass, as
I should have . .

Quoted message said:

One thing I have found with egg beaters over spd's is the ability to have

a

Quoted message said:

dab. Never managed it with spd's, and I'm still getting used to egg
beaters. Things can only get better.

I'm hoping so. Thanks.

Colin

P.S. I'm doing a time-lapse "bruisography." If it turns out well, I may
post. The wonders of digital photography. . .

I just picked up the eggbeaters and sette's combo from pricepoint and
really love the new feeling of clips. I do alot of single track flatland
riding so once I clip in, I wont be out probably till I am finished with
my ride, but its easier to unclip then clip at first. I had the hardest
time figuring out where the cleat was on the bottom of my shoe without
falling over while coasting. Now that I figured it out, I love em. Seems
like alot more energy and alot less worrying about keeping my feet on
pedals. I would be skeptical about using them on anything technical.
Think I would bang the legs up some then.

Good luck with your new purchase.
Chuck Mc.

cc said:

So, awash with the praise of clipless pedals, I got on the wagon. Threw down
for a set of eggbeaters, which should be here next week, and some shoes
yesterday. After n years of riding platforms on BMX and mountain bikes
(where n is a large number), however, I just couldn't wait to see what all
the fuss was about. So, looking forward to better spinning, as well as
avoiding the weekly meetings of my shins and my pedals, I threw on an old
pair of SPDs I had laying around (they came with another bike), and decided
to start tooling around last nite.

I of course experienced the helpless feeling as I tipped over (multiple
times), with nothing to do about it. Truly unique. I haven't had that "I'm
going to eat [censored] in a moment, please stand by" feeling in a while.
Reminiscent of speed wobbles when hauling ass on a skateboard, or realize
that you're not going to make a tranny. Anyway, so the grass didn't really
do me much harm, and I managed to get the cleats in adjustment.

Rode to work today, and some 20-odd miles to run an errand and back, with an
extended detour to some flat trails out by the Bay:

http://www.stanford.edu/~ccreese/images/miscpost/sl_park1.JPG
http://www.stanford.edu/~ccreese/images/miscpost/sl_park2.JPG

It was a good chance to get a feeling for clipping in/out, but it sure was a
painful experience. I suppose that n is just too large a number, or my "fly
now, dab later" style just makes staying in the pedals difficult, but I
certainly spread around whatever damage I was doing to my shins before. I
guess it probably wasn't a great idea to ride over mixed gravel/hardpan
doing wheelies with my new pedals . . . should have learned my lesson doing
the same thing last nite. I managed to fall over the back, onto my hip and
leg. My shin already had a gorgeous scab on it:

http://www.stanford.edu/~ccreese/images/miscpost/nice_legs.JPG

I'd show you the part where a rock tore through shorts, boxers, and left ass
cheek, but i suppose this is mixed company . An additional disrespect to my
leg was the fact that when riding through close brush, I was unable to lift
my leg, as I could with platforms. I therefore felt quite exquisitely any
foliage that happened to be close enough. Anyway, so many incidents and much
pain later, I'm finally getting the hang of it. I don't know how long until
I'll be able to dab smoothly, but hopefully it'll work out.

I will say that the power gained by being locked in is great. I feel like I
can strengthen a whole extra set of muscles . . not to mention feeling at
least 1.5 times faster when I stand up and mash by pushing/pulling. That is
a clear advantage. The control while airborne is also fantastic; it's nice
to be one with your ride.

Maybe if the hip bruises well, i.e. turns cool colors, I'll throw up a pic.
. .

cc

"chuck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

<snip>

Yeah, technical stuff has been a bit sketchy. I approach things i have no
problem clearing with an apprehension about dabbing that kills my
confidence. I'm sure I'll get over that. It has also been a pain finding the
cleat, as you mentioned.

Today I got stopped dead by a low branch, tried to dab by unclipping my
right, then promptly fell over to the left into a large pine tree, which
inflicted fresh damage to the previously posted wound:

http://www.stanford.edu/~ccreese/images/miscpost/leg_revamp.jpg

Good stuff. It's funny . .. I take long rides on the way to an appointment I
have every week on either Tuesday or Thursday and show up with fresh damage
more often than not. They must think me strange 😉

cc