I joined the clipless revolution!!

[KnottedYet]

Just got back from LBS (www.recycledcycles.com) Am now the proud owner of Speedplay ChroMo Frogs ($105) and Specialized Taho shoes ($70).

I ended up with Men's size 40, so I could have the width I needed for my toes. The heel cup seems snug enough, which is nice. I usually wear a women's 9 1/2.

The shop had a heck of a time getting my old pedals off the bike. Whoever put them on didn't have them threaded right or the thread was too tight, or something. Took two of the guys and a hammer to get them off. Then they had to run a little tool through the crank to rethread it for my Frog pedals. I'm worried that my pedals are gonna fall off.

The Frogs are ridiculously easy to get out of. Quite a bear to get clipped in (I just gotta learn). I'm thinking I'll need to adjust them so I don't accidentally unclip. No moving parts to this system! I like this kind of engineering.

Unfortunately I can't go practice because it is DUMPING rain and windy with big gusts. So I'm wearing my Tahos in the house to get used to them, and clipping in and out while I stand over the bike in my livingroom.

[Runner13]

Yay! Yay! Yay!

Clipless is cool! I've heard the Frogs are amazing!

[songlady]

Eager to hear how your legs "take" to the Speedplays. I see you purchased some Specialized shoes? I have a pair of Rockhoppers that I loved to death, Specialized makes a good shoe!

[Brina]

welcome to the clipless world. you are going to love it.

[KnottedYet]

Yeah, I'm really loving these Specialized Tahos. It just amazes me that a biking shoe can be so comfortable!

My gloves are Specialized, too. And they also fit very well and make me happy. I'm gonna have to wander over to Specialized website and see if there's anything else I need to be adding to my collection...

[Brina]

I got specialized shoes recently as well - not sure what model, but my knees really do feel good when I wear them. They have my Keo connectors (or whatever that part is called) on them - my lakes are spd compatible.

I really want to check out the specialized gloves. They are supposed to cushion the part of your hand where the ulnar nerve runs (guyon canal, or something like that). I have some ulnar nerve issues, so I definitely need to try them.

[DirtDiva]

I reckon the Spesh Riatas are a really cute pair of shoes. I could even forgive the pink stitching (it'd turn mud-coloured soon enough ).

[KnottedYet]

Brina, I have those gloves. Let me tell you, they really are great! I thought the pad over the Guyon canal might feel awkward, but it really isn't. In fact, it acts more as a cue for me to keep my hand placement correct, staying off the canal entirely. (and it protects the nerves when I do end up sliding my palms around)

I paid $18 for mine at LBS.

[Melody]

Knotted, I'd like to make a suggestion. If you're practicing getting in and out of the clipless pedals, if you have a trainer, put your bike on that and practice or if you do not have a trainer, you can use a doorway and hold yourself upright.

Ultimately getting in and out, of course, is just practice practice practice.

BTW, welcome to the clipless revolution!

Mel

[KnottedYet]

FROGGY ADVENTURE!!!!

Ok, I'm sore but happy. I actually rode on my frogs! Took my bike to a school near me and rode in the grass - practice practice practice! Clip in clip out stop start rinse repeat. Coast. Stand in the pedals. Pedal while standing.

Raise the seat up a bit. Repeat.

Raise the seat up to normal height. Repeat.

I kept accidentally unclipping on the side with the grumpy knee. Bad leg posture and weak hip external rotators. Knew that already, so now I'm more inspired to do my exercises! Those hip muscles are now quite sore from correcting my leg orientation while I rode.

When I thought I had some grasp of the technique I switched to riding on the school track. round and round and round doing all the same stuff. I even started doing circus tricks: unclipping and switching the arch of my foot to the pedal without changing cadence. Sliding my heel out until I could feel I was just about to lose the pedal, then sliding it back until I felt the pedal click again. Taking off one foot and pedalling with the other. Riding from grass to track back and forth. Playing with my water bottle while pedalling. Silly stuff, but it really helped me learn the feel of the pedals.

Filled with trepidation, I rode out into the parking lot. Then out into the STREET (briefly).

Rode home, and on the sidewalk in front of my building I FORGOT TO CLIP OUT!

Blessings upon the heads of the engineers at Speedplay! As I started to go over, my foot tried to head to the ground to catch me and the pedal automatically unclipped.

I wasn't graceful, but those frogs really worked!

Next step, riding through the neighborhood. Then riding to work. Then, I shall conquer the world! Bwah-ha-ha-hahhhh!