This afternoon's crash

Tim Hall wrote:

Snip details of crash and comiserations to the injured with wishes for
a speedy recovery.

Quoted message said:

Although we've had the Pino several years now this hasn't happened
before> Maybe the boom was out too far, causing him to stretch a
little. Maybe his shoes are slippery. I'm thinking of getting some SPD
type shoes for him. I've seen somewhere somekind of heel grip as an
alternative. Does anyone have any pointers?

On the tandem (not a Pino, but an Igor) I have clips'n'straps for the
stoker so they don't have their feet slip. Obviously that won't work
quite so well with a recumbent stylee, but a strap along the lines of
an old style ski binding might do the trick.

...d

in message <[email hidden]>, Tim

Hall (') said:

Although we've had the Pino several years now this hasn't happened
before> Maybe the boom was out too far, causing him to stretch a
little. Maybe his shoes are slippery. I'm thinking of getting some SPD
type shoes for him.

Definitely. Riding a recumbent without is pretty dangerous IMO, for the
reason you have discovered. For pedals with cleats you can walk in
conveniently, I would recommend Time ATAC rather than SPD, as they have
more float, clear mud better and I find them generally nicer to use.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

my other car is #<Subr-Car: #5d480>
;; This joke is not funny in emacs.

Tim Hall said:

I'm thinking of getting some SPD
type shoes for him. I've seen somewhere somekind of heel grip as an
alternative. Does anyone have any pointers?

On something like a Pino, I'd trust a 12yo to be able to cope with
spuds. Might even be a really good way to introduce him to the concept
of clipless pedalling, knowing that he's got an experienced stoker who
can help him avoid pratfalls. (I presume it's you that puts the foot
down first at stops, yes?)

Hope he makes a speedy recovery, btw.

d.

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Tim

Hall (') said:

Although we've had the Pino several years now this hasn't happened
before> Maybe the boom was out too far, causing him to stretch a
little. Maybe his shoes are slippery. I'm thinking of getting some SPD
type shoes for him.

Definitely. Riding a recumbent without is pretty dangerous IMO, for the
reason you have discovered. For pedals with cleats you can walk in
conveniently, I would recommend Time ATAC rather than SPD, as they have
more float, clear mud better and I find them generally nicer to use.

And as the parent of several fast growing children, I'd go for the
clips and straps as when they outgrow the shoes it won't cost an arm
and a leg. You can also take any passenger on a whim. You don't have to
fork out for another pair of shoes for each child.

I suppose a pair of sandals would be the cheapest/longest lasting
option as they are size adjustable over a larger range than
conventional bike shoes, but by far the most convenient, in terms of
utility cycling, is clips'n'straps.

...d

David Martin said:

And as the parent of several fast growing children, I'd go for the
clips and straps as when they outgrow the shoes it won't cost an arm
and a leg. You can also take any passenger on a whim. You don't have
to fork out for another pair of shoes for each child.

I suppose a pair of sandals would be the cheapest/longest lasting
option as they are size adjustable over a larger range than
conventional bike shoes, but by far the most convenient, in terms of
utility cycling, is clips'n'straps.

But not necessarily on a recumbent as the rider will have to stretch
forward to adjust the straps. Also if the straps are set loosely, which
they probably would be, and the rider is not using shoe plates, the
clips may not do much to stop the foot falling heel first from the
pedal. However, these issues may not be too serious on the Pino where
the front seat stoker is really only semi-recumbent.

--
Dave...

dkahn400 said:

David Martin said:

And as the parent of several fast growing children, I'd go for the
clips and straps as when they outgrow the shoes it won't cost an arm
and a leg. You can also take any passenger on a whim. You don't have
to fork out for another pair of shoes for each child.

I suppose a pair of sandals would be the cheapest/longest lasting
option as they are size adjustable over a larger range than
conventional bike shoes, but by far the most convenient, in terms of
utility cycling, is clips'n'straps.

But not necessarily on a recumbent as the rider will have to stretch
forward to adjust the straps. Also if the straps are set loosely, which
they probably would be, and the rider is not using shoe plates, the
clips may not do much to stop the foot falling heel first from the
pedal.

Hence the suggestion for an old ski binding style heel strap.. That
would stop the feet falling out, even with the straps loose.

...d

Tim Hall said:

Although we've had the Pino several years now this hasn't happened
before> Maybe the boom was out too far, causing him to stretch a
little. Maybe his shoes are slippery. I'm thinking of getting some SPD
type shoes for him. I've seen somewhere somekind of heel grip as an
alternative. Does anyone have any pointers?

My first thought on reading your post (apart from "ouch! poor thing!" of
course) was that SPDs would be a good idea. I second the recommendation
for Time Atacs too - I use them on my Greenspeed and find them much
easier to use than the Shimano ones.

The heel rests you mention used to be made by the guys at ICE, but I
don't know if they still do them these days. Couldn't hurt to email them
and ask.

--
Carol
"Mmmmooooowooooff!" - the Moobark, "The Treacle People"

Carol Hague said:

My first thought on reading your post (apart from "ouch! poor thing!" of
course) was that SPDs would be a good idea. I second the recommendation
for Time Atacs too - I use them on my Greenspeed and find them much
easier to use than the Shimano ones.

As someone else mentioned up there ^, buying cycling specific shoes for
a fast growing boy is going to be expensive. I'll havea look see
though, but as the existing pedals are SPD one side, plain on the other
I think SPDs are the way to go. I've got Shimano trainer type shoes
which are just fine for walking in.

Quoted message said:

The heel rests you mention used to be made by the guys at ICE, but I
don't know if they still do them these days. Couldn't hurt to email them
and ask.

Excellent. I'll drop them a line.

As another plan, I've considered some kind of heel trap using shock
cord. The plain side of the pedals already have short plastic toe
clips, the kind without straps.

Tim

Tim Hall said:

Carol Hague said:

My first thought on reading your post (apart from "ouch! poor thing!" of
course) was that SPDs would be a good idea. I second the recommendation
for Time Atacs too - I use them on my Greenspeed and find them much
easier to use than the Shimano ones.

As someone else mentioned up there ^, buying cycling specific shoes for
a fast growing boy is going to be expensive.

Good point.

Quoted message said:

I'll havea look see
though, but as the existing pedals are SPD one side, plain on the other
I think SPDs are the way to go. I've got Shimano trainer type shoes
which are just fine for walking in.

Just a thought, but would Shimano sandals cut the cost a bit - buy them
as big as he can fit comfortably with the straps done up as tight as
they'll go and just loosen the straps a bit as his feet grow?

We find Rob's Shimano sandals will cover two or three shoe sizes when
lending them to people for test rides.

--
Carol
"Mmmmooooowooooff!" - the Moobark, "The Treacle People"