My first SPDs

[Succorso]

Well, I've gone and done it now. Ordered a pair of shoes and
SPD pedals.

Got back from an excellent ride at lunchtime - marred only
by intermittent toe numbness. I'm pretty sure it's the shoes
I was wearing (a rather tight fitting pair of Nike Airs) -
they are just too tight for cycling. I also think it's about
time I sorted out my rather messy pedal arrangement - I use
toe-clips, but never tighten them - so it all looks a mess.

So, all you SPuD fans out there - got any advice for a SPuD
newbie who is bound to keep falling off at
junctions/traffic lights?

--
Chris

[David Martin]

On 31/3/04 5:14 pm, in article c4eqpj$3lm$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk,
"Succorso" <chris@ivy-house.net> wrote:

> So, all you SPuD fans out there - got any advice for a
> SPuD newbie who is bound to keep falling off at
> junctions/traffic lights?

You won't, at least not at first. The thought 'unclip,
unclip, unclip' will go through your mind as you approach
any kind of hazard.

It'll catch you out later when you think you've got
them tamed..

But eventually you will get to a point where unclipping
happens at will without thinking. I was starting off on the
bike with a trailer on a steep hill. The inner chainring
bent, dropping the chain before I had started moving but
just after I had clipped in. Still unclipped without hitting
the ground (just).

..d

[Ningi]

Succorso wrote:

> Well, I've gone and done it now. Ordered a pair of shoes
> and SPD pedals.
>
> Got back from an excellent ride at lunchtime - marred only
> by intermittent toe numbness. I'm pretty sure it's the
> shoes I was wearing (a rather tight fitting pair of Nike
> Airs) - they are just too tight for cycling. I also think
> it's about time I sorted out my rather messy pedal
> arrangement - I use toe-clips, but never tighten them - so
> it all looks a mess.
>
> So, all you SPuD fans out there - got any advice for a
> SPuD newbie who is bound to keep falling off at
> junctions/traffic lights?
>
> --
> Chris
>

Don't worry too much. It's easier than you think. :)

I've been on SPD's (and now speedplays) for about a year,
and the nearest I came to falling off was on the first day,
after 10 miles without stopping, where I almost forgot.

I now find riding a bike without clips much harder. I forget
that you can't just raise your leg to get the pedal into the
correct position for moving off.

Cheers

Pete

[Richard Hamilto]

"Succorso" <chris@ivy-house.net> wrote in message
news:c4eqpj$3lm$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> Well, I've gone and done it now. Ordered a pair of shoes
> and SPD pedals.
>
> Got back from an excellent ride at lunchtime - marred only
> by intermittent toe numbness. I'm pretty sure it's the
> shoes I was wearing (a rather tight fitting pair of Nike
> Airs) - they are just too tight for cycling. I also think
> it's about time I sorted out my rather messy pedal
> arrangement - I use toe-clips, but never tighten them - so
> it all looks a mess.
>
> So, all you SPuD fans out there - got any advice for a
> SPuD newbie who is bound to keep falling off at
> junctions/traffic lights?
>
> --
> Chris
>

Hi Chris,

I had SPD's on my old Kona Cinder Cone. Hadn't ridden for a
few years and decided to get back into it. Bought an Orange
evo4 a couple of weeks ago (lovely bike- very pleased :o))
and transferred the SPD's over from my Kona. Went out for a
19 mile ride on Saturday and only managed to fall off twice.
Both very silly and probably totally avoidable. First time
was pushing off from a standstill. Was on a slight incline,
got right foot clipped in, pushed off, tried getting left
foot in, ran out of momentum, lost balance and fell to the
right - doh! Second incident was coming up a track and
decided to take a break at top. As I approached I unclipped
left foot ready and then stupidly rested it back on the
pedal as I rolled to a stop- not realising I had clipped
myself back in. When I stopped and went to put my foot
down..... Well you know what happened next. Was a slightly
nervous rider for the rest of the trek but got round ok.

In my opinion, SPD's are great once you get going and fine
when you know you're going to stop. But if you get caught
out you can't get your feet out quick enough!

Good luck! :o)

Rich

[Eatmorepies]

> So, all you SPuD fans out there - got any advice for a
> SPuD newbie who is bound to keep falling off at
> junctions/traffic lights?
>

Find someone like me that has a pair of pedals they've taken
off an MTB after 3 or 4 years of use. The rounded edges on
the pedals won't grip the cleats so much as new pedals (even
wound off new pedals). After a couple of weeks on the worn
pedals your cleats should be run in and reduce the chance of
the sight of you desparately wrenching your leg as you fall
over at the lights.

John

[Simon Brooke]

in message <dZDac.224$A97.1817701@news-text.cableinet.net>, Ningi
('ningi@EGGSANDSPAMblueyonder.co.uk') wrote:

> I've been on SPD's (and now speedplays)

How do you like 'em? I'm very tempted by a pair of frogs.

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke)
http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

-- mens vacua in medio vacuo --

[Ningi]

Simon Brooke wrote:
> in message <dZDac.224$A97.1817701@news-
> text.cableinet.net>, Ningi
> ('ningi@EGGSANDSPAMblueyonder.co.uk') wrote:
>
>
>>I've been on SPD's (and now speedplays)
>
>
> How do you like 'em? I'm very tempted by a pair of frogs.
>

The speedplays are nice, but difficult to walk in so they
aren't for general purpose cycling. I'll continue using
SPD's for round townas I don't think you can get shoes
recessed speedplay fittings.

My summary is below

Good
----
Light Look great Lots of lateral movement (some people don't
like this, I do) Easy to clip in and out

Bad
---
Expensive Difficult to walk in

[Dave Kahn]

Simon Brooke <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message news:<nc7tj1-0md.ln1@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk>...

> Practice clipping in and unclipping on a nice grassy field
> somewhere. Adjust the retaining spring so that the clip is
> fairly loose at first - you can tighten it as you get used
> to it. Make sore the cleats are *very* firmly attached to
> your shoes - if the cleats slide around on the shoes
> unclipping may become impossible.

All good advice. The only thing I'd add is that on the
loosest settings you can pull the cleat off the pedal
without twisting your foot so avoid sprinting and take care
on the hills. Once you're confident do them up to at least
(I think) the 4th loosest setting and this should no longer
be an issue.

--
Dave...

[Pete Biggs]

Simon Brooke wrote:
>
>> I've been on SPD's (and now speedplays)
>
> How do you like 'em? I'm very tempted by a pair of frogs.

I've not used them but what puts me off Frogs is that they
only release in one direction. No problem until you crash
and twist the "wrong" way.

~PB