Advice please: newbies and clipless pedals

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Xb6Pa.24330$H17.7866@sccrnsc02...

Quoted message said:

Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or a
pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As far
as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

The best pedals for you may be the type that have SPD clipless pedals on one side, and regular
platform pedals on the other side. When a section looks too difficult for being clipped-in, you can
ride on the platform (flat) side. When you're climbing, or riding easier sections, or just want
more power, clip in. Many shops have these type of pedals: www.nashbar.com,
www.performancebike.com, etc. They go by many different names and manufacturers. I have 3 pairs of
these pedals, and I really like them.

Quoted message said:

I'd be most interested in hearing from anyone who *started* mountain biking with clipless -- do
you think it was the right way to go?

My wife loves clipless; but hates MTB'ing because she fell several times, and hurt herself. Now I
can't get her back on the trails. She's scared stiff and panics even on easy trails.

Quoted message said:

I apologize in advance for being a total novice at both mountain biking and this group.

We're a casual group here. No apologies needed.

Quoted message said:

The specifics:

I'm a 25-year-old woman who would like to start mountain biking. I just bought a Trek Fuel 90 over
the 4th of July weekend; before that, I hadn't owned or ridden a bike in several years. My fiance
has set a goal for me of riding what is apparently a fairly technical and steep trail by this time
next year ... I don't know if that's feasible, but I'm at least going to shoot for it.

Why is your fiance setting your goals for you?

Quoted message said:

I bought the bike while visiting my aunt -- in fact, she's the one who convinced me to splurge on
full suspension, rather than buying a hardtail. She also told me to go ahead and get clipless
pedals right away, so that's what I did.

Yeah, I can see the reasoning there. Why not? But it's one more thing to learn, and some people
get spooked by clipless. I was surprised how fast my wife got used to 'em; but she's a
graduate-level modern dancer with superb balance, and also a great skiier. That helps a lot -
being used to bindings.

Quoted message said:

So far, I've mostly been riding wide dirt roads, getting the feel of clipping in and out. My
pedals are set pretty loosely, apparently, so clipping out isn't terribly hard -- when I remember
to do so. I do have to clip out before coming to a stop, as my balance isn't good enough yet to
keep the bike upright while stopped.

"Track standing" takes a while to learn. It's easier just to clip out; but it's always good to
practice balancing at a stop. It comes in handy sometimes.

Quoted message said:

The first day on the bike, my aunt took me on a single track trail, and I apparently did fairly
well for the first bit, but after falling during a tricky part, I lost my nerve and we headed back
to the wide-open road. That seems to be the main concern with clipless -- that I'll be too scared
to try stuff. On the other hand, if I swap in normal pedals, aren't I just postponing the pain and
further ingraining bad habits?

Though I'm sure there is such a thing as "bad habits" in offroad biking, I don't think your choice
of pedals is one of them. Lots of people ride open platform pedals with no clips, no clipless,
wearing ordinary sneakers. It sounds like your family and friends are putting you on a fast track to
high performance. That's great if that's what you want. It's not required for enjoyment of cycling.

Quoted message said:

I bought the bike in Park City, Utah, but I live in Boulder, Colorado. Both places have ample
places to ride.

You are *so* lucky! What I would give to live in Colorado! My family has a cabin in Gunnison Nat'l
Forest near Crested Butte. It's perfect for mtb'ing; but we never seem to make it out there.

Have fun and ride safely.

-Barry

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Xb6Pa.24330$H17.7866@sccrnsc02...

Quoted message said:

Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or a
pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As far
as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

I'd be most interested in hearing from anyone who *started* mountain biking with clipless -- do
you think it was the right way to go?

I apologize in advance for being a total novice at both mountain biking and this group.

<snip specifics>

You sound very concerned about all this. I don't think that you should worry about it too much and
use whatever system that makes you feel the most comfortable. I wouldn't imagine that there are many
people that literally started biking on clipless. Money and knowledge is usually the barrier to
people considering clipless, not appropriateness. I switched after maybe, six months, of considering
myself a 'dedicated' mtbr.
--
Westie BTW, it doesn't hurt to have input from your husband, but it's YOU that should be setting
your own goals. Only you know how confident and interested you are in this activity.

"B. Sanders" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Kb7Pa.23779$Ph3.2074@sccrnsc04...

Quoted message said:

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Xb6Pa.24330$H17.7866@sccrnsc02...

Quoted message said:

Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or
a pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As
far as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

The best pedals for you may be the type that have SPD clipless pedals on

one

Quoted message said:

side, and regular platform pedals on the other side. When a section looks too difficult for being
clipped-in, you can ride on the platform (flat) side. When you're climbing, or riding easier
sections, or just want more power, clip in. Many shops have these type of pedals: www.nashbar.com,
www.performancebike.com, etc. They go by many different names and manufacturers. I have 3 pairs of
these pedals, and I really like them.

Quoted message said:

I'd be most interested in hearing from anyone who *started* mountain biking with clipless -- do
you think it was the right way to go?

My wife loves clipless; but hates MTB'ing because she fell several times, and hurt herself. Now I
can't get her back on the trails. She's scared stiff and panics even on easy trails.

Quoted message said:

I apologize in advance for being a total novice at both mountain biking and this group.

We're a casual group here. No apologies needed.

Quoted message said:

The specifics:

I'm a 25-year-old woman who would like to start mountain biking. I just bought a Trek Fuel 90
over the 4th of July weekend; before that, I hadn't owned or ridden a bike in several years. My
fiance has set a goal for me of riding what is apparently a fairly technical and steep trail by
this time next year ... I don't know if that's feasible, but I'm at least going to shoot for it.

Why is your fiance setting your goals for you?

Quoted message said:

I bought the bike while visiting my aunt -- in fact, she's the one who convinced me to splurge
on full suspension, rather than buying a hardtail. She also told me to go ahead and get clipless
pedals right away, so that's what I did.

Yeah, I can see the reasoning there. Why not? But it's one more thing to learn, and some people
get spooked by clipless. I was surprised how fast

my

Quoted message said:

wife got used to 'em; but she's a graduate-level modern dancer with superb balance, and also a
great skiier. That helps a lot - being used to

bindings.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So far, I've mostly been riding wide dirt roads, getting the feel of clipping in and out. My
pedals are set pretty loosely, apparently, so clipping out isn't terribly hard -- when I
remember to do so. I do have to clip out before coming to a stop, as my balance isn't good
enough yet to keep the bike upright while stopped.

"Track standing" takes a while to learn. It's easier just to clip out;

but

Quoted message said:

it's always good to practice balancing at a stop. It comes in handy sometimes.

Quoted message said:

The first day on the bike, my aunt took me on a single track trail, and I apparently did fairly
well for the first bit, but after falling during a tricky part, I lost my nerve and we headed
back to the wide-open road. That seems to be the main concern with clipless -- that I'll be too
scared to try stuff. On the other hand, if I swap in normal pedals, aren't I just postponing the
pain and further ingraining bad habits?

Though I'm sure there is such a thing as "bad habits" in offroad biking, I don't think your
choice of pedals is one of them. Lots of people ride open platform pedals with no clips, no
clipless, wearing ordinary sneakers. It sounds like your family and friends are putting you on a
fast track to

high

Quoted message said:

performance. That's great if that's what you want. It's not required for enjoyment of cycling.

Quoted message said:

I bought the bike in Park City, Utah, but I live in Boulder, Colorado. Both places have ample
places to ride.

You are *so* lucky! What I would give to live in Colorado! My family has

a

Quoted message said:

cabin in Gunnison Nat'l Forest near Crested Butte. It's perfect for mtb'ing; but we never seem to
make it out there.

Have fun and ride safely.

-Barry

What he said. Don't be fooled into thinking that going clipless is inevitable though, myself and a
few others on this forum (who will be along shortly no doubt) have been mtb'ing for some time, yet
still prefer to use flat pedals with good grip (and I have tried all three).

Steve E.

Monique Y. Herman said:

Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or a
pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As far
as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

I'd be most interested in hearing from anyone who *started* mountain biking with clipless -- do
you think it was the right way to go?

I apologize in advance for being a total novice at both mountain biking and this group.

The specifics:

I'm a 25-year-old woman who would like to start mountain biking. I just bought a Trek Fuel 90 over
the 4th of July weekend; before that, I hadn't owned or ridden a bike in several years. My fiance
has set a goal for me of riding what is apparently a fairly technical and steep trail by this time
next year ... I don't know if that's feasible, but I'm at least going to shoot for it.

I bought the bike while visiting my aunt -- in fact, she's the one who convinced me to splurge on
full suspension, rather than buying a hardtail. She also told me to go ahead and get clipless
pedals right away, so that's what I did.

So far, I've mostly been riding wide dirt roads, getting the feel of clipping in and out. My
pedals are set pretty loosely, apparently, so clipping out isn't terribly hard -- when I remember
to do so. I do have to clip out before coming to a stop, as my balance isn't good enough yet to
keep the bike upright while stopped.

The first day on the bike, my aunt took me on a single track trail, and I apparently did fairly
well for the first bit, but after falling during a tricky part, I lost my nerve and we headed back
to the wide-open road. That seems to be the main concern with clipless -- that I'll be too scared
to try stuff. On the other hand, if I swap in normal pedals, aren't I just postponing the pain and
further ingraining bad habits?

I bought the bike in Park City, Utah, but I live in Boulder, Colorado. Both places have ample
places to ride.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

-- monique

I've been mountain biking since before clipless were popular, and I like clipless pedals. However, I
fell three times this weekend due to not being able to get out of my pedals. I've switched back (as
of today, actually) to a clipless pedal with a cage around it. I've always found that I'm clipped
out a lot at portions of the trails that are technical. However, I do like to be clipped in on the
relatively non-technical portions of my ride, but I also ride a racing bike and like to pedal
"circles." So, I'd say if you don't like clipless, don't ride clipless. Once you build your
confidence (and biking endurance), then try clipless, perhaps with the caged type of clipless first.

--
Bob M in CT Remove 'x.' to reply

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

Quoted message said:

spademan says:

Quoted message said:

Don't be fooled into thinking that going clipless is inevitable though,

True

Thirded ',;~}~

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and a few others on this forum (who will be along shortly no doubt)

Hi! <blush...>

Hiya! <waves>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

yet still prefer to use
flat pedals with good grip

Yup! Uh-huh! although I have upgraded from rat-traps to platforms with spikes.

Steve

Personally, I wouldn't have dreamed of suggesting you go out, onto the trails, and use clipless
pedals, all on your first ride. Sounds like a good way to put someone off MTB'ing for life, before
they even really got into
it.

It seems most people fall when they first even change over from flats to clipless, and the general
advice given, is to practice like mad on soft grass or some such before hitting the trails, to
lessen any personal damage.

Anyhow, welcome to MTB'ing - have fun and stay safe.

Shaun aRe

Monique Y. Herman said:

So far, I've mostly been riding wide dirt roads, getting the feel of clipping in and out. My
pedals are set pretty loosely, apparently, so clipping out isn't terribly hard -- when I remember
to do so. I do have to clip out before coming to a stop, as my balance isn't good enough yet to
keep the bike upright while stopped.

The first day on the bike, my aunt took me on a single track trail, and
I apparently did fairly well for the first bit, but after falling during
a tricky part, I lost my nerve and we headed back to the wide-open road.
That seems to be the main concern with clipless -- that I'll be too
scared to try stuff. On the other hand, if I swap in normal pedals,
aren't I just postponing the pain and further ingraining bad habits?

I use clipless myself and whilst I did fall over far too many times in the first few weeks of using
them I personaly love em.. Wouldn't think of attacking a hill without them.

Cliping out when your nervous is a good idea no point panicing and hurting yourself..

I don't think there is any right or wrong when it comes to platforms, clips or clipless pedals. Go
with what your happest with.. Don't let anyone tell you that yoy "MUST" do something that you
don't want to
do..If it feels more comfortable on platforms then put them back on.. You can always try the
clipless again if you feel like it later...

<Wave>

Gyp

Monique Y. Herman said...

Quoted message said:

Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or a
pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As far
as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

Clipless pedals are for those who have to be the fastest, coolest bikers around. They are a racing
product that trickled down to the average consumer because of the fashion factor, like so many
others in the cycling world. They will make you a little faster and climb a little better, but at
the price of a few extra falls and lots of extra expense and annoyance. There are many situations
where clipless pedals are a nuisance if not a hazard, like city riding and slow sections of trails
where it would be nice to dab a little or where falls could cause serious injury or worse. A good
pair of platform pedals that have good grip are much more versatile and less expensive to own.
Special $hoe$ are not needed. No falling down bruising yourself and damaging your bike because your
feet are chained in when you need to dab a little.

Use clipless if you are a racer or if you are a fashion victim who must give in to peer pressure all
the time. For the everyday bicyclist, platforms make so much more sense. Use platforms and be smug
in the knowledge that you made the rational choice instead of being told where to go by the fashion
police. As for combination clipless/platform pedals, I personally hate them. Putting your foot down
and finding the pedal is on the wrong side gets exasperating in a hurry. Besides, most of them have
a wimpy platform side that doesn't have enough grip. Get platforms that look like this:

cambriabike.comringle zu zu dh pedal.htmOpen ↗

Not ones that look like this:

cambriabike.comwtb grease guard momentum pedal.htmOpen ↗

Most combo pedals have a clipless mechanism shoehorned into skinny caged pedals like the latter
example. These caged pedals are mostly a hold- over from the days of toe clips. By the way, toe
clips suck worse than anything and you can hardly even get them anymore. Good riddance. By all means
use clipless instead of them.

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

Quoted message said:

Monique Y. Herman said...

Quoted message said:

Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or
a pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As
far as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

Clipless pedals are for those who have to be the fastest, coolest bikers around. They are a racing
product that trickled down to the average consumer because of the fashion factor, like so many
others in the cycling world. They will make you a little faster and climb a little better, but at
the price of a few extra falls and lots of extra expense and annoyance. There are many situations
where clipless pedals are a nuisance if not a hazard, like city riding and slow sections of trails
where it would be nice to dab a little or where falls could cause serious injury or worse. A good
pair of platform pedals that have good grip are much more versatile and less expensive to own.
Special $hoe$ are not needed. No falling down bruising yourself and damaging your bike because
your feet are chained in when you need to dab a little.

Use clipless if you are a racer or if you are a fashion victim who must give in to peer pressure
all the time. For the everyday bicyclist, platforms make so much more sense. Use platforms and
be smug in the knowledge that you made the rational choice instead of being told where to go by
the fashion police. As for combination clipless/platform pedals, I personally hate them. Putting
your foot down and finding the pedal is on the wrong side gets exasperating in a hurry. Besides,
most of them have a wimpy platform side that doesn't have enough grip. Get platforms that look
like this:

cambriabike.comringle zu zu dh pedal.htmOpen ↗

Not ones that look like this:

cambriabike.comwtb grease guard momentum pedal.htmOpen ↗

Most combo pedals have a clipless mechanism shoehorned into skinny caged pedals like the latter
example. These caged pedals are mostly a hold- over from the days of toe clips. By the way, toe
clips suck worse than anything and you can hardly even get them anymore. Good riddance. By all
means use clipless instead of them.

Yep, thats what I shoulda oughta said.

Steve E.

Super Slinky said:

Monique Y. Herman said...

Quoted message said:

Hi all!

I would like to get your opinions on mountain-biking newbies starting out on clipless pedals (or
a pointer to the appropriate FAQ, as I suspect that I am not the first to ask this question). As
far as I know, my options are: start with "normal" pedals, start with toe clips, or start with
clipless pedals.

Clipless pedals are for those who have to be the fastest, coolest bikers around. They are a racing
product that trickled down to the average consumer because of the fashion factor, like so many
others in the cycling world. They will make you a little faster and climb a little better, but at
the price of a few extra falls and lots of extra expense and annoyance. There are many situations
where clipless pedals are a nuisance if not a hazard, like city riding and slow sections of trails
where it would be nice to dab a little or where falls could cause serious injury or worse. A good
pair of platform pedals that have good grip are much more versatile and less expensive to own.
Special $hoe$ are not needed. No falling down bruising yourself and damaging your bike because
your feet are chained in when you need to dab a little.

What do you mean by "city riding"? If you mean riding on the road, I think that clipless are fine --
I've ridden hundreds of hours with clipless on the road and never had a problem.

Quoted message said:

Use clipless if you are a racer or if you are a fashion victim who must give in to peer pressure
all the time. For the everyday bicyclist, platforms make so much more sense. Use platforms and
be smug in the knowledge that you made the rational choice instead of being told where to go by
the fashion police. As for combination clipless/platform pedals, I personally hate them. Putting
your foot down and finding the pedal is on the wrong side gets exasperating in a hurry. Besides,
most of them have a wimpy platform side that doesn't have enough grip. Get platforms that look
like this:

cambriabike.comringle zu zu dh pedal.htmOpen ↗

Not ones that look like this:

cambriabike.comwtb grease guard momentum pedal.htmOpen ↗

Most combo pedals have a clipless mechanism shoehorned into skinny caged pedals like the latter
example. These caged pedals are mostly a hold- over from the days of toe clips. By the way, toe
clips suck worse than anything and you can hardly even get them anymore. Good riddance. By all
means use clipless instead of them.

Here's the pedals I have (I have the silver ones):

cambriabike.comtime z pedals.htmOpen ↗

These give you a good platform when you want to be clipped out, but you can also clip in. The only
detriment I've found is that booties will contact the platform and prevent float. So, in the winter,
I switch back to normal clipless (I put studded tires on my mountain bike and ride it on the roads
in the winter).

--
Bob M in CT Remove 'x.' to reply

About ten years after buying my first mountain bike I switched to clipless, last year. They do take
a little getting used to but are definitely worth climbing the learning curve. It's probably best to
get used to them somewhere other than out on the trail. Ride around and practice starting and
stopping. When I went offroad I fell a few times because I didn't unclip in time, but it does become
second nature. The best thing about them is the extra power and the smooth power you can get, which
helps get up hills where I might normally spin out or going through mud, when I have to.

James

Thank you all for your input!

Sounds like there is no one One True Answer to the question of pedals ...

I'm going to try to respond to certain points of note, but believe me, I've read all your responses
and am thinking about them.

B. Sanders wrote: <links to platform/clipless hybrids>

Thanks for the pointers! I've heard of these; people seem to have varied opinions of them. One more
option to consider =)

Quoted message said:

My wife loves clipless; but hates MTB'ing because she fell several times, and hurt herself. Now I
can't get her back on the trails. She's scared stiff and panics even on easy trails.

Oof, that's no fun.

Do you mean "hurt" as in "got some scabs and bruises," or "hurt" as in "fractures, breaks,
concussions"?

I have a history of varying amounts of martial arts, skiing, soccer, paintball, and most recently
ice hockey ... getting bruised and bloody doesn't really freak me out, but I can imagine that a
broken bone (which I've never had) would.

I believe that any fear I have comes from my lack of fitness. I find this with skiing: this past
season, I skiied for the first time in several years, and found myself falling on stuff that I never
would have before the sabbatical. My lack of raw athleticism (something I took for granted back when
I was practicing martial arts intensely) really spooks me ... more about confidence than fear,
maybe. I guess that's one of the reasons I bought the bike in the first place. I'm hoping that the
I'll get into a reinforcing cycle (no pun intended): go biking, get more athletic, gain confidence,
do more biking, etc.

Quoted message said:

Why is your fiance setting your goals for you?

I think I misrepresented the situation a bit. The full story is that Eric (fiance) went on a fairly
tough ride with my aunt. Apparently, my aunt, who can be pretty persuasive, had gotten Eric to
"commit" to coming back and doing the same trail, with me, the following year.

Neither of us signed anything in blood; I think my aunt wanted to give us a good goal so that we
would work on getting in shape this year, since I'd spent much of the trip lamenting my awful shape
and marvelling over her athleticism.

If I'm not ready, I won't do it, but I do like having goals that make me stretch. This goal is tough
enough that I'll have to work to reach it, and I think that's a good thing.

Quoted message said:

Yeah, I can see the reasoning there. Why not? But it's one more thing to learn, and some people
get spooked by clipless. I was surprised how fast my wife got used to 'em; but she's a
graduate-level modern dancer with superb balance, and also a great skiier. That helps a lot -
being used to bindings.

Yeah, though, ski bindings handle releasing *for* you, and you don't tip over if you stop without
releasing. I'm pretty used to ski bindings, but it seems like the similarities start and end with
getting *into* them (the easy part), not getting out of them.

Quoted message said:

"Track standing" takes a while to learn. It's easier just to clip out; but it's always good to
practice balancing at a stop. It comes in handy sometimes.

Yup, at Eric's suggestion, I've been working on trying to stop and stay steady; at maintaining the
slowest crawl I can without losing balance; and at doing slow figure 8s in the smallest area I can.
All of this on nice soft dirt =)

Quoted message said:

Though I'm sure there is such a thing as "bad habits" in offroad biking, I don't think your choice
of pedals is one of them. Lots of people ride open platform pedals with no clips, no clipless,
wearing ordinary sneakers. It sounds like your family and friends are putting you on a fast track
to high performance. That's great if that's what you want. It's not required for enjoyment of
cycling.

Well, I am most definitely a gadget geek, so I have to admit that the clipless stuff is intrinsicly
(sp) fascinating to me ... I have a feeling that in the long run, it *is* what I want, if only
because the people I will most often ride with have them, so getting advice from them will be
easiest if I'm using the same gear. I'm just not sure yet if clipless are the right thing for me in
the short term.

Quoted message said:

You are *so* lucky! What I would give to live in Colorado! My family has a cabin in Gunnison Nat'l
Forest near Crested Butte. It's perfect for mtb'ing; but we never seem to make it out there.

Well, if you do, look me up -- maybe by that time, I'll be able to join you on some trails without
walking my bike through most of them =)

Quoted message said:

Have fun and ride safely.

Thank you!

-- monique

Westie said:

You sound very concerned about all this. I don't think that you should worry about it too much and
use whatever system that makes you feel the most comfortable. I wouldn't imagine that there are
many people that literally started biking on clipless. Money and knowledge is usually the barrier
to people considering clipless, not appropriateness. I switched after maybe, six months, of
considering myself a 'dedicated' mtbr.

Heh, you sound like my fiance -- "You're overanalyzing! If you want regular pedals, get them. If you
want to keep using clipless, do so. Either way, it'll work out."

I do tend to overanalyze =/

Quoted message said:

--
Westie BTW, it doesn't hurt to have input from your husband, but it's YOU that should be setting
your own goals. Only you know how confident and interested you are in this activity.

Point taken.

The fact is, though, that I literally know nothing about this sport. When my aunt and Eric took me
on my first single track, they realized after several minutes of riding that I'd been biking stuff
they thought I was going to walk. (I'd requested being on the tail end.) My response was simply, "I
didn't know those were difficult obstacles -- I've never done this before! For all I know, this is
the easiest stuff I'll ever see."

I guess, to some extent, until I have experience, I feel like I simply don't know enough to make
educated decisions.

-- monique

Um, I'll go ahead and show my ignorance here. What are rat traps? Could you give me a link of
"platforms with spikes"? What on earth does that mean?

-- monique

Stephen Baker said:

Yup! Uh-huh! although I have upgraded from rat-traps to platforms with spikes.

Steve

Ooh, I've never even heard of such a thing. Could you show me a link?

Is there anything wrong with simply using clipless and clipping out (using my arches to pedal)
during stuff I'm antsy about?

(I think this is the problem: I keep thinking there is a "right" and "wrong" way to approach this
whole topic.)

Bob M said:

I've been mountain biking since before clipless were popular, and I like clipless pedals.
However, I fell three times this weekend due to not being able to get out of my pedals. I've
switched back (as of today, actually) to a clipless pedal with a cage around it. I've always
found that I'm clipped out a lot at portions of the trails that are technical. However, I do like
to be clipped in on the relatively non-technical portions of my ride, but I also ride a racing
bike and like to pedal "circles." So, I'd say if you don't like clipless, don't ride clipless.
Once you build your confidence (and biking endurance), then try clipless, perhaps with the caged
type of clipless first.

Gyp said:

I use clipless myself and whilst I did fall over far too many times in the first few weeks of
using them I personaly love em.. Wouldn't think of attacking a hill without them.

I have a feeling that's what my story will be.

Quoted message said:

I don't think there is any right or wrong when it comes to platforms, clips or clipless pedals. Go
with what your happest with.. Don't let anyone tell you that yoy "MUST" do something that you
don't want to
do..If it feels more comfortable on platforms then put them back on.. You can always try the
clipless again if you feel like it later...

No one's telling me what to do -- heh, I think that's my problem, I have too many choices!

-- monique

Super Slinky said:

Clipless pedals are for those who have to be the fastest, coolest bikers around. They are a racing
product that trickled down to the average consumer because of the fashion factor, like so many
others in the cycling world. They will make you a little faster and climb a little better, but at
the price of a few extra falls and lots of extra expense and annoyance. There are many situations
where clipless pedals are a nuisance if not a hazard, like city riding and slow sections of trails
where it would be nice to dab a little or where falls could cause serious injury or worse. A good
pair of platform pedals that have good grip are much more versatile and less expensive to own.
Special $hoe$ are not needed. No falling down bruising yourself and damaging your bike because
your feet are chained in when you need to dab a little.

I hear everything that you're saying ...

My fiance says that he finds clipless most useful on downhills, where he says that you really don't
want to lose your grip on the pedal. Rather than getting knocked about and losing your footing while
pedaling, he says the clipless keep you where you want to be.

Any thoughts on that?

(As for the expense, I already have the clipless + shoes, so at this point I won't be able to save
money by not using them. Plus, the shoes are adorable! (See your point about fashion victims below))

Quoted message said:

to go by the fashion police. As for combination clipless/platform pedals, I personally hate them.
Putting your foot down and finding the pedal is on the wrong side gets exasperating in a hurry.
Besides, most of them have a wimpy platform side that doesn't have enough grip. Get platforms that
look like this:

cambriabike.comringle zu zu dh pedal.htmOpen ↗

Not ones that look like this:

cambriabike.comwtb grease guard momentum pedal.htmOpen ↗

Thanks for the links!

Quoted message said:

Most combo pedals have a clipless mechanism shoehorned into skinny caged pedals like the latter
example. These caged pedals are mostly a hold- over from the days of toe clips. By the way, toe
clips suck worse than anything and you can hardly even get them anymore. Good riddance. By all
means use clipless instead of them.

That's my gut feeling on the toe clips, too, but I haven't ever used them, so I guess I don't
really know.

-- monique

Good point. I'd pretty much assumed (based on the bikes at the shops I've been to) that the natural
progression leads to clipless. I should probably try everything and see what I like.

-- monique

spademan o---) * said:

What he said. Don't be fooled into thinking that going clipless is inevitable though, myself and a
few others on this forum (who will be along shortly no doubt) have been mtb'ing for some time, yet
still prefer to use flat pedals with good grip (and I have tried all three).

Steve E.

Shaun Rimmer said:

Personally, I wouldn't have dreamed of suggesting you go out, onto the trails, and use clipless
pedals, all on your first ride. Sounds like a good way to put someone off MTB'ing for life, before
they even really got into
it.

Heh. My aunt is ... ambitious, and I did want to see what "real" mountain biking (as opposed to flat
dirt roads) was like.

I think I'm a lot like my aunt -- I wasn't put off; my fall simply etched in my brain that I need to
practice, practice, practice, so that I can kick ass the next time I do that trail ... probably next
year, when I'm out there again.

Quoted message said:

It seems most people fall when they first even change over from flats to clipless, and the general
advice given, is to practice like mad on soft grass or some such before hitting the trails, to
lessen any personal damage.

I've been practicing about every other day since then (stupid work, getting in the way of my fun!)
on loose gravel paths, dirt, and such. There's a little dirt terrain park someone set up near the
apartment, so I've been there a bit, too, thinking about approaches.

There's apparently a wide dirt road that our friends often ride, and it has a singletrack alongside
it, so you can switch from one to the other at will. I think that's my best bet for now -- slowly
switching from "mostly road" to "mostly singletrack."

Quoted message said:

Anyhow, welcome to MTB'ing - have fun and stay safe.

Thank you!

"Monique Y. Herman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:UifPa.27621$H17.8539@sccrnsc02...

Quoted message said:

Thank you all for your input!

Sounds like there is no one One True Answer to the question of pedals ...

Okay now we've been easy on you, time to be honest - FLAT PEDALS!

Steve E.