From 20 to 51 miles in a week.

[Rollon]

Just a week ago I hadnt done more than 20 miles on my bike. That first one over that distance, I managed 33, then 40 miles on my mountain bike and yesterday 51 miles on my Tricross.
I really enjoyed the route, being part of the Southern Lancashire cycle way. Very flat but into a fairly strong headwind for most of the first half. I took shelter in a cafe during a brief shower, and it got very hilly on the return leg.
Feeling good that I had cracked 50 miles, I cruised into our estate, then a smooth left onto our drive, unclipped my left shoe, braked and stopped just in front of my van. Then promptly fell over to the right. Gave my head a real crack as I hit the concrete, but thankfully my helmet took the blow. For about a minute I had double vision, but just hoped that none of our niehbours saw me.
Dave.

 

[scots_lass]

Sorry to hear about your clipless 'moment' but well done on your 50 miler!

 

[Garz]

Sorry to hear about your clipless 'moment' but well done on your 50 miler!

+1

 

[Arch]

Wayhey! If you can do 51, then you can do 60, and then the additional miles get relatively less hard to add on. Well done.

I hope you don't have too much of a headache from the clipless moment. Perhaps you can try the medication given to my nephew when he bumped his head at nursery (and recorded on his card for his Mum to see): "Cold compress, and cuddles"

 

[NormanD]

well done

Now that CCT camera footage your neightbour has should make interesting viewing on Youtube

 

[Jane Smart]

Yes very well done indeed and has been said, sorry about your clipless moment

 

[Banjo]

Just a week ago I hadnt done more than 20 miles on my bike. That first one over that distance, I managed 33, then 40 miles on my mountain bike and yesterday 51 miles on my Tricross.
I really enjoyed the route, being part of the Southern Lancashire cycle way. Very flat but into a fairly strong headwind for most of the first half. I took shelter in a cafe during a brief shower, and it got very hilly on the return leg.
Feeling good that I had cracked 50 miles, I cruised into our estate, then a smooth left onto our drive, unclipped my left shoe, braked and stopped just in front of my van. Then promptly fell over to the right. Gave my head a real crack as I hit the concrete, but thankfully my helmet took the blow. For about a minute I had double vision, but just hoped that none of our niehbours saw me.
Dave.

Congratulations on breaking the 50 barrier,into a headwind makes it all the more of an achievment.

I would like to go clipless but just know I would end up falling over repeatedly so will perservere with flat pedals. The pedals I have are fitted with a metal spiky bit at each end which has dug a bit of a hole in the trainers I use on the bike so my feet stay firmly in place anyway.I have noticed that iff I wear different shoes my feet slide about.

All the best Graham aka Banjo

 

[arallsopp]

Well done. That's a great achievement. Glad your head is ok.

I would like to go clipless but just know I would end up falling over repeatedly so will perservere with flat pedals.

Blimey Banjo. You planning your 100 miler in trainers? That's going some.

 

[Arch]

Congratulations on breaking the 50 barrier,into a headwind makes it all the more of an achievment.

I would like to go clipless but just know I would end up falling over repeatedly so will perservere with flat pedals. The pedals I have are fitted with a metal spiky bit at each end which has dug a bit of a hole in the trainers I use on the bike so my feet stay firmly in place anyway.I have noticed that iff I wear different shoes my feet slide about.

All the best Graham aka Banjo

A good halfway between clipless and nothing is toe clips - I use the moulded plastic sort with no straps, they just hold your toe in place, and therefore, your foot on the pedal in the right place, and give you a little extra oomph on the forward bit of the stroke. If you have the right sort of pedals, (IE not flat rubber ones, but metal cages, probably with reflectors) you can fit them easily, and your foot slips out when you want it too, no trouble. They are also very easy to get the foot into when you get moving.

And yes, I've done a century in them.... Although stiff soled shoes do help, so it can be worth getting some SPD trainer type shoes that are easy to walk in, but still have the stiff sole, even if you don't want to use SPD clipless.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

A good halfway between clipless and nothing is toe clips - I use the moulded plastic sort with no straps, they just hold your toe in place, and therefore, your foot on the pedal in the right place, and give you a little extra oomph on the forward bit of the stroke. If you have the right sort of pedals, (IE not flat rubber ones, but metal cages, probably with reflectors) you can fit them easily, and your foot slips out when you want it too, no trouble. They are also very easy to get the foot into when you get moving.

And yes, I've done a century in them.... Although stiff soled shoes do help, so it can be worth getting some SPD trainer type shoes that are easy to walk in, but still have the stiff sole, even if you don't want to use SPD clipless.

I'll second that. I finally decided to invest in a pair of these a few weeks ago. I figured that for a fiver it wasn't much of a gamble.

They seem OK - I've had no trouble getting foot in or out, even at the start. Course, I've never known anything better but they work for me.

 

[Rollon]

Thanks for the encouragement and replies. I have ordered some of these:-
http://www.evanscycles.com/products...oogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle

Ive not given up on the SPD's, but if these work well enough, may use them for touring and keep SPD's for when I get a racer.
Dave.