the spirit was willing but the knees and arches were week.

[madscot13]

I listened to everyone's advice and the results are better knees and less inflamed arches.

1. Bike shoes are better than Pumas. I picked up a pair of Sidis from Nashbar fore pretty cheap- as much as I pay on a pair of shoes anyways. The rigid support is noticable.

2. I picked up a pair of Superberry's for my everyday walking shoes. I picked up a paif SOLE custom footbeds to deal with my high arches and strange shape of the Sidis. I eased my time into these soles. At first I just walked around the house and then built up my time with the new insoles

3. I haven't put on clipless pedals yet. I am just getting used to the shoes but I think I am ready to do it as soon as I get my hands on a pedal wrench.

4. My seat height was good, I think, but I was out for a short ride today and another biker passed me and turned around and said "Looks like you have to raise you seat a bit." So I guess the new setup requires that I adjust my seat. Think I will do that now.

[RolliePollie]

3. I haven't put on clipless pedals yet. I am just getting used to the shoes but I think I am ready to do it as soon as I get my hands on a pedal wrench.

You might try just a regular wrench. I was able to switch my pedals out with an old adjustable wrench that I found in my junk drawer. I may have been lucky though...evidently my pedals weren't on too tight. Just remember that the "righty-tighty-lefty-loosey" rule only works on one pedal. Both pedals will come loose when you're turning the wrench towards the back of the bike.

[Torrilin]

Yay! I'm glad you're hurting less.

And I hear you on the seat height thing. I have to watch my seat post, it seems to want to slip down a bit.

[northstar]

Hey, Madscot, have you already purchased clipless pedals?

[madscot13]

ZenCentury passed on a pair of campus forte pedals. I think I will use those until I decide that I want to do a century this autumn or I fall on my face/ side of face too many times. I will probably upgrade sooner or later. What system do you have?