Cycle Shoes

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

Quoted message said:

No, I've not oiled or greased anything, I wasn't aware
this was something good to do.

I seem to recall the leaflet with my SPDs warning against
lubing the pedals and the cleats... but that might be
confabulation rather than memory. I could easily believe
that some lube is needed - if my bike's been standing in the
rain, the SPDs seem to work more easily.

--

Richard

--------------------

Individual replies to
[email hidden]

less the Misdirections (and note the underscore after r246)

Michael MacClancy said:

Yes, and people *should* be able to ride with no hands
but many can't/won't and it doesn't stop them cycling.
You're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, it
seems to me.

Disagree very much with this. Riding no hands depends very
much on the bike. If it doesn't really have any trail then
it won't really work unless you're /very/ good, and there
aren't really any cases where you need to be able to do it.

OTOH being able to ride one handed is a basic fundamental
skill, because there are times when clear signalling makes
you (and those around you) much safer. And beyond that it's
simply much better over distances if you can drink from a
bottle, munch a snack, scratch your back, pop your numb hand
in a warm pocket etc. without having to stop to do it.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Gippledocks said:

I seem to recall the leaflet with my SPDs warning against
lubing the pedals and the cleats... but that might be
confabulation rather than memory. I could easily believe
that some lube is needed - if my bike's been standing in
the rain, the SPDs seem to work more easily.

My original clipless were Look MOABs and the destructions
suggested a /waffeeere/ of grease on the pedals where the
cleats engaged. I've never bothered lubing anything in the
mechs or cleats on the ATACs (pretty much impossible, aside
from anything else!).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Gippledocks said:

I seem to recall the leaflet with my SPDs warning against
lubing the pedals and the cleats... but that might be
confabulation rather than memory. I could easily believe
that some lube is needed - if my bike's been standing in
the rain, the SPDs seem to work more easily.

Dunno. I apply a small amount of wax lube to the pivots, and
hard wax to the cleat edges (as I used to woth the Looks).
It seems to be OK and make clipping in and out more
predictable.

--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

Victory is ours! Down with Eric the Half A Brain!

In article said:

Michael MacClancy said:

Yes, and people *should* be able to ride with no hands
but many can't/won't and it doesn't stop them cycling.
You're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, it
seems to me.

Disagree very much with this. Riding no hands depends very
much on the bike. If it doesn't really have any trail then
it won't really work unless you're /very/ good, and there
aren't really any cases where you need to be able to do it.

OTOH being able to ride one handed is a basic fundamental
skill, because there are times when clear signalling makes
you (and those around you) much safer. And beyond that it's
simply much better over distances if you can drink from a
bottle, munch a snack, scratch your back, pop your numb
hand in a warm pocket etc. without having to stop to do it.

Absolutely. I can't ride no hands, but one hand is no
problem, and very useful. Though I'm not sure which is more
annoying - cyclists who don't signal at all, or ones who
wave vaguely at the ground, arm by their side.

On Thu, 13 May 2004 09:14:20 GMT, Velvet <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

No, I've not oiled or greased anything, I wasn't aware this
was something good to do.

Just a smidgeon of cycle oil on the cleats. Or a short blast
with your choice of aerosol cycle lubricant.

Tim

Peter Clinch <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Michael MacClancy said:

Yes, and people *should* be able to ride with no hands
but many can't/won't and it doesn't stop them cycling.
You're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, it
seems to me.

Disagree very much with this. Riding no hands depends
very much on the bike. If it doesn't really have any
trail then it won't really work unless you're /very/
good, and there aren't really any cases where you need to
be able to do it.

I think you're correct as far as it goes. Riding no hands is
a skill that cyclists should acquire. Yes, it can only be
done on a bike whose steering geometry allows it. However, a
rider who is unhappy riding no hands on such a stable bike
is going to have a tough time on any bike with more
"interesting" handling characteristics.

--
Dave...

Dave Kahn:

Quoted message said:

Riding no hands is a skill that cyclists should acquire. Yes, it can only be

done on a bike whose steering geometry allows it.

That's interesting. I'd never really thought about it like that - I learned to ride no-hands on my BMX (probably about the most stable kind of two-wheeler there is?) but then carried over and developed those skills on my "road" bike.

I can ride uphill (not too steep, mind) and even round corners no-handed, no problem - it never occurred to me that the bike itself might be helping me out. Chiz!

d.

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

Quoted message said:

Is it the case that people actually *don't* fall off, that
the tales I hear HERE are, in fact, nothing more than just
that, tall tales with no fact?

IME being clipped in has never led me to fall off in itself.

I have fallen/been thrown off while clipped in on quite a
few occasions riding off-road but it wasn't being clipped in
that caused me to fall off, rather my choice of riding
terrain and style. Earlier this year I fitted some well-worn
spd pedals to an mtb which were difficult to release from,
after a while this had an impact on my confidence and
hampered the way I rode but I didn't fall off because of it
but rode more timidly instead.

Only once have I fallen off a road bike whilst clipped in
and this was after 12 years of using clipless pedals. It was
due to my pig-headedness and in fact I'd passed up ample
opportunities to unclip at my leisure so it was avoidable.

I have been launched from a road bike while clipped in after
being struck by a motor vehicle and this resulted in the
cleat mountings being pulled through the sole of one of my
shoes but that's hardly the same thing as toppling over ;-)

In short you shouldn't expect to fall off in the normal
course of events.

As Pete Clinch has already suggested go and practice
somewhere until unclipping becomes second nature and you
won't even need to make a conscious decision to unclip under
normal conditions, which includes emergency stops and
evasive actions.
--
Regards, Pete

In message <_kOoc.2809$BQ4.23604454@news-
text.cableinet.net>, Velvet
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Michael MacClancy said:

Velvet said:

Michael MacClancy wrote:

>There's no need to fling it out. A violent movement like
>that may cause problems. Just hold it out. Anyway, the
>usefulness of a lot of indicating by cyclists is
>questionable and, in some cases, indicating is to be
>avoided.

Yeah, I know flinging's bad, but I was trying to get
across it should be something I can just *do*... not have
to think about compensating it, etc.

Yes, and people *should* be able to ride with no hands
but many can't/won't and it doesn't stop them cycling.
You're trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, it
seems to me.

Not really - I am, currently, not able to signal to other
road users what I want to do. I need to be able to do this,
though I realise it won't be possible in ALL cases, where
it is, it should be done.

For example, I think it'd be easier to pull out into the
stream of traffic to do a right turn off a more major road,
if I could stick an arm out and thus indicate to the cars
behind that's my wish/intention, and that yes, I WILL be
looking to pull into a gap between them, and thus then
cross, potentially stop, toward the middle of the road.

Velvet

Pardon me for butting in at this late stage in the debate.
From what I've read you don't sound fully confident of
your basic cycling skills - and cycling in traffic is
about as tough as it gets. So why not postpone using
clipless pedals for a while, they're by no means
essential. And don't feel pressured to perform, cycling is
to be enjoyed. I had a bad experience while cycling in
London and it was ten years before I got back on a bike.
Then for two years I would cycle off road only - too
scared in traffic. I'm back on a road bike now but I still
stick mainly to country lanes. I use clipless pedals; I
started with SPDs but now use Time ATACs, I find the
latter slightly easier to get into and prefer their feel.
I've never fallen off because of them though I've come
pretty close, but only when coming to a stop.
--
Julian