Starfish
02-26-2008, 06:37 AM
Seems like there were quite a few shoes/pedals threads happening right now, and I couldn't find what I was looking for...so here is a new thread. Just a little report.
Yesterday, I finally got my new Ultegra road pedals put on, my Specialized Women's Carbon Pro shoes set up, and had a bike fit, too (part one).
I LOVE the pedals and shoes...albeit, just for a little 15 minute spin while at the shop to make sure it all felt OK. I had been using Shimano SPDs for several years, and like them. But, I wanted these shoes (...mine had always felt a little cramped, and these felt like slippers in the store...oh boy, do they feel great), so needed some road pedals. After a few clicks in and out on the trainer in the shop, it was easy to go right out on the road. The new pedals/cleats did not feel troublesome at all.
Had the fit done, and had a few adjustments made (angle of bars, dropped the stem, brought seat forward, set up the cleats a little more forward on foot...which all felt better immediately on the road afterward). Of course, we recorded all the existing measurements so I can change back if necessary. I'm going to ride this setup for awhile, and then go back to have a longer discussion about how to use all these measurements and info to choose bikes to test (and how to set up the test bikes to compare apples to apples as much as possible). Aside: I know it is not always recommended to make a lot of adjustments at once, but in this case, it all seems to have helped right off the bat. I am on a recovery week, so I will spend some easy rides on the trainer feeling it all out, without pushing it.
The fit info that was used came from Specialized and was apparently developed with Andy Pruitt. Before we got started, along with measurements, the guy looked at all kinds of things on me, including some stuff around my scapula area on my back, and stuff with my feet, while I was kneeling on a chair with my ankles hanging off the back, toes down.
Anyhow, it was interesting, and I feel worthwhile. We'll see what I learn about bike shopping with this info.
Yesterday, I finally got my new Ultegra road pedals put on, my Specialized Women's Carbon Pro shoes set up, and had a bike fit, too (part one).
I LOVE the pedals and shoes...albeit, just for a little 15 minute spin while at the shop to make sure it all felt OK. I had been using Shimano SPDs for several years, and like them. But, I wanted these shoes (...mine had always felt a little cramped, and these felt like slippers in the store...oh boy, do they feel great), so needed some road pedals. After a few clicks in and out on the trainer in the shop, it was easy to go right out on the road. The new pedals/cleats did not feel troublesome at all.
Had the fit done, and had a few adjustments made (angle of bars, dropped the stem, brought seat forward, set up the cleats a little more forward on foot...which all felt better immediately on the road afterward). Of course, we recorded all the existing measurements so I can change back if necessary. I'm going to ride this setup for awhile, and then go back to have a longer discussion about how to use all these measurements and info to choose bikes to test (and how to set up the test bikes to compare apples to apples as much as possible). Aside: I know it is not always recommended to make a lot of adjustments at once, but in this case, it all seems to have helped right off the bat. I am on a recovery week, so I will spend some easy rides on the trainer feeling it all out, without pushing it.
The fit info that was used came from Specialized and was apparently developed with Andy Pruitt. Before we got started, along with measurements, the guy looked at all kinds of things on me, including some stuff around my scapula area on my back, and stuff with my feet, while I was kneeling on a chair with my ankles hanging off the back, toes down.
Anyhow, it was interesting, and I feel worthwhile. We'll see what I learn about bike shopping with this info.