embarrassing start......

cosmaboy

Hi, So i've just got myself a Giant SCR1, first road bike and all....

I’ll leave it to your imagination..... First time standing on bike, with clipless pedals....

Put it this way, I wasn't standing for long!! I reckon by the time I got my first foot in the pedal and immediately tried to take it out, I was on my a***!!

So funny, couldn't stop laughing....

Once I got used to them it was fine and carried on with a quick 5 mile ride, but oh my god, couldn't believe how different it was to my mtb, I mean wow it’s so light compared to my mtb and the wheels so thin. It was quite windy out today and I felt like I could have been literally blown over!

Anyhow my cleats I got with my pedals are plastic and sit outside the show, is this normal? Are metal ones better?

SCR 1, 105 SPD-SL Pedals

Doobz

lol - there should be a sticky "Clipless Virgins"

Most pedal systems use plastic cleats that clip into the pedals - I am not really that sure of many that are metal come to think of it.

Anyways enjoy the ride

ride_whenever

mtb ones are often metal

whyamihere

Doobz wrote:

I am not really that sure of many that are metal come to think of it.

All MTB pedals, Speedplay, Crank Bros, Time Axiom...

Doobz

ohh cool.. I have never seen metal road ones before

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Glad to hear your bike arrived so quickly from Ash cycles (? if I recall rightly, for £640?)!

Have you setup the saddle height to something in the region of 72-74cm (middle of bottom bracket to top of saddle)?
If you drop a plumb line down from the nose of the saddle, you probably want the line to be something like 4cm behind the bottom bracket.

How does the medium frame feel so far? With the saddle setup above, you should find that you can grip around the brake hoods and still have some bend in your arm.

The clipless pedals will take a little getting used to! Its a case of getting into the habit of unclipping the left shoe in antipicipation of stopping (approaching t-junctions; traffic lights; waiting to turn right etc.)

cosmaboy

Hi, yes was from Ash Cycles and a great bargain i thought, after ordering it on monday, i found out that they only live around the corner from me and hand delivered it last night, so that was a bonus.

thanks again for pointing that one out.... haven't seen it anywhere else for less than 850, feel like i owe you a drink!

the medium frame actually feels perfect as far as i know that is!, i'll have to check the saddle height, i did move it up but really on a guess move rather than actually measuring it out.

my arms are only sligthy bent when griping the brake hoods. and i feel solid onboard but it is different from my mtb and will take some getting use too.

it's been raining this evening otherwise i would be out on it again. but don't think i'll be tackling to the rain just yet!

ris

my first week out on clipless was an endless supply of twitchy moments at lights, but the one that sticks in the mind was anticipating a junction in advance, unclipping the left foot, and then trying to put my right foot down instead.

i can't believe my brain didn't notice the other foot waving around as i tried to stop myself toppling over.

it's all second nature now, i'm sure you'll find it same in no time.

whyamihere

SPD-SLs have taught me to sprint better, in my opinion. The reason is that the single sided design, combined with the totally smooth soles on my shoes means that if I miss the pedal even slightly, my foot will slip off, which is difficult on uphill starts from the lights. As a result, I sprint until my legs fall off to make the lights. Note: I only switched to SLs from MTB pedals a few rides ago, it is getting easier gradually...