Light dawns...

Roger Zoul wrote:
Honestly, I really wanted to ask the girl out, but
since she's 10 years younger than I, I chickened out Maybe next
year.

I propose a rule whereby attractive women can grow older while I remain in
limbo until we're age-appropriate. (And none of this
when-I'm-90-she'll-be-77 ****, either!)

Bill "dag nabbit" S.

one small tip - which helped me in the learning process:

to properly align the cleats on the pedals:
fix a small thin tape or something on the inner side of the shoe -
which corresponds to the stem of the pedal (in clipped in position) -
basically when clipped in, the tape should like along with the stem of
the pedal.

When clipping in, you can use this tape to help align the pedal and the
cleat. Once you are comfortable, the tape can be removed and you know
intuitively where your cleat/pedal is.

i started off with clipless (never used clips - except for test rides) -
so may be it was me who had issues of locating the pedal.

+ravi


Badger_South wrote:

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:53:31 -0400, "Roger Zoul"
wrote:


I suggest that you start on the trainer, or if no trainer, in an
|| empty parking lot or somewhere similar. Once you know how to clip in
|| and out, then you can begin to ride.

I did all of this. I spent two hours at teh LBS on the trainer...I left
when the starting making grumbling noises But the cute bike shop girl
probably doesn't suspect that I was just trying to be in her presense (well,
that too).


I'm -so- glad you chirped in here, b/c I don't know if I'd have thought of
that, getting on the trainer at the LBS and making sure the shoes were snug
and the cleats adjusted, and that my knee wouldn't be hurting. Don't think
they'll let me go 2 hours....you're kidding right? Either that or you're
exceptionally charming. Anyway, Brilliant!

When I called Performance they seemed puzzled at first, but then said 'sure
you could ride on the trainer'. They had a bunch of bikes on trainers set
up in front anyway. I asked if I could bring my bike in and if they would
swap 'em out for me as part of the package with my current pedals. I'll
have to get a pedal wrench anyway, incase something starts acting up and I
need to temp. switch back to toeclips, and also see how they get the pedals
off. I know it's simple.

I'm going in today. Yeehaw.

-B

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 22:02:21 GMT, "B i l l S o r n s o n"
wrote:

Roger Zoul wrote:
Honestly, I really wanted to ask the girl out, but
since she's 10 years younger than I, I chickened out Maybe next
year.

I propose a rule whereby attractive women can grow older while I remain in
limbo until we're age-appropriate. (And none of this
when-I'm-90-she'll-be-77 ****, either!)

Bill "dag nabbit" S.


Thanks to all for your help today. I picked up the shoes and got the pedals
installed.

Shoe: Diadora Geko:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product.php?pid=6201

Pedal: Shimano SPD M250:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product.php?pid=3225

So it's off tomorrow for a quick pedal around the picnic area in the park,
and learn to unclip, and clip in. Got my little pieces of tape to mark the
side of the shoe (thx ravi).

Did I do good?

-B
without those big toeclip pedals, I bet I trimmed half a pound over the
SPDs.

"Badger_South" wrote in message
...
This wknd I'm gonna drag myself to the LBS to get a pair of clipless
pedals
and shoes and at least be able to try it out. I'll bring the bike and ask
the nice guys at Performance if they'll install them for me.

Are you considering a Look-type or SPD-type pedal? Either way, Performance
should be able to hook you up with a house brand pedal and shoe combo for
cheap. I use the Forte Ti SPD and it's just fine. Their Look clone should be
able to give you plenty of float. Of course, you could always look at
Speedplays......

Badger_South wrote:
Thanks to all for your help today. I picked up the shoes and got the pedals
installed.

Shoe: Diadora Geko:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product.php?pid=6201

Pedal: Shimano SPD M250:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product.php?pid=3225

MOM!!!! BADGER STOLE MY PEDALS!!!!

*grin*

Yer shoes look a lot like mine too, but mine are women's
Diadora Chili:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=10390

So it's off tomorrow for a quick pedal around the picnic area in the park,
and learn to unclip, and clip in. Got my little pieces of tape to mark the
side of the shoe (thx ravi).

Do yourself a favor: hold onto a picnic table and sit there
clipping and unclipping both feet for a couple mins. Just
to get the hang of it, before you go plop in front of all
the peds in the park.

-B
without those big toeclip pedals, I bet I trimmed half a pound over the
SPDs.

Heh. You're starting to sound like Fab. *ducking and running*

-km

--
Only cowards fight kids -- unidentified Moscow protester

http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts
proud to be owned by a yorkie

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 07:46:28 GMT, "gooserider"
wrote:


"Badger_South" wrote in message
.. .
This wknd I'm gonna drag myself to the LBS to get a pair of clipless
pedals
and shoes and at least be able to try it out. I'll bring the bike and ask
the nice guys at Performance if they'll install them for me.

Are you considering a Look-type or SPD-type pedal? Either way, Performance
should be able to hook you up with a house brand pedal and shoe combo for
cheap. I use the Forte Ti SPD and it's just fine. Their Look clone should be
able to give you plenty of float. Of course, you could always look at
Speedplays......

What is this 'for cheap' of which you speak?

As you _well_ know, real cyclists(tm) spend no money on food for a week (by
stealing others' pancakes and dropping in just at 'dinner time', etc.) to
save up the $$ for the component they -NEED-.

I didn't look at LOOK - or FROG - but got the SPD-M250. I wanted to have
the guy put the pedals on the trainer and have me ride it, but they didn't
seem to want to go there, though very nice. I felt like I was given a hand
grenade and told to read the instructions on the bottom. lol. Actually the
thing that concerns me is the fine adjustment and not having it mess up my
knees, etc. But, samurai sportsman - I'll try the 'going fer it' method
first.

Didn't get the dual sided SPD reg MTB on on side, b/c (d'oh) too heavy,
man! ;-D

I was heading for the grassy area of the park, but on advices from one of
my instructors - I'm heading for the picnic table. g

Catch ya - after morning mail call - later this pm.

-B

On Fri, 29 Oct 2004 13:14:06 GMT, the black rose
wrote:

Badger_South wrote:
Thanks to all for your help today. I picked up the shoes and got the pedals
installed.

Shoe: Diadora Geko:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product.php?pid=6201

Pedal: Shimano SPD M250:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product.php?pid=3225

MOM!!!! BADGER STOLE MY PEDALS!!!!

*grin*

OK, just wait until I get ahold of you. You tell MOM and there's a mud
sandwich with your name on it, Sis.

Yer shoes look a lot like mine too, but mine are women's
Diadora Chili:
http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=10390

Geeze, twins, much. cringe or secret admiration?

So it's off tomorrow for a quick pedal around the picnic area in the park,
and learn to unclip, and clip in. Got my little pieces of tape to mark the
side of the shoe (thx ravi).

Do yourself a favor: hold onto a picnic table and sit there
clipping and unclipping both feet for a couple mins. Just
to get the hang of it, before you go plop in front of all
the peds in the park.

You have probably just saved my life. Thanks, bro.


-B
without those big toeclip pedals, I bet I trimmed half a pound over the
SPDs.

Heh. You're starting to sound like Fab. *ducking and running*

Hah, in a year, Fab will be emulating me.

-B
....more like riding away as quickly as possible, but...

Roger Zoul wrote:
As you know, I went clipless some time ago this year. As far as my road
bike is concerned, I'll never go back, though I am thinking of getting a
second bike that I can just hop on an ride in street clothes (like the
students on campus do).

Oh, expect to fall buddy! Just remember, you'll very likely fall when
you're barely moving, so it will hurt mainly your pride. As others here
told me, falling is a good motiviation to learn to clip out

I put the clipless pedals on my bike just a few days ago, and spent a ride
doing nothing but tooling around slowly, practicing clipping in and out.

So what happens the first day I ride for serious on them?

I get to the end, noodle around the cul-de-sac (last two
minutes of warmdown), and where I'd loosen my straps and
ride up the driveway and step out gracefully, instead I
rode up the driveway, tried to clip out, locked up, and
had to stick my hand out and push off my truck to keep
from installing myself compactly in the wheel-well...

I've since figured out that my right foot really wants to
clip-out by bringing its heel in, towards my water bottle,
and my left foot wants its heel to go out.

--Blair
"I think a compound fracture would
cut into my schedule a bit..."

Roger Zoul wrote:
No, I'm not kidding Being nice, smiling a lot, and spending money all
seem to work. Honestly, I really wanted to ask the girl out, but since she's
10 years younger than I, I chickened out Maybe next year.

What? You don't need a new water-bottle cage? Patch
kit? Spoke nuts? Cone wrench? XL tube of Chamois Butt'r?

You could be back there every day for a month and not spend
more than 40, 50 grand trying to get her attention.

--Blair
"At least you'll have a nice
stable of Bianchis if she says no..."

Blair P. Houghton wrote:
|| Roger Zoul wrote:
||| No, I'm not kidding Being nice, smiling a lot, and spending
||| money all seem to work. Honestly, I really wanted to ask the girl
||| out, but since she's 10 years younger than I, I chickened out
||| Maybe next year.
||
|| What? You don't need a new water-bottle cage? Patch
|| kit? Spoke nuts? Cone wrench? XL tube of Chamois Butt'r?
||
|| You could be back there every day for a month and not spend
|| more than 40, 50 grand trying to get her attention.

That's funny. Every time I go in there I get her attention. She is very
good that way, which is part of the reason I wanted to ask her out. But you
know how that goes....I ask her out and then I get the cold shoulder...or
just a polite "oh, i've got plans that night..."