what difference a day makes

jamie 'jammy dodger'
jamie 'jammy dodger' Posts: 173
edited April 2015 in Road beginners
Had my first try on a mates carbon road bike (Boardman pro)...from riding mtb's for yrs at approx 15kg I felt like I was riding naked on thin air,never knew the difference in weight/shape etc would be that good..so much speed!!

So just a quick message to say "Ever felt you were missing out"
Still can't wheelie :(

Comments

  • DKay
    DKay Posts: 1,652
    Yeah, I remember the first time I tried a roadie. The direct feel, speed of the steering and how fast the bike reacts to weight shifts was a revelation.
    N
    N+1
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I still fondly remember the first time I rode naked on thin air...
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    It's not just the likes of MTB to road. Just putting on my 'summer' wheels on my road bike completely transforms it too.
  • jamie 'jammy dodger'
    jamie 'jammy dodger' Posts: 173
    Admittedly the thought of spd's etc seems daunting but prepared to try,am I correct in thinking ill setup with said pedals can hurt the knees?!?
    Still can't wheelie :(
  • lakesluddite
    lakesluddite Posts: 1,337
    jamie 'jammy dodger' wrote:
    Admittedly the thought of spd's etc seems daunting but prepared to try,am I correct in thinking ill setup with said pedals can hurt the knees?!?

    Only when you fall onto them as you remember, too late, that you can't put your foot on the ground! But that's a rite of passage that 90% of newbies to clipless pedal systems go through.

    Other than that there's no reason that you should get knee pain when using clipless - a lot of them have 'float' which allows a certain amount of movement. Obviously a badly set up component on a bike will cause problems, whatever it is, but clipless pedals and cleats are reletively easy to get right - YouTube will have hundreds of instructional videos on how to do it, or if you're buying from an LBS, then they should be able to advise you. In fact I'd recommend buying from a shop as you'll be able to try the shoes on - the internet for shoes is a bit of a gamble if you don't know which brand fits you best.
    Just be aware as well that there are quite a few different types of cleat/pedal systems, but essentially the MTB (SPD) type usually come with shoes it's easier to walk in, whereas the SPD-SL Road shoes are more streamlined but the cleats are not recessed into the sole of the shoe, so in effect you end up walking(skating) on them as opposed to the sole of the shoe.
    Personally I wear SPD, the MTB style system, as not only are the cleats recessed and allow much easier walking, but the pedals I have are double sided, so easier to clip into when pulling away at lights/on hills etc, but at the end of the day (and by the time I finish typing this it will be!) it's all about which system suits your riding/comfort/aesthetic preferences.
    Welcome to the Dark Side. :twisted:
  • jamie 'jammy dodger'
    jamie 'jammy dodger' Posts: 173
    Thanks very much,sound advice....many roadies I spoke to over the yrs have all mentioned the "Rite of passage",popular opinion seems to be that you will over once whilst clipped in...so hey ho!!
    Still can't wheelie :(
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    jamie 'jammy dodger' wrote:
    Thanks very much,sound advice....many roadies I spoke to over the yrs have all mentioned the "Rite of passage", popular opinion seems to be that you will over at least once whilst clipped in...so hey ho!!

    FTFY
  • jamie 'jammy dodger'
    jamie 'jammy dodger' Posts: 173
    Lmao..many thanx,tanks.....thanks
    Still can't wheelie :(

Categories