rcd@opus.UUCP (04/23/84)
<>
Other postings on toe traps (clips) cover the situation pretty well -
practice a little bit and they're no problem, as long as you don't use
cleats. DON'T let an enthusiastic salesman tell you that you must have
cleats to get maximum power, especially if you ride in the city very much.
(Although it IS true that you get more power, you also endanger yourself to
no very good end, since you can easily weave into the path of a car while
you're reaching down to fumble with the strap on the toe clip. You can
also commit the faux pas of coming to a stop and forgetting the clips -
then you fall over just like the tricyclist on Laugh In. It's entertaining
for bystanders, though...) Use shoes with moderately flat soles.
...which brings me to another point: GET YOURSELF SOME BICYCLING SHOES if
you're going to cycle frequently, and especially if you're going to ride
long distances. Tennis shoes can do a lot of damage to your feet. A good
pair of touring shoes will make more of an improvement than you've ever
imagined. The difference is that a bicycling shoe has a real no-nonsense
stiffener in the sole, which keeps the flat cage of the pedal from cutting
into your foot. If you've ever found your feet getting a little numb or
tingly, or if you've had foot problems exaggerated by bicycling, it means
you've needed bicycling shoes. Some touring shoes have a ribbed sole, the
intent being that the ribs catch the pedal cage and hold your foot - not as
well as cleats, but they're easier to get out of the pedal. Moreover, you
can walk in them, unlike cleated shoes. Finally, some people have knee
problems which result from various misalignments, and they tend to let
their knees twist in or bow out when pedaling hard. The ribbed shoes can
help, as they keep the feet correctly aligned on the pedals.
There are various styles of touring shoes around - one of the best and
cheapest is the Bata Biker, which has become a sort of Volkswagen of bike
shoes.
---
...Cerebus for dictator! Dick Dunn
{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303) 444-5710 x3086
--
...Cerebus for dictator! Dick Dunn
{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303) 444-5710 x3086