1st outing with SPD's

2wheelsonit

OK so after the new bike having SPD pedals as standard, logic says that i should get some shoes and clip in. Well yesterday got my shoes and then..learnt that the cleats come with the pedals unless you buy used...so back to the shop got some cleats screwed them in and...

they feel good, i need to move them back a little - did i fall over...

Oh yes twice !!

1st time riding up a very muddy slope lost momentum and fell to the side in a load of prickly bush rolled right over the clips came off and i kid u not i had a thorn 1 cm from my nipple aswell as the several on my legs

OK so with that out the way did my four miles came to a gate where i have to dismount and slowly fell to the side this time cushioned by my faithful german shepherd running along side me i gradually pinned him to the floor and he just waited till i got off him and carried on lol.

so after years of straps theres a small hurdle to remember to twist not pull - anyways i'm getting there after a few more mounts/dismounts

Oh and by the way i wouldn't mention that you've got SPD's to loudly in the pub it doesn't go down well with the ladies !!

miss notax

2wheelsonit wrote:

i kid u not i had a thorn 1 cm from my nipple

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

They just take time to get used to - it does get easier, I promise!! If I have an off now, 99.9% of the time i'm unclipped before I hit the ground. Just takes a painful week or so first

Greer_

Stick at it! I've been using them for about 8 months and unclipping just becomes 2nd nature! The only time I've crashed (bar the few initial clip-in moments!) and not managed to clip out was an over the bars moment ... would've been fine if the bike hadn't followed me! Otherwise when I fall, I just clip out without thinking - it just happens 8)

YeehaaMcgee

miss notax wrote:

2wheelsonit wrote:

i kid u not i had a thorn 1 cm from my nipple

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

They just take time to get used to - it does get easier, I promise!!

Are you talking about impaled nipples, or SPDs? :shock:

miss notax

Impaled nipples obviously 8)

Mental Mickey

Congratulations.

You too, can now walk across car parks like a penguin.

felix.london

SPD's? pah..no problem. Do 'em up nice & tight and go for it...

...But had my first outing today using flats :?

They're gonna take some getting used to. Too scared to jump because my feet might come off the pedals in mid air or when I land and can't bunny-hop anymore (but think that's to do with the rear suspension as used to riding a HT).

On the plus side wheelies are a doddle on flats..have been too scared to even try wheelies when clipped in in case I go to far back and land on my back/head with bike on top of me still stuck to my feet!

diy

If you buy multi release cleats there is no special action required to release them. They will pop off any way you pull them. They can occasionally pull off on jumps though, but that is down to technique.

I use multi's on the mtb, as it means I can have the bindings tighter.

YeehaaMcgee

felix.london wrote:

...But had my first outing today using flats :?

... Too scared to jump because my feet might come off the pedals in mid air or when I land and can't bunny-hop anymore

Both instant dead giveaways that being clipped in was hiding bad technique.

ricardo_smooth

amen to that ^^^^

Northwind

felix.london wrote:

can't bunny-hop anymore (but think that's to do with the rear suspension as used to riding a HT).

What do you mean "any more"? If you can't bunnyhop on flats or without suspension, then you can't bunnyhop at all

felix.london

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

felix.london wrote:

...But had my first outing today using flats :?

... Too scared to jump because my feet might come off the pedals in mid air or when I land and can't bunny-hop anymore

Both instant dead giveaways that being clipped in was hiding bad technique.

yup.

felix.london

Northwind wrote:

felix.london wrote:

can't bunny-hop anymore (but think that's to do with the rear suspension as used to riding a HT).

What do you mean "any more"? If you can't bunnyhop on flats or without suspension, then you can't bunnyhop at all

Seems to be about the long and short of it yeah. Although was out earlier and it's just a different technique on a FS. And it's definitely harder to get the same hight on a FS than it is on a HT

chris.d.w

Nah, Its exactly the same technique. (As long as you are doing it right in the first place...)

felix.london

chris.d.w wrote:

(As long as you are doing it right in the first place...)

..think this might be where the problem lies


...I feel a skills course coming on