V
Velvet
Guest
As a less than confident cyclist (in fact I hesitate to call myself a cyclist) I've been using
toestraps with some odd shimano cleat pedal on the outings I've attempted. I've learnt a bit about
the toestraps, nearly come a cropper once already with them, but because I'd been using a pair of
well-past it trainers with them, lately, decided to invest in a pair of proper cycling shoes. Went
for some that would let me walk on slippery surfaces too, so they're the Shimano M037's - more of a
touring/offroad type shoe, with a tread. However, I've found they're nigh on impossible to get into
the toestraps (it's actually the pedal/sole interface that's causing the probs) and definately not
feasible to use with them on safety grounds.
Now, I've come to the point of wondering what to do. Obviously the trainers aren't ideal - and are
just about falling apart, the sole is smooth they're that worn down, which is what makes them easy
to get in/out of the toestraps - but the sole being thin, means I can feel the pedal through them,
which is really meant for a cleat, so not *that* comfy for any sort of distances. I'm still getting
used to the whole toeclip thing. I ride with them very loose - so they stop forward movement,
there's sideways movement available, and it's easy to get your foot out (I guess there's at least
1cm of clearance all round between shoe and strap, so they're not exactly touching most of the
time!). I'm happy with them like that - can't see me ever bending down to tighten/loosen them, so
they'll stay loose, ta very much
However, I can see the lack of flex in the M037's would make life easier, and the thicker soles
should prevent me feeling the cleat bits on the pedals ;-) BUT, they won't go in (and out!!!!) of
the toeclips, so that's a bit of a non-starter. I'm not sure I'm anywhere near confident to try out
spd's yet - stopping is still an ungainly affair at the best of times; though that's improving,
unless I have plenty of time to sort out coordination of braking, foot release, balance, and
eventual stopping, it all goes horribly wrong and I've ended up with a panicked yank out of the
other foot as the bike and me decided to stop leaning to the right instead of the left!
So, any suggestions. I find I start off with one foot in the toeclip, the other one uses the other
pedal upside down till I've got enough speed/confidence to be able to flip it over and get the foot
in - sometimes it takes a couple of goes, other times it's pretty much straight in. I'm finding it's
making me wary of cycling up moderate/steepish hills to, because I'm not confident I could stop and
get everything coordinated to avoid falling over, given I'm likely to be verging on wobbling off
sideways due to lack of speed by that time anyway, so the whole thing's getting a bit self-defeating
at the moment.
Should I forget both of them, ride with standard platforms for a while till I have more confidence,
or persevere with the toestraps and existing trainers (apart from feeling the pedal through them,
they're comfy, though do lead to nervousness when stopping), or do I go try spd's and risk being
utterly put off by clipping in/out?
The M037s have bolt-on sole plates, so I can revert to not using them for spds, though as I said,
they're not feasible for use with toestraps IMO. I don't have platform pedals for the bike at the
moment, so that'd be an extra to go get, and I'm aware there are combined platforms and spds, but
not sure that's a very cost-effective way to do it.
Ta,
Velvet
toestraps with some odd shimano cleat pedal on the outings I've attempted. I've learnt a bit about
the toestraps, nearly come a cropper once already with them, but because I'd been using a pair of
well-past it trainers with them, lately, decided to invest in a pair of proper cycling shoes. Went
for some that would let me walk on slippery surfaces too, so they're the Shimano M037's - more of a
touring/offroad type shoe, with a tread. However, I've found they're nigh on impossible to get into
the toestraps (it's actually the pedal/sole interface that's causing the probs) and definately not
feasible to use with them on safety grounds.
Now, I've come to the point of wondering what to do. Obviously the trainers aren't ideal - and are
just about falling apart, the sole is smooth they're that worn down, which is what makes them easy
to get in/out of the toestraps - but the sole being thin, means I can feel the pedal through them,
which is really meant for a cleat, so not *that* comfy for any sort of distances. I'm still getting
used to the whole toeclip thing. I ride with them very loose - so they stop forward movement,
there's sideways movement available, and it's easy to get your foot out (I guess there's at least
1cm of clearance all round between shoe and strap, so they're not exactly touching most of the
time!). I'm happy with them like that - can't see me ever bending down to tighten/loosen them, so
they'll stay loose, ta very much
However, I can see the lack of flex in the M037's would make life easier, and the thicker soles
should prevent me feeling the cleat bits on the pedals ;-) BUT, they won't go in (and out!!!!) of
the toeclips, so that's a bit of a non-starter. I'm not sure I'm anywhere near confident to try out
spd's yet - stopping is still an ungainly affair at the best of times; though that's improving,
unless I have plenty of time to sort out coordination of braking, foot release, balance, and
eventual stopping, it all goes horribly wrong and I've ended up with a panicked yank out of the
other foot as the bike and me decided to stop leaning to the right instead of the left!
So, any suggestions. I find I start off with one foot in the toeclip, the other one uses the other
pedal upside down till I've got enough speed/confidence to be able to flip it over and get the foot
in - sometimes it takes a couple of goes, other times it's pretty much straight in. I'm finding it's
making me wary of cycling up moderate/steepish hills to, because I'm not confident I could stop and
get everything coordinated to avoid falling over, given I'm likely to be verging on wobbling off
sideways due to lack of speed by that time anyway, so the whole thing's getting a bit self-defeating
at the moment.
Should I forget both of them, ride with standard platforms for a while till I have more confidence,
or persevere with the toestraps and existing trainers (apart from feeling the pedal through them,
they're comfy, though do lead to nervousness when stopping), or do I go try spd's and risk being
utterly put off by clipping in/out?
The M037s have bolt-on sole plates, so I can revert to not using them for spds, though as I said,
they're not feasible for use with toestraps IMO. I don't have platform pedals for the bike at the
moment, so that'd be an extra to go get, and I'm aware there are combined platforms and spds, but
not sure that's a very cost-effective way to do it.
Ta,
Velvet