new pedals! and a BUNNY HOP

[atombessy]

Hello ladies! Well, my clipped in adventures started this week, I have a shiny new pair of crank brothers mallets, and I managed to get two good rides in. First ride was easy fun trails (White Clay in DE) and I did pretty well, no falls!! Took me about 6 or 7 miles to stop worrying about the pedals though. Once I got comfortable I did start noticing how they help, White Clay has very little hard technical spots, but I did zip up a few rocky sections and definitely noticed the pedals helping out a LOT. And towards the end of the ride I tried a little bounce (white clay has a TON of jumps and mini jumps built into the trail, so it's easy to get a little air) and sure enough I actually got both wheels off the ground!! YES!!! I hopped every few yards all the way back to the car.

2nd ride was less successful, lol, we rode at Jacobsburg in Pa on Saturday, and the trails there are mostly easy, with some technical, and they aren't built for bikers (mostly horse trails). Plus it was inexplicably muddy there, so between the mud and the rock I went down a few times. No major injuries though, and I'm still game about working on the clipped in thing. I definitely really like the platform aspect, and I like the mechanism enough to switch to mallets on my road bike too (they were in need of an upgrade). So anyhoo! Our regular riding place is Wissahickon in Philly, so we'll see how that goes when I get the courage to try it! The Wiss is built for bikes but it's HARD.

[Becky]

Awesome- good job! White Clay is definitely a great place to try clipless for the first time. Middle Run (part of WCCSP) is right there too, more technical, and a lot of fun as well. :)

I would love to try Wissahickon sometime- any suggestions on where to go there?

[atombessy]

I think Middle Run might actually be where we rode? We use this map and start at the Judge parking lot:

http://www.kencox.net/ (awesome map).

It's such a big place! Even with the map it's so easy to get turned around.

The Wiss is really one big park, it's more a matter of where you park rather than where to ride....the trails run the length of the park, along the Wissahickon creek, and the main parking lot is right in the middle at the Valley Green Inn. My favorite section of trail is some relatively easy singletrack that starts right behind the Inn. One of the best things about the park is it's hard to get lost, you're normally riding a ridge above the creek, so you simply head downhill to get back to the main road that runs along the creek. One of the worst things about the park though is climbing up to that ridge over and over! lol.

If you want someone to show you around send me a private message! there are also some group rides at phillymtb.com.

[Becky]

Agreed, it's a huge park! I usually let others do the leading 'cuz if I led, we'd get lost! I think the last time we went, we were up by David English, the farm, and the skills trail. I don't know if I've ever done the Judge Morris section.... maybe this weekend :)

By the way, that map rocks- thanks for sharing! Also, I may have to take you up on the Wiss invite sometime.

[Zen]

I have Mallets on one bike, Frogs on another.
I wish the Frogs had a big platform like the Mallets. I've had such a hard time with the Mallets I've only been riding clipped in on one side :p

What kind of shoes do you wear?

[atombessy]

Hi Zen, sorry for not responding sooner, the shoes i've used the last couple rides I've been using on my road bike, I'm not sure what model but they were the cheapest pearl izumi mt shoe from a few years ago, with three velcro straps, very basic. Since I have the mallets now I wanted a more sneakery shoe to go with them (and because I end up pushing my bike more frequently then I'd like to, which sucks in hard/uncomfortable bike shoes) so I bought Pearl Izumi X-Alp Enduros recently. It's been too rainy to get on the trails the last few days so I haven't even had a chance to try them yet! But they have a softer sole, two regular velcro straps and one ratcheting velcro strap. They seem pretty secure, but comfy.

[sundial]

I bought Pearl Izumi X-Alp Enduros....

Those are pretty neat looking shoes. :)They look like you could walk hike in them for a good distance as well. Hubby would like the 3/4 top Enduros. How do the Pearls fit compared to Specialized?

Zen, I have a pair of Specialized Taho (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=33728) shoes that feel sneaker-y and I can walk comfortably in them as well. I wear those on the mtb and ride with a stiffer mtb shoe on the road bike. Are ya shopping for canal shoes? :)