Finally gone clipless

bennett_346

Just this afternoon bought myself a pair of Crank Bros Candy C that were reduced to £48.99 in my local Evans, and a pair of Shimano DX shoes for £55. Finally im gonna be able to (fall) pedal and ride over rough ground a lot easier!

My question is, others who own the Shimano DX shoes, are the white ones easy to clean? I don't want them to be ruined by mud!

Cheers

Anonymous

why would... wait, WHAT?
What makes you think it's going to be easier to go over rough terrain with clipless?
If you can;t ride over rough terrain in flats, then something needs working on in your technique. SPDs won't fix what that problem is, they'll just mean you go down WITH the bike.

bennett_346

yeehaamcgee wrote:

why would... wait, WHAT?
What makes you think it's going to be easier to go over rough terrain with clipless?
If you can;t ride over rough terrain in flats, then something needs working on in your technique. SPDs won't fix what that problem is, they'll just mean you go down WITH the bike.

Sigh, loose rocks, lots of them. No flat pedal can vertically hold your foot in place, unless you go pathetically slow over the rocks. Its not that i have a technique problem as you've assumed, its that my feet come straight off the pedals when the back bounces around.

Anonymous

They don't NEED to hold your foot vertically in place, you flow with them and the bike. It's a pretty essential skill.
Think of how skateboarders do their drops and gaps - they're not clipped in.

Sorry, but that really IS a technique problem. Learn to absosb the impacts on the rear with your feet, or you will run into trouble no matter what pedal you're using.

bennett_346

yeehaamcgee wrote:

They don't NEED to hold your foot vertically in place, you flow with them and the bike. It's a pretty essential skill.
Think of how skateboarders do their drops and gaps - they're not clipped in.

Sorry, but that really IS a technique problem. Learn to absosb the impacts on the rear with your feet, or you will run into trouble no matter what pedal you're using.

And how exactly is solving this "technique problem" with clipless pedals going to cause problems?

Anonymous

Like I said, If you're getting rattled around and out of control, then attaching yourself to the thing you cannot control will solve nothing.

bennett_346

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Like I said, If you're getting rattled around and out of control, then attaching yourself to the thing you cannot control will solve nothing.

I never said i was being rattled around out of control. The only way i'm out of control is the foot thing, which will be solved by being attached to the pedal. Not once have i came even close to losing it in a way that can't be rectified by this.

Anonymous

look, this is bullocks. If your feet are coming off the pedals on bumpy ground, you are doing something wrong. There just is no two ways about this.
Pretending a weakness in your technique doesn't exist by basically sticking a plaster over it is just stupid.

peter413

This is covering the problem, not solving it.

Just like if you aren't smooth enough on a full suspension bike, it will only cover the problem, not solve it

bennett_346

yeehaamcgee wrote:

look, this is bullocks. If your feet are coming off the pedals on bumpy ground, you are doing something wrong. There just is no two ways about this.
Pretending a weakness in your technique doesn't exist by basically sticking a plaster over it is just stupid.

The whole point of clipless is to make cycling easier, the whole efficiency thing is to make it easier, you could just say adapt your technique to make flats as efficient but tbh its not always realistic.

Are you always looking for an argument?

Anonymous

No, I don't always look for an argument, but I seem to bump into a lot of folk who are.
Why are you under the impression clipless will make anything easier? It is your technique that is lacking, not, in all likelihood, the pedals.

Buckled_Rims

Is your location the Beamish I biked yesterday from Tanfield railway straight down past Kibblesworth on the dirt track at 25+ mph on my MTB using clipless pedals?

Whoosh and thank goodness for clipless pedals...despite what others may say

bennett_346

Buckled_Rims wrote:

Is your location the Beamish I biked yesterday from Tanfield railway straight down past Kibblesworth on the dirt track at 25+ mph on my MTB using clipless pedals?

Whoosh and thank goodness for clipless pedals...despite what others may say

Ah i've done that path before, quite good fun bunny hopping over them wooden things at 30mph

We mainly ride in Ousbrough woods, its literally right next to beamish museum, theres one trail there leading down from the top of the woods down to the river that runs through it and even with rear suspension the speed we take it at bucks you off unexpectadly, and i dont really want to lose my footing down there!

chedabob

Bend your knees when the bike kicks up, instead of letting it chuck you up in the air. Then extend your legs when the bike goes back down (you could even use your legs to push the bike down if you so desire). Watch the downhill bikers on flats. They stick to their pedals like glue because they have good technique.

Clipless pedals help offroad but there's no substitute for good technique.

bennett_346

chedabob wrote:

Bend your knees when the bike kicks up, instead of letting it chuck you up in the air. Then extend your legs when the bike goes back down (you could even use your legs to push the bike down if you so desire). Watch the downhill bikers on flats. They stick to their pedals like glue because they have good technique.

Clipless pedals help offroad but there's no substitute for good technique.

I do try my hardest to do this, its the sudden jolts or when the back slips off the side of a loose rock at 30mph that i sometimes have a problem with, you know when youve been on a long hard ride and your concentration starts to slip. It wasn't the main reason i converted, and i'll try taking this into account and practicing it more now, cheers for a helpful response!

Buckled_Rims

bennett_346 wrote:

We mainly ride in Ousbrough woods, its literally right next to beamish museum, theres one trail there leading down from the top of the woods down to the river that runs through it and even with rear suspension the speed we take it at bucks you off unexpectadly, and i dont really want to lose my footing down there!

I thought that area was just RoW paths. I pass by it often on my road bike for the hill training, but rarely venture near it on the MTB.

Does it start at the top of the very very steep hairpin before Bobby Shaftoes caravan site? If so, I've seen a path entrance there.

bails87

bennett_346
Enjoy the pedals

I prefer SPDs for off road stuff, some don't.

bennett_346

Buckled_Rims wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

We mainly ride in Ousbrough woods, its literally right next to beamish museum, theres one trail there leading down from the top of the woods down to the river that runs through it and even with rear suspension the speed we take it at bucks you off unexpectadly, and i dont really want to lose my footing down there!

I thought that area was just RoW paths. I pass by it often on my road bike for the hill training, but rarely venture near it on the MTB.

Does it start at the top of the very very steep hairpin before Bobby Shaftoes caravan site? If so, I've seen a path entrance there.

Its a fantastic little place for trails, ill try and find the entrance for you on google maps, its well worth a visit to.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie= ... 2&t=h&z=18

The entrance is just "right" of the shepherd and shepherdess, easy to see when you get there. Can get well muddy in wet weather!

lesz42

grippy shoes help, good technique too, study down hillers, despite having 7/8/9 inchs! of sus

they still duck about on the bike a lot, knees bending a lot, some good guys on flats too.........

i would think clipless would help in muddy climbs? not spinning off the pedals, if that makes sense?


and have read somewhere that clipless can cause a lot of joint issues?

bennett_346

bails87 wrote:

bennett_346
Enjoy the pedals

I prefer SPDs for off road stuff, some don't.

Thanks

And yes i just looked and you can get into ousbrough woods at the hairpin near the caravan park.

GhallTN6

opinion schminion...

Anyway, with the current weather, give it a couple of rides and you'll give up trying to keep your shoes clean! I found Candy Bro's great for mud clearence, and really easy to clip in/out, but went through two sets due to reliability issues, since buying shimano, no probs, just sometimes a bit of git to clip in when full of mud.

enjoy the ride, and prepare to fall sideways!

bennett_346

GhallTN6 wrote:

opinion schminion...

Anyway, with the current weather, give it a couple of rides and you'll give up trying to keep your shoes clean! I found Candy Bro's great for mud clearence, and really easy to clip in/out, but went through two sets due to reliability issues, since buying shimano, no probs, just sometimes a bit of git to clip in when full of mud.

enjoy the ride, and prepare to fall sideways!

Yeah for the price i paid if they get ruined in 6 months i can get some more, and knowing my size now i can buy offline when theres discounts etc. I think the crank bros suit me more than you because i ride muddy places a lot so mud clearing ability is more important to me that it is to you, whereas you prefer the reliability of shimano stuff. Interesting to hear the difference.

Buckled_Rims

bennett_346 wrote:

The entrance is just "right" of the shepherd and shepherdess, easy to see when you get there. Can get well muddy in wet weather!

I've seen a path there, it's just across the road, behind the pub. I'll pass by probably on Sunday on my road bike and find it, but I'll wait for a few dry days before venturing into the jungle on my MTB

Cheers.

bennett_346

Let me know how it goes! Always nice to hear from a local rider.

wobbem

Just got a pair of eggbeater 2s last week, did a price match on Evans and paid £58. An upgade from my old candys, had to dab 3 times today (slippery roots and a bog which I stalled in :roll:) Clipping out is easier than the candys were , well impressed, and they are supposed to be more durable as well, time will tell.

Shaggy_Dog

bennett_346 wrote:

Just this afternoon bought myself a pair of Crank Bros Candy C that were reduced to £48.99 in my local Evans, and a pair of Shimano DX shoes for £55. Finally im gonna be able to (fall) pedal and ride over rough ground a lot easier!

My question is, others who own the Shimano DX shoes, are the white ones easy to clean? I don't want them to be ruined by mud!

Cheers

The newer white and black DX shoes are much easier to clean than the old grey ones, just wipe the mud off. I managed to bag a pair of the intermediary ones which are wipe clean AND black. But I don't use them any more because I don't find the sole stiff enough.

Shaggy_Dog

yeehaamcgee wrote:

They don't NEED to hold your foot vertically in place, you flow with them and the bike. It's a pretty essential skill.
Think of how skateboarders do their drops and gaps - they're not clipped in.

Sorry, but that really IS a technique problem. Learn to absosb the impacts on the rear with your feet, or you will run into trouble no matter what pedal you're using.

Hey, you're right, maybe all the skiers and snowboarders should take their clips off!

Anonymous

Shaggy_Dog wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

They don't NEED to hold your foot vertically in place, you flow with them and the bike. It's a pretty essential skill.
Think of how skateboarders do their drops and gaps - they're not clipped in.

Sorry, but that really IS a technique problem. Learn to absosb the impacts on the rear with your feet, or you will run into trouble no matter what pedal you're using.

Hey, you're right, maybe all the skiers and snowboarders should take their clips off!

REALLY? :roll:

Shaggy_Dog

Wink wink

nick1986

dipping your heels will help you not to get bounced off your pedals when its rocky and it will give you more controll. i ride in flats and have no problem.
watch any dh racer they always have dipped heels