Mountain Biking - Clipless Pedals=Amazing

Brace yourself for the ramblings of a newbie:




dear lord. i just took my first ride with the SPD clipless..

i had no idea what a great improvment in every aspect of my riding these things would make.


first thing i noticed, was i can accelerate WAAAAY faster. This is no doubt due to the circular peddling that the clipless allow.



secondly i relized how much more comfortable it was to bike in the Specialized Sport Mountains i have than my sneakers. they were the cheapest in the shop so i went with these. amazing comfort! great arch support, no crampy feelings.. 100% improvment compared to biking in my running sneakers


third, i relized how much more control i had with the bike. since it was cliped in to my feet, i didnt have to worry about staying on my pedals.. i could just concentrate on my steering and powering over obstacles.


again, the circular peddling comes into play, i found myself able to pull up over things i never would have been able to without them.


going downhill over very bumpy terrain was greatly improved also, again, because my feet were firmly latched in and there was no risk of slidng off, so my entire focus was on the terrain.


hehe granted i did have my share of slow-motion "oh **** i forgot i'm clipped in!" falls... about 3... i'd say


one was standing still with my chocy foot clipped in and i was going to turn around in the direction of my clipped foot and just kina slumped over.. cut open my elbow a little with that.

second one was in a river >=)

3rd was on a road.. that was scary. i was looking at a bird in a tree and hit a pothole with sand around it and ploped over in the road, fortunatly we live in the middle of a forest so there were no cars around, and i scampered off the road quickly.


all in all though, it was an extreamly positive experience. possible its from skiing, and although its a very different feeling, the sensation of being locked into what your riding is not alien to me, so these were just great.

man i'm happy.



ok i'm gonna go for another ride now >=)

bye

Wahoo! Another clipless convert.

Once you get the "muscle memory" accustomed to unclipping - you won't even think about it ever again, it becomes as natural as simply taking your foot off the pedal.

Originally posted by bikeCOLORADO
Wahoo! Another clipless convert.

Once you get the "muscle memory" accustomed to unclipping - you won't even think about it ever again, it becomes as natural as simply taking your foot off the pedal.





thats already happened to some extent >=)


i was able to succesfully bail more than i crashed after long enough.


believe it or not, i find it MUUUUCH more difficult to clip IN to the pedals than to bail out!

generally, if i pedal for a little while they'll clip themselves in, and i can usually get my left foot in whil standing still without too much trouble. but otherwise it can be a frustrating endeavor.



i figure i just need practice

and just wondering, i store my bike standing upside down on its seat/handbars, would it be ok to keep the shoes clipped into the pedals when i'm not using it?

Hey Jas, that's pretty much what I do with my shoes. It allows them to drip dry really well and I always know where they are.

If you're in a hurry to dry them, stuff them with newspaper and that'll soak up the extra moisture.

L8R

You said you have problems clipping in - When you are trying to clip in, start out with one foot clipped into a pedal. Support yourself with the other foot on the ground. Give a pedal with the clipped in foot to get moving, and concentrate on sliding the unclipped shoe forward over the pedal. When you feel the cleat catch on the jaws, press downward as you continue forward. THe movement will become second nature in no time. If you have a pair of metal cleats attached at the front of the shoe(like a soccer shoe, not the cleat that goes in the pedal), you will need to clear these first or you will hang up on them and think that the cleat is over the jaws. You can do all this while coasting from the first push with the one clipped in foot. You might find ir easier to clip in without pedaling at first. Another easy way to learn is to put one foot on the ground to support yourself and then practice clipping and unclipping the other several times. Switch feet and work on the other. This will help to get you used to what it feels like to get the cleat engaged with the pedal and what motion is required. Your SPD's shouldn't be hard to clip into at all with some practice.

-Moab

At least your first falls were in the woods with no one watching. My first ride with clipless was in town. Forgot I had them on at a red light and keeled right over in front of a truck full of laughing teenagers. Shattered my mirror, too. But that cured me, haven't fallen since...and love them as much as you do, could never go back to kiddie pedals.

mark
t

heh i made sure my first ride was solo

Im almost sold here......is it easy to do bunnyhops and stuff like that with clip in? and the one thing i was worried about was being stuck when i wanna get out......since i bail alot...

That is EVERYONE's fear of going clipless.

Seriously - once you get the "muscle memory" working, it's like simply stepping off the pedals.

I always suggest for first timers...go to a wide open, grassy field. Ride around - come to a stop and practice unclipping for at LEAST an hour. The key is coming to a STOP and working on that natural "unclip". I ride pretty hard core technical trails and always ride with my Times.

I went with clipless SPD's on both my MTB and road bike from the beginning and the experience has been great. Especially with climbing! It's so cool to really work those pedals without the fear of slipping off.

I'll be the one to put a wet blanket on this party. If you go down steep chutes, you will soon trash your clippless for platforms. It only takes one big trip over the bars clipped in to get rid of clippless. The alternative is to wear full armor.

H.star I have more stories than that but for the average rider clipless rule. I was considering thinking about getting a set today and did a trail littered by skinnies...I happened to be following a xc racer who is in town for the nationals and watching him wipe out because sticking his leg out was a split second slower than me sticking my leg out made me realize they still arent for me. It may seem like you can get your foot out as fast but I just don't believe it...

Hey Jas...just don't brag about how high you can bunnyhop ok ;)...congrats on the new find :)

Originally posted by Maelstrom


Hey Jas...just don't brag about how high you can bunnyhop ok ;)...congrats on the new find :)




heh.

i have an older bike with platforms i practice my bunnhops on.

Originally posted by H. Star
I'll be the one to put a wet blanket on this party. If you go down steep chutes, you will soon trash your clippless for platforms. It only takes one big trip over the bars clipped in to get rid of clippless. The alternative is to wear full armor.




eh.. my tension isnt so high, if i took a trip over the handlebars i'm sure at somepoint my legs would twist themselves out.



after it happens once or twice i'll see what i do >=)


and i actually am looking into some body armor

Originally posted by JasBike
heh.

i have an older bike with platforms i practice my bunnhops on.

hehe I was just kidding...didn';t mean to come accross as so serious.

you didnt.



sorry I came across as so serious myself >=)

I've finally found some shoes that fit my flippers, so hopefully it'll be clipless by the weekend.

If a bloke on a bike falls in a forest and no one hears...

Richard

Originally posted by Maelstrom
I was considering thinking about getting a set today and did a trail littered by skinnies...I happened to be following a xc racer who is in town for the nationals and watching him wipe out because sticking his leg out was a split second slower than me sticking my leg out made me realize they still arent for me.

I remember falling off a skinny that was only 2 or 3 feet high clipped in. There I lay on the ground, sideways, still clipped in. Now when I fall off I have slightly more dignity because I don't fall with my bike between my legs!

I ride primarily in town, so my unclipping anxieties are more about sudden cutoffs by cars rather than skinnies (whatever they may be) or tree branches. however, as someone said above, unclipping quickly has become a reflex action now, so no longer seems a problem, even in a panic stop. BTW...I have my SPDs on their loosest setting...seem to work best for me there, can get out fast, but have never had an unwanted release.

mark
t

Originally posted by H. Star
I remember falling off a skinny that was only 2 or 3 feet high clipped in. There I lay on the ground, sideways, still clipped in. Now when I fall off I have slightly more dignity because I don't fall with my bike between my legs!

Ouch...I just envision shoulder injury...:)

XC riders don't ride skinnies anyway!


Clipless + Skinnies or anything really technical where you may suddenly need to bail = Pain!

Here's my clipless story--perhaps this happens to others.

Egg beater cleats have just two hole/screws fastening them to the shoes. Lose one screw, and when you go to disengage, the cleat just spins on the shoe. I did this a few months ago at a busy intersection on a commute to work. I fell over, and the only way I could get out of the bike was to unlace the shoe. Two lessons learned: 1) Use loc-tite and check tightness often and 2) next set of pedals will have three holes per cleat.

Unclipping will become second nature. I remember riding a trail in Pisgah, NC and was riding with my dog. She stopped right in front of me. I locked up my brakes, went into an endo, unclipped both feet, hurdled the handlebars and the dog and landed on my feet! It really becomes automatic.

Riding any stunts or elevated trails, I still prefer platforms. I rode a skinny with my old P.3 and platforms, no problem. Next time I was there, I rode it with my XC bike and some Time A.T.A.C's. Landed flat on my back and arse! Clipless on skinnies is a recomendNO!

L8R

the first time i went out with clipless they made me fall on my ass more than a few times because the tension was way too high. The second time i rode with clipless they saved my ass 4 or 5 times.

whats a skinny?

This is a pretty good example of a skinny...

im getting a set of time z's so i can still pedal unclipped when stuff gets too technical, anybody use em?

Originally posted by Maelstrom
This is a pretty good example of a skinny...





:eek:




i have a lot to learn.

Originally posted by JasBike
:eek:




i have a lot to learn.

If they aren't in your area it probably isn't required learning...every single trail in this town has some sort of skinny wide or small...we don't have normal xc trails...

which I might ad SUCKS. I can't just go out for a casual ride because even our 'easy' trails are technical...drives me nuts some days.

I hate riding skinnies, personally.

Originally posted by JasBike
Brace yourself for the ramblings of a newbie:

dear lord....

Nice write up, maybe I will get some too. Saw the basic ones for only $12... not bad.

Originally posted by Maelstrom
This is a pretty good example of a skinny...

That is one fine look'in skinny. Construction wise it is nicely done. Skinnies are a funny thing, one day you are in the zone and make them all, another day you make none.

how.. is that possible?


it looks like its barely wider than the bike tire at places..

Its 5"...small but not the skinniest...Its a very doable skinny :)

i gotta try me some of those...

what are the tricks/technique to do one?

This is gonna make it sound easy...but balance...:)

Seriously front and rear wheel pivots, trackstanding and balance and basically it. The techniques required are the most basic but skinnies I find take more skill than most aspects of mtb :)...

start with 10 to 12 inches and paint a thick 8 inch line in the centre. Make you goal to stay on that line. When you think you have it cut the skinny down to 8 inchs and work with that. Then start practicing with putting turns in. 20 degrees is a good start as 45 to 90 degree takes some special techniques of building and riding.

how would you do a 90 degree turn...


i'm amazingly humbled

Here is how skinnies typically start. Wide logs work really well. (don't knock one down just use deadfall)

Originally posted by JasBike
how would you do a 90 degree turn...


i'm amazingly humbled

Its easy to turn 90 degree with your front wheel only. You would get your front wheel past the turn and slowly shift around...really good riders nose wheelie a small amount bringing the rear down in the right spot. I am not this good yet I tend to fall on really sharp turns...typically the 90 degree turn is built with overshoot (wood on either side of the turn to allow you to place wheels) so you can make the turn.

Originally posted by Maelstrom
Its easy to turn 90 degree with your front wheel only. You would get your front wheel past the turn and slowly shift around...really good riders nose wheelie a small amount bringing the rear down in the right spot. I am not this good yet I tend to fall on really sharp turns...typically the 90 degree turn is built with overshoot (wood on either side of the turn to allow you to place wheels) so you can make the turn.




whild.

i'll have to set something up like that sometime.


for now i'll just practice my bunny hops >=)

Here are some more shots. I can't believe I can't find better pics of skinnies..sheesh...I will try to take some pics of the river runs through it. The trail is a series of skinnies, teeter totters and roller coasters to make for a fun time.

http://www.nsmb.com/photo_gallery/readers_photos/90.php

Originally posted by Jim311
I hate riding skinnies, personally.

As you can tell it is one of my favorite aspects of riding :D...(even though I am not that good on them yet haha)

thats cool.. i'd like to try some.




although the skiier in me still calls for fast rough singletrack:D

Thats cool...single track is up there too...not all skinnies are THAT skinny...you would be surprised at how much flow you can get on a 10inch skinny (feels very wide). Either way I like all aspect...I just find skinnies especially challenging and fun...then again I am not a hucker...so I have to have something to hold onto :)

whats a hucker?



anyway you'd prolly actually enjoy some of the trails down the road from my house... theres 8" wide planks that wind+weave through a wetland area.. its cool.

only prob is, if you fall, you come home muddy and wet.

i just think of it as an "incentive" to stay up :p

That reminded me of the time I hit this skinny (around 6 inches) the entry planks were broken and it has a rock garden for an entrance and it went over a stagnent swamp...I have serious issues with this skinny for some reason as I make it 10% of the time. I hit it, my rear wheel didn't make it over the rock and I fell in the swamp...I hate this skinny with all my being....haha

Hucker - freerider whose main skill is riding off the edge of drops. He hucks. Bender is the ultimate hucker as he generally goes the biggest and has no real style except falling from high heights :)...The only time I huck is when there is a drop in the trail. I don't ride around looking for things to throw me and my bike off of :D...

Originally posted by Maelstrom
That reminded me of the time I hit this skinny (around 6 inches) the entry planks were broken and it has a rock garden for an entrance and it went over a stagnent swamp...I have serious issues with this skinny for some reason as I make it 10% of the time. I hit it, my rear wheel didn't make it over the rock and I fell in the swamp...I hate this skinny with all my being....haha

Hucker - freerider whose main skill is riding off the edge of drops. He hucks. Bender is the ultimate hucker as he generally goes the biggest and has no real style except falling from high heights :)...The only time I huck is when there is a drop in the trail. I don't ride around looking for things to throw me and my bike off of :D...

hehe thats my thing with skiing. drops=orgasm

*mr. burns voice*

exxxcellent.


i think i'll wake up early tommorow and ride my boardwalk again.. this thread got me in the mood >=)


its not insanely difficult, but its about 1.5 miles of the 8" plank and nice senery, so its a nice ride.

Enjoy...tommorow is a comp watching day for me...time to watch some trials, the flo show and some seriously skilled freeriders ripping up the mountain :D...

have a good ride :)