Beginner - bike shoes

judithe

I'm planning on doing my first triathlon this year, I'm grand for the running and swimming.

I haven't cycled much and picked up my new bike today, the shop fitted pedals for bike shoes from ther starter pack I bought. I've been trying to use them on the grass and I don't know how many times I've fallen off. I can clip them on and off while holding on to something but once I try to do it normally I fall.

Think I'd prefer to get use to cycling with normal pedals for a while till I'm more confident.

Would I have to wear the bike shoes for my first triathlon?


Also the shop didn't give me the normal pedals, should they have?

Tau

Most bikes get sold without any pedals at all, so the shop wouldn't necessarily give you normal pedals. If you do want to switch, normal pedals should be a really cheap item to pick up (€5 ish).

Trying to learn the handling of a road bike and deal with different pedals at the same time could be quite difficult. It sounds like you're having more trouble than normal though - there should be some way of reducing the tension on the pedals so that clipping out is easier - for learning, turn this all the way down, it'll help a lot.

You can use flat pedals and runners in a triathlon and for cycling in general if you want, but if you put a bit of time into cycling shoes you'll appreciate the difference and you'll never go back.

Krusty_Clown

When I was getting used to clip-less pedals, I checked out a few youtube videos, like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmwHqcFlOI4

judithe

Thanks for the replies.

Had a look at that video and I'm now wondering what I was at.

I was trying to clip my 2nd foot in way to quickly (without pedaling) and obviously then I have no momentum and of course the bike topples.

Will reduce the tension a bit as well.

Home to try again tonight

MaroonTam

Ah, I remember learning to use clipless pedals back in my Mountain biking youth. The toys were thrown out the pram with many a hissy fit during that experience. Still I stuck at it, and now find I could not do with out them.

One point I remember from other threads on using clipless for Triathlons... The time cost of changing into runners at T2 might outweigh the benefits of using the pedals in the first place.
(I dont do Tri's so would not be an expert, I also would not consider myself much of an expert in changing shoes quickly )

Tau

MaroonTam wrote: »

One point I remember from other threads on using clipless for Triathlons... The time cost of changing into runners at T2 might outweigh the benefits of using the pedals in the first place.
(I dont do Tri's so would not be an expert, I also would not consider myself much of an expert in changing shoes quickly )

I recently saw a elite duathlon where athletes did a 5k run, 10k cycle and then a 5k. I was interested to see if the pros would consider the benefits of cleats worth the time taken to change their shoes, not only one extra time as you'd have to do in a triathlon, but twice, and for well under 20 mins on the bike. They all did.

However, part of this is due to the fact that they can change their shoes really fast.

Krusty_Clown

judithe wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

Had a look at that video and I'm now wondering what I was at.

I was trying to clip my 2nd foot in way to quickly (without pedaling) and obviously then I have no momentum and of course the bike topples.

Will reduce the tension a bit as well.

Home to try again tonight

Just wait until the first villain pedestrian steps out in front of you from between two cars. Expect panic. Expect flapping. Expect hitting the ground. Expect bruised and cut elbows and bruised and sore egos.