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I am back with new clipless pedals and clips on my shoes. Bets on how long it will take before I fall? The pedals are sweet. They a dual clips with an added cage which is removable-I think of it as clipless with training wheels. :D The pedals are sleek, trim, and very slim. As soon as the temp dips below 100, I will test ride/fall. :)
Do you ski?
When I first started with clipless (late 80s) I thought of clipping out as the same motion as getting out of skis. I haven't skied in ages, so maybe it is different now.
V.
Go Jennifer.:) :)
Heh....yay Jennifer! You go girl :)
I remember reading your post about those funky pedals earlier on. I'm sure you'll like these much, MUCH better.
Here's my wager to you:
You won't fall anytime soon, because you'll be vigilant and careful. Then, say 4 months from now, you'll have a little brain hiccup and harmlessly tip over in your living room or at a stop sign. That's what happened to me when I first used clipless pedals years ago :P
Congratulations Jennifer!! What Cassandra said. also the following might help:
Think beforehand which foot you naturally put down first when you come to a stop (with me, it's my left). Then remember that your bike will always tip in the direction to which the front wheel is turned. So, unclip foot of choce as you slow; hang that foot down toward the ground; as you stop, turn front wheel slightly toward that side and step on the ground. Your other foot will still be clipped in and ready to go.
Have fun!!
Nina
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veronica
Y,
I thought of this same thing late last night/early this morning. I used to downhill ski and race. I was wondering if it was similar to bindings.
Now bindings I can do very, very well. :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cassandra_Cain
Thank you. I have you down fo 4 months from now...;)
I am waiting for the huge fireball in the sky to lower in hopes of not melting into my seat. I heard of becoming one with the bike, but with these temps I think that would be an entirely different process.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nina R. Messina
Good tip Nina! Thanks. :)
Congrats, I'm looking forward to reports of your progress!!
Thanks Pascale. :)
Never mind the bike tipping, Jennifer!
Get your butt off the seat, plant your unclipped foot firmly on the ground! Don't stay on the seat and try to be tippee toe and hope to stay upright -- safer on the ground! That's my theory, it's worked so far, and I'm sticking to it!
That and think ahead. Someday, perhaps there will be a "no time to think" moment, but hopefully, by then, those pedals will be so automatic....
Skiing -- yes, bindings is a good comparison, though it's easier to see what you're doing clipping into ski bindings....
Karen in Boise, a fellow clipless newbie!
Karen,
We are in the midst of a heat wave, so I have been inside clipping and unclipping my shoes into the pedals. It is still such an unnatural feeling to me. I will need a lot more practice before heading out on the road. I am not at all quick about it. I know eventually I will not need to think about where the clip connects, but right now it takes a lot of concentration.
Just wanted to add my congrats and keep us posted.
I AM sending some cooler air to everyone so you can get out and enjoy.
(I've been thinking though this winter everyone who is in the heat now is going to be saying how great it is and we'll be sitting here with exhorbitant heat bills and -20 temps :mad:
I look forward to the cool air. It is nasty here. :(
Ditto! I agree with the above -especially with the don't stay on the seat thing!Quote:
Originally Posted by Kano
I'm new to the whole cycling thing (hi everyone!), and my DH started me off immediately with clipless Shimano SPD pedals*. This was about 2.5 months ago. I had several hard crashes when I started, but that was mostly because a) I'm not the most coordinated person in the world, and b) I tend to panic. I did spend a fair amount of time practicing (and crashing!) in a parking lot before the DH felt I was ready to actually go out on the road. And since then, things have gotten much better.
As for the ski binding analogy, I wouldn't take it too literally: I generally don't want to come out of my ski bindings unless something Very Bad is happening, and it is all happening Very Fast. The clipless pedals, on the other hand, for me, at least, is all about patience. If I calm down, and think about the steps to coming to a stop (extend one leg, clip out of the other pedal, stand up on the extended leg, and put the unclipped foot down), things are good. I've never had the opportunity to think that rationally when coming out of my ski bindings! :eek: :eek: (Unless I'm going in to the locker room at the end of the day. But that's different! :cool: )
Good luck!
And for perspective..., while I have mostly got the clipless pedal thing down I haven't mastered the whole water-bottle-while-riding thing, so I don't think the pedal thing is too difficult if you are patient and aren't inclined to panic (unlike me...).
*Yes, the SPD pedals are technically mountain bike pedals, but I can get into them and out of them, so they work for me on my road bike. Which is all that really matters, right?
Welcome to the group and thank you for the tips. I too have Shimano pedals. :)
Congratulations, Jennifer! I hope to read updates of your progress - I hope to go clipless in the not too distant future myself - I'm just a little intimidated by it right now :D
- Pat
Pat, I too am intimidated, but I figure thousands of cyclists can do it, I too can learn. :)
Dr. Liz, I'm totally with you on your comments. I am just learning the whole clip out thing and trying not to panic. As for the water bottle thing...that's not even on the horizon yet!!!
Good luck Jennifer! You will LOVE being clipped in!
I also have the SPD pedals and my cleats are multi-directional, so I can get out of them at any angle...also I have the pedals set to the lowest tension, so thats it a lot easier to get out. Have you adjusted your tension?
Can't wait to hear about your adventures!
I am JUST learning the whole grab the water bottle without tipping over....dang ...that is not easy.
Have Fun!
Karen :)
Thank you. I am still practicing, this heat wave is not helping. As for water bottles, I cannot drink and ride. I need to stop. I have not even tried to grab my water bottle and ride at the same time. So much to learn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
Have you thought about using a Camelbak? I use one on my road bike....
Jennifer -- CAMELBACK!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
You just grab the "straw" that you always keep in "drink" position, suck away, then spit the straw out til next time!
Much better than trying to reach the water bottle! Of course, there's the squirting water on your head thing....
But then, I haven't seen it, but neighbor lady claims that there's a model with a squirter now? She said she didn't buy it, cuz she thought it sounded silly, but then everyone she's told that she saw it said, wow, cool! so now she's thinking about buying it after all!
Karen in Boise
Karen,
I recently purchased a CamelBak (Charm)-Nashbar, on sale and a free cleaning kit and free shipping, but have not used it yet. I get dehydrated really easily, so I thought it would be a good way to go. I have no clue why I have not used it...
The camelbak is GREAT! You will love it!!
I have two for my road bike.
I still use the waterbottle for Cytomax or extra water!
K
I will try it out this weekend. :)
Just used my Camelbak for the first time today. Oh wow. Why didn't I do this sooner? DH wasn't thrilled, because he didn't have to stop for me to drink, and it was So Easy!!!! Water. On demand. What a novelty! ;) I may look like a bit of a dork (most of the roadies around here are 'too cool' for a Camelbak), but I'm a hydrated dork with a happy husband. For that, I can live with being a dork! Best. Cycling. Accessory. Ever.
I shall be entering the ranks of dork then as well. Better than dehydration. :)
Dr. Liz -- it's a pretty good SKI accessory too, as long as you don't let my husband close the thing for you -- I had a NASTY experience on the lift one day that resulted in a mighty chilly butt! Good thing it was a pretty warm ski day, and my wicking clothes wicked that stuff right out!Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Liz
Karen in Boise, who's a hydrated dork on skis too!
I got a camelback this season also, I use it for fresh COLD water and put additional water in my bottles sometimes mixed w/ a little powerade if it is going to be a long ride. I drink way more water when I have the camelback on.
We are pretty (VERY) rural and depending on the route there is no place to stop to refill. One day I did drain a 1.5 litre camelback, and almost 2 16 oz water bottles
Some roadies just think being cool is way better than being smart (I don't get the grief though about the camelback like I do about the "trunk")
keep on pedalling!
eclectic
Hey, Jennifer, you're going to love clipless once you get the hang of it. Much more pedalling strength when you can pull as well as push the pedals. I've been riding clipless for three years and have not fallen once. I've had moments, but I always got my feet out in time. As others have said, have the LBS adjust the tension so you can get out easily (but not too easily--I hate the inadvertent clip-out!)
Another advantage of CamelBaks that I remembered on my 35 miler in 100 heat (I-am-dumb) the other day is this: A CamelBak filled 1st with ice, then water, stays cool for at least three hours. Put that on my back, and it's a cooling station on wheels (sort of). It helped a lot. The water bottles I had in cages were warm within 1/2 hr, even though I started out with ice in both (Gatorade in one, water in the other).
CamelBaks are great on snow! They make for a nice cushion on the chair too. :D
I am so excited! I can clip in and out now. Yay me!Quote:
Originally Posted by Lise
Thank you for the CamelBak filling tip-I would not have thought of that.
yeah! Very Cool!!!
I LOVE my camelbak! I too used to have to stop and drink water.
My DH told me I would look like a total dork and it wasn't "cool" to have a camelbak. But every time I had to stop to get my water bottle, I felt like a dork. Finally I got tired of that and bought a camelbak, I didn't care about being a dork. Now Hubby is thinking about getting a camelbak now too...Humm, after he said it wasn't "Cool" Go fiqure!!!
I am going out in this heat today and taking my camelBak-I would rather look dorky then become dehydrated. :)
Have a great time. Remember to pack it with ice before you pour in the water. Take something with electrolytes, too, some salt, like one of the many gatorade/cliff shot/sport bean things out there. Let us know how it goes!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
Lise,
Love my CamelBak and thank you for the ice suggestion. I was able to tolerate the heat because I had so much ice water handy. :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
Yes, but how did you do with your new pedals??????
Have you been out and about with them yet, or have you still been keeping cool indoors? Do you love them????
Here in the high desert, the sweat doesn't catch up with us until we get home. When you "wetlanders" are out riding in the humidity, is sweat a bigger problem than for me????
Thirst still happens on a grand scale -- DH says he doesn't start sweating til we get home, one just doesn't notice it, since the air is so dry, it just sucks the sweat right off you!
Karen in Boise
Karen,
I lived in Wyoming for 6 years. I really miss dry heat. Here sweat begins by just being. You do not need to even exert yourself. The humidity and dewpoint have been beastly high. In Wyoming my hair would be dry within 5 minutes of me hopping out of the shower, here it will stay wet for hours. :( I know many like the humidity, to me it is very oppressive. You know how a wickedly cold day (say -20-gosh I miss those temps) suck the air from your lungs? Well, high humidity does the same thing only in a not as nice way. Or at least it does to me.
Yes, I can indeed clip in and out of my pedals while riding. :) I am not comfortable yet, but i am getting there. Part of me knows I will be fine, the other part of me fears losing half my skin on the road. I begin riding with my right foot and always clip the left foot first when stopping. That little system appears to work for me.
I will go out again this evening.
I remember! Grew up in Minnesota, and it's not that your hair stays wet for hours, it's the sweat keeps rewetting it! Skin too! At least that's my theory! First time we went back to Minnesota, I recall getting off the plane and feeling like we'd stepped into a steam room with duck tape on our mouths and our noses pinched as we tried to breathe!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
Same thing's working for me, Jennifer, and I am planning to go out too: they vacuumed up the chips that have been all over the neighborhood, so the new chipseal stuff isn't quite as dangerous tonight, and once I eat something, I'll have plenty of energy for a nice ride! (think I can get DH out of his chair????)Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
Karen