I just saw the pic of you two with your mountain bikes, and it looks like neither of you use clipless, do you?
I just got clipless on my bike, and i've been practicing on easy terrain, but i feel like being able to kick my foot out even for balance is essential and i've fallen over a few times after not even hitting anything (just running over some roots) cus I threw my balance off trying to push out a leg that was locked to the bike.
Do either of you have an experience with clipless pedals? Suggestions or advice?
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Ummm... yeah, we were both clipped in . The bike I was riding on the day with JP was double sided, one SPD clip, one pedal. The next day I used his bike, which was just a double sided SPD.
Tips? Loosen the clip (allen wrench to nut at end) as loose as it will go and still retain your foot and practice clipping in and out with both feet on something easy. Eventually it will become second nature and you can tighten it up a bit - I dab with my SPDs pretty easily and did so a lot on the Monday ride at the Womble.
I have regular Shimano style clipless and I love them. I would like to try the egg beaters they seem like they would be the easiest becuase there is not one specific side you have to clip into..
Here is a link if don't know what I'm talking about.
Hey Fish, I have Speedplays for my roadbike and absolutely love them, but I don't know how the mtb version fares. I have heard they aren't so good for precisely the reason that they are so good on the bike: you don't want a lot of loosey-goosey float feel on a mtb, where you are constantly up, on the saddle, pulling up the back of the bike with your feet, etc. Plus, Speedplays are notorious for hotspots because of the small surface area, and when you are standing up on a mtb, that would just be amplified.
I am a big proponent of Speedplays, but I would be afraid to use them on my mtb.
Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'm currently rockin' Shimano's bottom of the line clipless pedals. As i mentioned though, I'm terrified of falling and not being able to unclip.
Any advice on breaking through that learning curve?
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I'm starting to lean to the eggbeaters myself. I've spent some time asking on bikeforums. Most feedback is that the cleats get dirty and don't function properly on the frogs.
Shark - Like Kaiser said, loosen them up then practice. Get next to a wall or car and prop yourself up with one hand while sitting on the bike. Then clip and unclip over and over. Next, ride around the neighborhood some, starting and stopping. I put my spd's from my road bike on my mtn bike once just to try it out. The only time I fell was on pavement. I never fell on the trail. Go figure.
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I used my trainer to help me get use to clippless pedals. If you use your trainer you should practice with your eyes closed. I know it sounds corny but it worked for me. Of course I'm still not perfect but I have some pretty awesome dismounts during accidents in which I actually landed on my feet.
Sharkbait: At least you can fall in the woods and not too many folks will see you. On a road bike, there seem to always be a crowd when I fell! One afternoon I fell after stopped because I forgot I was clipped in (still very new to it then). Sitting on my tail I finally got unclipped. Stood up and was going to roll away from the gate in front of this gated community (with a car coming out) and I be danged if I didn't accidently step back on the pedal and fell again...in front of the same car! Talk about hurt pride! But now I can't live without them!
I did most of my practicing at the park in the grass with the pedals set to the lowest spring tension.
However, I would suggest not using the lowest possible spring tension when you hit the trail. I did that my first time on the trail and inadvertently clipped out on a particularly rough downhill section. I didn't crash but it was a definite pucker factor 5 moment.
Originally posted by sharkbait: Thanks for the feedback, guys. I'm currently rockin' Shimano's bottom of the line clipless pedals. As i mentioned though, I'm terrified of falling and not being able to unclip.
Any advice on breaking through that learning curve?
The first time I went out clipped in I didn't fall once. The second time...I fell over at a stop sign and tripped on a gutter drain. I've not fallen since (on the road anyway) and I'm a total clutz. Loosen them up like the guys said and just spend a few minutes figuring out how to move your foot to get out fast. I still don't clip in on my MTB just because I've never felt comfortable enough riding the rock gardens around here but I swear I'm going to try before the summer is over.
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SB,
I most certainly do clip in. My shoes look like regular shoes, but they are Cannondale mtb shoes with a recessed spd clip. I can't imagine riding without them. I get a lot more power with them. Like anything, you just have to clip in and out so often that you eventually establish an engram and you eventually get to where you do it without even thinking about it. Oh, and what Kaiser said too!
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The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'.
maybe I'll just go research and buy my own
guess you'll be gettin new shoes for father's day
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The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'.
ODB/ODBSGirl: If you guys are married, why do you have these discussions in the forum? It's almost like you don't actually know each other! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
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Kaiser: i did read your post, i was just looking for more feedback.
Thanks guys, i have them pretty loose now. Like someone mentioned though, when i had them all the way loose, i'd pop out when i needed to stay locked in. I've been street riding on my mtn bike a bit, no problem on the road, only on trails where i can fall on rocks and stuff.
Thanks though! i'll just go for it, i guess!
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i barely got my first clipless about a week ago i tried going out on trail and i just couldnt get out at all me and my bro had to take the freaking pedal apart
im running some cheap performance campus pedals and some cheap ascent shoes (do you guys think that could be the problem) besides my inexperience
oh yeah that bolt you unscrew to make easier was at the easisest (it was so loose i even lost the freaking screw) gotta go in a get a new one
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Originally posted by sharkbait: ODB/ODBSGirl: If you guys are married, why do you have these discussions in the forum? It's almost like you don't actually know each other! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
We lead very busy lives with 3 kids, 2 jobs that involve travel and running a household. We talk all the time, here, there and everywhere. As a matter of fact we just got off the phone.
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quote:Originally posted by sharkbait: ODB/ODBSGirl: If you guys are married, why do you have these discussions in the forum? It's almost like you don't actually know each other! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
We lead very busy lives with 3 kids, 2 jobs that involve travel and running a household. We talk all the time, here, there and everywhere. As a matter of fact we just got off the phone. [/quote]and a partridge in a pear tree
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The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'.
Originally posted by mgomez41: i barely got my first clipless about a week ago i tried going out on trail and i just couldnt get out at all me and my bro had to take the freaking pedal apart
im running some cheap performance campus pedals and some cheap ascent shoes (do you guys think that could be the problem) besides my inexperience
oh yeah that bolt you unscrew to make easier was at the easisest (it was so loose i even lost the freaking screw) gotta go in a get a new one
That's kind of bizarre. My screw hits a point and then won't go any loser, so its more or less impossible for it to fall out. How cheap is cheap? My pedals were "cheap" at $65.
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You guys can keep all this clipless on your mountain bikes all to yourselves. I ride a bit too aggressively *cough*recklessly*cough* to feel safe with them. You may say you can clip out as fast as I can dab, but I'll always doubt it. If it was possible, the freeriders/downhillers/huckers/ trials riders would have switched by now. I also don't feel as though I need the "extra" power while on the mountain bike.
I do run clipless on my road bike (SPD's and cheap PI shoes) and other than the occasional falls (crowded downtown market with a group I'd never ridden with) I don't have any problems. The best tip I can give is whatever you get, loosen the tension off a lot when you're still learning. It should make it easier to yank your foot out if you freak and forget to rotate. Good luck!
Originally posted by sharkbait: ]That's kind of bizarre. My screw hits a point and then won't go any loser, so its more or less impossible for it to fall out. How cheap is cheap? My pedals were "cheap" at $65.
My shoes were 50 bucks and my pedals 30 bucks i originally paid 50 bucks for my pedals but saw them online cheaper and just took a print out of the cheaper priced pedals to the lbs and they matched the price which was pretty cool The pedals
lately i been riding my bike with the bike shoes with out the cleats on them (is it ok to do that/the pedals have a clip side and a regular side)
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