Transitions

[Syndirelah]

Hey triathletes!

Can anyone do the very slick: have your shoes already clipped into your bike? Then put your feet in while you're on?? How DO you do that?!? I tried once, and the second my pedal went down, the shoe clonked on the ground and fell out of the pedal. If you do this, let me know how!!

(also, does anyone take their feet out while they're riding before they get off?)

Jen

[Tri Girl]

OK, so I don't do this, but my DH does. His pedals are counterbalanced, so they don't drag the ground when the shoes are on (don't know how that happens, but it does). My friend, a pro triathlete, uses rubber bands to have her shoes in the ready position. She rubber bands around the pull tab on the heel of her shoe to the seat stay on each side. Then when she gets on and puts her feet in the shoes to pedal, the rubber bands break and she's on her way.
DH also does the flying dismount, but I have yet to master that one. I figure that as clumsy as I am, it's worth the extra 20-30 seconds it takes for me to safely mount and dismount at a dead stop. I can just see me shaving seconds, but doing a faceplant that costs me the race.

[pinkychique]

I do the rubber band trick, and then it's practicing running with your bike and jumping onto the saddle. Make sure that you're dominant foot is the pedal that is forward though on your bike so that it's a natural position when you jump on.

The flying dismounts need practice, but what you do is you unvelcro your shoes, slip them off your feet carefully and place your feet on top. You have to then slow down enough that you can swing one leg, I use my right leg, the dominant one, back and around so that you put it down first on the left side of the bike, lift your left foot up and viola you are running next to your bike!

I hope that helps! Practice on grass first, that way if/when you fall it won't hurt

[alpinerabbit]

How much time do you think it saves you in transition? Where does the risk-benefit ratio get negative - Oly (I know pros do it), Half-IM, IM?

I assume you do not wear socks. Do you put on socks for the run (I'd have to because I get blisters ultrafast)

[ilima]

I've practiced it, but decided it wasn't worth it. Plus, when you run through transition you get dirt, small rocks, etc. all over your feet, which can then end up in your shoe and irritate your feet during the bike.

I do take my feet out of the shoes and dismount with my shoes clipped in when heading to T2.

[spindizzy]

I have absolutely no interest in those scenarios. I run just fine in my shoes and pass many heading out from T1 and going into T2. I suppose it's an art form..but when I think of all the stuff that can land on my feet, like ilima said, just the tiniest piece of sand or gravel and having to ride or run with that on my foot..in my shoe. I'm no princess, but I hate gravel in my shoes!