Labor Day Weekend Rides

[tzvia]

When we got home my feet were hurting for 15 minutes after I stopped.
So, first we thought it was the pitiful liners that came in the shoes, as compared to DH's. Mine are the top of the line women's mtb shoe Shimano makes. They don't make the ones DH bought for women. His shoes have a rigid, thicker liner.
But, that wasn't the culprit, although it is part of it. When looking, under the liner, DH found the screws from the cleats pushing up throughout he bottom of the shoe. No wonder my feet hurt! There's 2 screws pushing up against the sole of the shoe! That, plus the crappy liner made me feel it. So, back to the shop I went. The screws are just too long, but they are the ones you have to use with the cleats. Problem was solved by the mechanic cutting them down and then DH just applied epoxy over the plate where the screws are.
I am going to write to Shimano. The LBS owner stated clearly companies do this, because they don't think women will pay the $ to buy the shoes with the more expensive liner. I am betting there are people riding around in pain... Speedplay clearly states these pedals are compatible with Shimano shoes.

Oh man, you are sooo right. When I went looking for new Shimano MTB shoes late last year (the Shimano shoes fit my feet well with the wider toebox compared to SIDI), none of their 'WSD' shoes were anywhere as nice as the mens shoes. So I tried on a pair of Shimano mens shoes, a carbon soled, heat moldable model, and fell in love. They don't make that in WSD, what gives? I bought them, and had them vacuum molded to my feet. Heaven. Plus the women's shoes were white. A white MTB shoe. My last pair of white mtb shoes looked like crap in a week. What are they thinking.

On my road shoes, I have to thank Specialized for realizing that women want good shoes. I bought their 'Pro' model earlier this year, and it is a top notch shoe. Ok, it's white, but this is a road shoe and I am good with it. They came with their good insoles and are well made. I don't find the straps on their MTB shoes comfortable (too narrow and the anchor for the ratchet pressures a bone) or I would have bought them.

As for your cleat/screw issue, that's weird. Usually MTB soles are thicker than road soles and the screws should fit...

You can get really nice footbeds from Louis Garneau (heat moldable) and Specialized (different amounts of varus wedge) and others, for your shoes. I used the Louis Garneau ones on my previous WSD Shimano MTB shoes; they were easy to mold to my feet

[Biciclista]

I have the red SIDI dominator MTB shoes. I love them. I don't know what I will do when I need new ones; I sure don't want blue and WHITE would be gross.. and black is so... black.

[tzvia]

Four days off and I finally get a chance to ride. Yesterday, some food attacked me, oh I was sick. By last night I started feeling better and the fluids were staying in- so I tried to rehydrate some for today and did a 2 hr MTB ride in Agoura Hills. There were lots of MTBers and hikers so I was not expecting to see any wildlife larger than a bee, but as I stopped to rest a moment and drink- I looked up to see 3 deer staring at me from maybe 25 yards away. It took a moment to register as I was not expecting it. Two does and a big male- next to a downed tree. I just stared at them for a moment, then decided to get going again. When I got back on the bike, they spooked but only ran maybe 10 yards and one of the does stopped under a tree. OK, I should take a picture (boy, you are slow today Tzvia). So I get the phone out of my pack, and take one quick shot as the doe is skiddish, but the camera is set for deep shade as I last used it in deep shade. Ok the picture sucks, so I quickly change the setting but the deer are gone... Sigh. Usually I only see crows, rabbits, rattlers and bugs, and never saw a big male deer with full headgear before in these hills.


See I told you the picture sucked.

[nscrbug]

Today we rode 61 miles. Quite chilly this morning (52 when we rolled off), with a strong (15-20) headwind. I actually broke out the knickers and long-sleeved jersey...an earband under my helmet and a layering glove on top of my cycling gloves. That was a big change from the sleeveless jersey and shorts I wore on Saturday & Sunday.

To comment on the shoe thing...my Northwaves are silver, and that is one of the reasons I chose to buy them. I did not want a white shoe. I would have been okay with black, but when I saw the silver ones...that sealed the deal for me.

[RubyTuesday]

Today I did my first 40 mile ride. I am so happy! I know, I know, newbie. But I have only been at this six weeks and if someone told me six weeks ago that I would do a 40 mile ride, I would have said they were nuts!

Great day, good fun and fun people!

[nscrbug]

Today I did my first 40 mile ride. I am so happy! I know, I know, newbie. But I have only been at this six weeks and if someone told me six weeks ago that I would do a 40 mile ride, I would have said they were nuts!

Great day, good fun and fun people!

Congrats on your milestone ride!

[Veronica]

Rode Mt Diablo plus a half. 4800 feet of climbing in 24 miles. Felt like a descending machine just flowing through the corners - came close to hitting 40 mph - 38.8. Fast is fun!

Veronica

[Kathi]

Kathi- love to see pictures of where people ride. I know someone may think awe, who wants to see this. I see it but now I see, how beautiful it is to see someone else's place to ride.

Thanks, I love showing off this beautiful state of Colorado. It's why I live here.

[RubyTuesday]

Thanks nscrbug! It was a fun day.

You are my hero, Veronica.

[BC2COCyclist]

I only rode to Walgreens and back to pick up a photo of our cat that just died. Having a 7 year old means I can only ride for a short amount of time and only when DH can stay with the baby. Blargh.

[DebW]

I got in a 44 mile ride yesterday, first longer ride for a few weeks. I arranged to meet a friend on the Nashua River Rail Trail at 9:30 am, so I left at 7:40 and rode the 20 miles to Groton. Very little traffic, so a great ride and a good average speed. Got there early enough to ride 3 miles south down the path and back before my friend arrived. Then we rode north to the end of the rail trail in NH, took a break by a pond, and rode back. I got a ride car home with lunch on the way. Then spent some time making her hybrid bike fit better, including cutting down the bars that were much too wide. When she was happy with the fit, we rode to a local ice cream place and she was delighted with the improvements.

[limewave]

We went camping this weekend and did a lot of mountain biking. Every day was pretty much the same:
1) sleep in (as much as little children will let you)
2) make giant pot of coffee and eat saucer-size blueberry pancakes slathered with Peanut Butter
3) get the children kitted-up and do some family trail-riding
4) 20+ miles of single-track while the men watched the kids
5) afternoon family time
6) dinner around the fire and s'mores with the kids while the men did some night riding

My new Trek Superfly Elite is AWESOME! I LOVE IT!

SO. MUCH. FUN. And below is a picture of my little hero. So incredibly proud of her. I did some of my best riding ever this weekend because I was so inspired by my 5 year old attacking log piles half her size and whoop-de-doos without hesitation.

[Catrin]

I know a 5 year old who drops me on a beginners trail It is awesome she got over that log, I would walk that!

It looks like you had loads of fun!

[Norse]

Leaving from home, as is usual, I did an easy 28 mile ride yesterday mostly on trails - Cedar Lake trail to the river, south along the river road, back west on the Midtown Greenway then to the Kenilworth and back on Cedar. A beautiful day. The day before I took Katy dog for a short one-hour hike along Minnehaha Creek. She's 10 now, and slower, but she still loves her hikes and loves getting in the water - she jumped in 6 times Sunday and looked like she was smiling every time. (This photo clearly is not from Sunday)

[tytbody]

Dang GreaseMonkey.You da bomb.