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You'd think we all would have learnt a lesson from Lorrie's Mont experience
wouldn't you, but no, not this little ducky.
So N+1 hit the trails last night for only the third time. I actually wasn't planning on riding and certainly didn't intend to take the new toy but as fate would have it I did both.
In that this was my first "build from scratch" bike I was very diligent with correct torques when putting the little baby together. I was also careful / thoughtful / paraniod enough to go over the bike thoroughly after both my previous rides.
Part of this bling new contraption was a set of Candy Ti Eggbeaters, my first non shimano pedal in, well actually ever. Openning the box they came in I was struck with both how well boxed they were (they do look to good to take out) but also how many cleat screws they came with. Couldn't work out why, until last night that is.
Anyway, half way up the first hill last night I started to stall, still "learning" the feel of the new bike which handles completely differently to anything I have ridden in the past. Young Mr Pike is beside me on the trail so I figured it would be best if I foot down and walk the last section before I loose control and crash into him. Couldn't get my foot out could I, resulting in a most gracefull (not) dismount and roll over. Didn't give it much thought at the time oter than still a little to go to get the feel of the new pedals.
Usual fun all the way out to the look out, short break. Head off and I can't get my foot into the pedal, I figure I must have a rock caught under the cleat so I stop to get it out. Wrong. One of the screws is missing from the cleat and the other is so loose the cleat is just spinning. Atleast now I know why I couldn't get out on the first hill. Not wanting to tighten the remaining screw and risk loosing the cleat on the way home I opted for removal of the cleat, leaving me a rather interesting ride home from the furthest point possible. Thanks for your patience boys.
Moral of this story is check all your nuts boys and girls, oh yeah, your screws and bolts as well on a regular basis. I can assure you it is a challenge riding 12 or so K with one foot on a constantly rotating spindle. No I didn't use loctite but will from now on and this is not a product fault, mine entirely, so move over Lorrie and let me sit down beside you on that bench of "should've checked that bolt before I left"
As a footnote to this I will also add that sitting in the carpark before the ride started I mentioned that I had a "bad feeling" about tonight, that I should have stayed home. I have had this feeling three times now. On this occassion with the above result, several months ago when I actually mentioned it to Gary who later that ride tried to fit his wheel sideways in a deep gutter resulting in a nasty OTB and busted front wheel, and the first time about three years ago when I was to be christened "emu" by my mates and then spent the day in hospital. So if you ever hear me say "I have a bad feeling about this ride" my advice would be to run, not ride, as far away from me as humanly possible.
Have fun out there and don't forget to check your screws, nothing worse than a loose one.
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You still need to break a few more bikes to live up to Lorrie's standards!
The 0kmh stack sure was amusing though....any scratches on the carbon!?
as always my body did a good job of protecting it
good to see - well wot really.
Perhaps some loctite on those nuts Stuey?
Check those shoes after each of the initial rides or so cause those bolts come loose until they bed in. There is a fair bit of pressure that those bolts undergo......
On a side note those egg beater protectors that I have, that plate that sits inbetween the cleat and shoe so as to protect the shoe from the eggbeater cleat are just about worn out! and I have been using them for 4-5 hours a week for 4 weeks or so!! damnnnn.
Andrew
I've never had a problem with Egg-Beater cleat bolts, you just have to do them up tight the first time.
And those "egg beater protectors" aren't really "egg beater protectors", if you're talking about the black plastic shims that come with the pedals, you're supposed to use them to get the cleat at the right distance from the sole of your shoe so that they engage in the pedal properly without the pedal interfering too much with the shoe. You don't need them unless you have an engagement problem.
Ta,
Matt.
I'm the only tool to be blamed for last nights problems. Totally my doing. I will also add that they are by far the most comfortable pedal I have used, when I'm clipped in properly of course. Its a really snug feeling with the cleat holding firm and the sole of my shoe sitting on the square parts of the spindle. So far, worth every cent. Oh yeah, I'll also carry a spare screw in the tool kit from now on just incase I get forgetful / lazy again.
As for the protector, no, Lorrie is talking about some very thin peices of metal that are meant to protect the sole of the shoe from the wing on the pedal. They sit in the same place as the plastic shim you are talking about Matt. Available as an extra purchase.
Hi Matt,
What I meant by the protectors was this sort of widget http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?M...
Can't say that they helped very much. They were worn out in a month!
Andrew
Maybe you should use the plastic shims that come with the pedals! I do and they last as long as the cleats.
Guys is it me or have we all noticed the change.
I noticed it first last year when everybody stopped having a beer on the night ride, Duck Holes and Centre Track just wasn't long enough and the way back from the Lookout was like being on the back of the "Blue Train".
It's happening again but this time it's started early; Bernd is riding a couple of times per week, Stuart's putting in multiple training runs, Buck, Lozza and Tien are grinding out the K's uphill and Blondie's powering up the steps. Everyone is starting to pick up the pace, the racing season must be on us.
If last year is anything to go by the Mob's fitness levels are about to crank up a few notches (you could really see everyone improve last year) and training rides will outnumber the social rides.
Bring it on
No way mate, don't get confused with my bid to get away from kids at the end of school holidays as training rides (I love ya kids)
Just an attempt to justify the N+1 before the better half starts travelling again and if I had a chance of staying at the front last night I would most certainly attempt to slow the pace.
Stuart, I bought some eggbeaters too (not the fancy titanium ones though) and I used for the first time at a Red Hill ride before Christmas - huge mistake 1. I also adjusted my cleat position, putting it a little further forward - huge mistake 2.
I spent the entire ride trying to clip in and not being too successful and I haven't used them since.
Next time I ride Terrey Hills I will have to give them a go.
In which case you'll need to put that little plastic spacer under the cleat. The way I understand it, when the cleat is engaged in the wings, the soles of your shoes should just be pressing slightly onto the square part of the spindle either side of the wing. If it squashes the sole too much you won't be able to engage.
(PS you can blame Gary for my fancy ones)
I just got a set of candy c pedals - my first clipless set up.
my first off road ride with them was around manly dam about 3 weeks ago.
i still have bruises and a very sore wrist from unsuccesfully dismounting numerous times - the worst was halfway up the steps, so the fall was the height of the bike plus another good 2-3 feet. ouch.
going to do a little more road riding with them to get used to them.
Ha! Yeah i've recently been trying to get myself into clipless pedals that i've owned but not used for almost a decade now.
I remember last time i was at Ourimbah riding the XC trails, i did a couple of these embarrassing static, unsuccessful unclipping, crashes. Really frustrating after the end of roasting a brilliant piece of sniggle and come up to meet others on the trail, only to come to a stop and forget how to unclip!
Suffice to say i switched over to my trusty platforms for the DH course (yep, my confidence was so low i actually brough my platforms as backup)...as much as i love the extra effiency i'm just sooo much more comfortable not being clipped in (which frustrates me no end). Will i get there eventually?
Anyway, yes back OT: always check you don't have "a screw loose".
What's wrong with all you lot?
I love my crank bros eggbeater pedals,and ride DH with Acids.It is always best to be clipped in.Always.
Those toothey looking flats scare the pants off me, clipped in only for me too.
Practice on road/easy trails with your pedals set to unclip easily, you'll love 'em.
John.
I'd disagree that it's always best to be clipped in. While I prefer clips, I've been in plenty of scrapes where I'd rather have been riding with flats. Trials moves are a bit trickier with clips and Sam Hill seems to do OK on flats...
Ta,
Matt.
When installing cleats - tighten one screw. Tighten the other screw. Tighten the first screw. tighten the other one.
Because the sole of the shoe is squishy, you have have to repeat the above a dozen times (only slight 'eggs'ageration). Tighten till they are both 'really firm' e.g. you couldn't tighten any more without getting your shoulders into it.
I've had this happen. Don't ride with one screw as this will rotate and you can't un-clip. I ended up having to take the cleat off the shoe and the cleat was stuck in the eggbeaters. Then there was that day I snapped the eggbeater off at the crank, just as we were about to start a red-hill ride (after morgan road).