Bicyclettes

[the Repeater]

Rule of thumb for saddle height: put your heel on the pedal. You should just barely be able to make it around the pedalstroke 360º without lifting off.

For toeclips, bigger is better no matter your shoe size. You can't really ever have your foot too far over the pedal axle.

[mlproject]

Shit man, seriously? $100 for toe straps??? That seems pretty ridiculous. Granted my buddy who's been riding fixies for 8 years insisted I get them today, too.... but that's tough for me to justify.

And you can't lock your toe straps to your bike. Not that hard for someone to yank them off.

And why not get some quad-gate clips if you're gonna get double straps?

yes, seriously. $100 for straps. don't spend $30 on the somas, $50 on the mks. they stretch out, don't last and break. i've had toshis on my regular ride for about 2 years now. nothing compares.

if you can pull toe straps out of a pair of pedals easily enough to do it on the side of the street, you are a beast. they are fucking nearly impossible to pull in and out.

personally i don't like the bigger clips, but to each his own.

[TOY5AUCE]

Rule of thumb for saddle height: put your heel on the pedal. You should just barely be able to make it around the pedalstroke 360º without lifting off.

consider a 56x56,

being 6' tall, could i work from this by adjusting saddle height?

besides the aluminum being dull, anyone's thoughts on this old guerciotti? thats a cinelli stem +bar.

[stuntastic]

If you have no brakes on your bike, top of the line toe straps are necessary...

Ive ran the laminated Soma Doubles, and they snapped after a few weeks...

Now Im running MKS Doubles, and Im putting them to work.

[mlproject]

i'll back up suntastic ... riding sans brakes requires proper foot retention.

even if you're running a brake on a fixed gear bike, you shouldn't rely on it for all your stopping. learn to ride your bike and take advantage of the control this type of drivetrain offers you. if you're using your brake to stop all the time, just ride a singlespeed. if you don't know how to control your pedaling and need a brake to slow it down, you're not going to be in control when you really get in a jam.

also, toysauce... repeater's got the test for you to get it right. your height has nothing to do with your saddle height - its all about your inseam. generally speaking, i would guess you'd be fine with a 56/57.

you got that guerciotti? saw that floating around.

[TPR950H]

For toeclips, bigger is better no matter your shoe size. You can't really ever have your foot too far over the pedal axle.

really? before using clips, i would pedal so that the pedal axle was under the arch of my foot.. i think i read somewhere that this is poor technique?

[TOY5AUCE]

Rule of thumb for saddle height: put your heel on the pedal. You should just barely be able to make it around the pedalstroke 360º without lifting off.

solid advice thanks

you got that guerciotti? saw that floating around.

ml, thanks for clearing up, and no i was just looking, but i found this complete in local listings, and it look hell of a lot more tempting, is this a snag?

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/bik/1154616182.html

[mlproject]

i wouldn't buy that bike for anything, unless it was an old rb-1 frame. if it was that, i'd offer him $75 for the lot.

[dkatz]

yes, seriously. $100 for straps. don't spend $30 on the somas, $50 on the mks. they stretch out, don't last and break. i've had toshis on my regular ride for about 2 years now. nothing compares.

if you can pull toe straps out of a pair of pedals easily enough to do it on the side of the street, you are a beast. they are fucking nearly impossible to pull in and out.

personally i don't like the bigger clips, but to each his own.

If you have no brakes on your bike, top of the line toe straps are necessary...

Ive ran the laminated Soma Doubles, and they snapped after a few weeks...

Now Im running MKS Doubles, and Im putting them to work.

Hm. Well at this point I suppose it's a good idea to note that I ride a 7-speed (I've been meaning to get pics up for a while... when it gets sunny I'll get on it. Since I (obviously) ride with brakes, toe straps basically serve 2 functions for me:

1. keeping my feet from sliding around laterally (less important)

2. allowing me to pull upwards when I'm accelerating (starting from a stop, hill-climbing, sprinting)

I suspect I put less strain on my straps than brakeless fixy-riders who also use them when braking (and probably rely on them more than I do when sprinting since they are forced to maintain their leg-speed rather than coasting at all)

[mlproject]

if you ride a road bike, ride whatever pedal setup you want. i thought you were getting into riding fixed.

[wild style]

Just wanted to chime in and say that the Soma doubles really fucking blow. Mine stretched, split, and are on the verge of snapping. Thankfully I have a front brake, otherwise it'd be super sketchy. If you wanna run straps it is wise to save your money and get Toshi's.

Hopefully this clipless thing works out or it's Toshi's for me.

[smiggins]

Hopefully this clipless thing works out or it's Toshi's for me.

How is clipless? i feel like somthings going to break due to all the weight and pressure of skidding. what kind do you use, and do you like em?

[m1sterko]

i dont think clipless can really break since the axle of the pedals would be metal most likely.

[smiggins]

or getting i ripped out of the shoe? i dont know, im really sketched out about them. probably because i have never rode them. but i want to get them over the summer.

any recommendations for clipless?

[Appleseed]

]

any recommendations for clipless?

Ride Speedplay and practice.

And, at some point or other, you will fall over because you can't get your foot out in time.

[m1sterko]

damn! -373 that should be a new record

but i'm sure that don't beat christianjustin's score. you kids sure do love baggin! i feel so terrible inside...

uhh any bicyclette questions? haha

[smiggins]

Ride Speedplay and practice.

And, at some point or other, you will fall over because you can't get your foot out in time.

yeah i know. the only time i want to "stop" is when i get where im going. track standz all the way

[smiggins]

My Bike!

thats how its going to stay. besides clipless pedals

[m1sterko]

smigg

is that spray painted black or powercoated?

(and bianchi carbon road fork off ebay?) - hows it ride

[smiggins]

smigg

is that spray painted black or powercoated?

(and bianchi carbon road fork off ebay?) - hows it ride

its how it came, i guess powercoated

and no its what came with the bike. its not a Pista. its a Fremont, and i put electrical tape, and that dead supreme sticker on the toptube for when i set it on a bike rack or light pole.

the geometry is different from the Pista. The carbon fork came with it, and its weird when i'm using the front brake. its super stiff and strong. it feels like a road bike, and fits small.

[the Repeater]

Those old lugged Alan/Guerciotti's are sick as hell. I had one that didn't fit I loved that thing. Probably the prettiest and best riding bike I've ever had out of 20 or 22; also the least expensive!

I don't know HOW the fuck all you guys are breaking straps so much. Colossal wtf. I would use up one strap every 3-mos. or so on my full-time work bike... double nylon. The new ones suck and are really thin. Thick, nice MTB ones from OG tranches like Christophe's are fuckin sick. I had some really great GT ones too.

Mostly clipped pedals suck though and I can't go back, though I used to switch on and off every few weeks. Maybe on a polo bike, but that's about it.

Those Rolls Due saddles are ass-hatchets. Totally not like a Rolls, except in appearance.

[stuntastic]

Just wanted to chime in and say that the Soma doubles really fucking blow. Mine stretched, split, and are on the verge of snapping. Thankfully I have a front brake, otherwise it'd be super sketchy. If you wanna run straps it is wise to save your money and get Toshi's.

Hopefully this clipless thing works out or it's Toshi's for me.

I think I posted a picture last year of my ripped Somas.

If youre really on the verge of snapping them, switch em out.

Its pretty freaky to snap your strap in mid skid...

[sunkenshoes]

Just decided to buy a wheelset instead. So I got a spare hub for sale, see my signature.

[wild style]

Good call stunt. I'll switch them out with my old singles until my shoes + pedals get here.

[mlproject]

as far as straps breaking, i've gone through several pairs of the mks single straps. they get wet and totally fall apart, plus have a lot of play when moving your foot around during a ride, even if tightened down.

the only other thing (which i completely forgot about before) i've seen that are pretty rad for cheaper are those plastic coated nylon straps. i've seen a couple setups with those and they seem like they'll hold up well. can't speak for the clamp holding down on the strap though.. haven't ridden them more than a couple blocks.

[ipp]

for people wondering about clipless: if you're more experienced, try the speedplay zero tracks. they have a higher release tension and less float. you have less of a chance of popping out during sprints. its more of a preference thing though.

[dkatz]

I just don't want to ride clipless because I don't want to have to wear clip-shoes all the damn time.

[mlproject]

that's the only reason i don't

[smiggins]

I just don't want to ride clipless because I don't want to have to wear clip-shoes all the damn time.

yeah you probably stop way more than i do. i live in a suburb, therefore everything is real far away, its a good ride though. and clips and straps are annoying! so i want something thats gonna be secure for a long distance and not have me stop and adjust the straps.

and the shoes are pretty lightweight, if you carry a backpack they can fit in it easily

[dkatz]

^ Yeah, I tend to be on and off my bike a good deal. I also frequently bike when I'm going out, and I don't wanna be the douche clomping around the bar in my cleats. Now if only Converse would make some Chuck Taylor Clip Shoes.... THAT would be sick.