28-35 Class Happenings

[sixstringsteve]

I tried to hold out as long as possible, even though I have been riding clipless for the past 15 years on my MTB. I switched when my feet kept bouncing off the pedals in the rhythm. I had several crashes due to slipping pedals and I was sick of it. I don't feel like my clipless pedals have made me any faster (yet), but my feet stay on the pedals now.

[jakesteiger]

Hey Lee I raced for 1 year as novice then moved up to inter and raced for another 7 months without clips. So basically a year and a half on flats. I have now done the last 2 weekends clipped in and it has been a fairly easy transition. I have noticed a lot of new people making the jump right into clips and I think they are having a hard time because they haven't gotten their bike skills built up yet.

Jake

Tires stay on ground I need to be to work on Monday.

[Skew]

ouch! you doing ok? How was it racing clips?

Doing fine, just a few bruises. I'm glad it wasn't any worse.

Clips went ok. Hardest part was getting clipped in at the start. My pedals seem a little cumbersome to get clipped into.

[sixstringsteve]

what kind of clips are they? Most clips have adjustable tension. I have mine set to the loosest setting, so it's easier to get in and out. The clips will "break in" after a few hundred clicks, to where it'll be less of a "SNAP" getting in and it'll be more of a "click." I set my clips loose so my bike doesn't stay attached to me when I crash, but a lot of guys crank 'em down tight because they have the power to pull their feet out of their clips. I wish I had that problem.

[LocoTone]

I was an intermediate with around 15 wins. It was probably 2 years after I returned to the sport after a 9 year hiatus. I think it's way more important to learn bike skill than have bike speed. In my opinion, a lot of riders these days jump into clips way to soon. It creates what we lovingly call squirrels. Someone who rides beyond their ability to control themselves. Guys like that have real possibility of hurting themselves, as well as others. Take a look at the older expert classes, and watch guys like Tim Thompson, who doesn't race much, or Cortney Green ride. Cortney was once district #1, he hung with the likes of Fuzzy Hall, Mike Aitken, and Matt Berringer, and can hang with them all day long. Tim comes out maybe once a year for an RFL event and cleans house. They don't ride clips. They're not a necessity if you really know how to ride. I'm not sayin I do, I need all the help I can get, but as the states slowest expert.....that's my $0.02

[b2]

I was an intermediate with around 15 wins. It was probably 2 years after I returned to the sport after a 9 year hiatus. I think it's way more important to learn bike skill than have bike speed. In my opinion, a lot of riders these days jump into clips way to soon. It creates what we lovingly call squirrels. Someone who rides beyond their ability to control themselves. Guys like that have real possibility of hurting themselves, as well as others. Take a look at the older expert classes, and watch guys like Tim Thompson, who doesn't race much, or Cortney Green ride. Cortney was once district #1, he hung with the likes of Fuzzy Hall, Mike Aitken, and Matt Berringer, and can hang with them all day long. Tim comes out maybe once a year for an RFL event and cleans house. They don't ride clips. They're not a necessity if you really know how to ride. I'm not sayin I do, I need all the help I can get, but as the states slowest expert.....that's my $0.02

yup. what he said!

i heart you Tony!

[JAlvey]

What they said. ^^^

You need to learn the bike skills first and the clips may hold you back. ride flats for at least a year or two- at least half way through your inter wins.

This discussion comes up over and over and its funny because you will get a bunch of novices and inters talking about all the advantages and then you will get a handfull of the experts come on and say to wait. Which group should you believe?


Being clipped in may give you a 2-3% advantage as an expert, but that's only when your track skills get to a certain level. Below that level, spend more time learning the track skills. I won't name any names, but there are a bunch of interCogs who are slowing their progress by being clipped in early. There are also some who do have it dialed in and are ready to move up (you know who you are ogr13)

[ogr13]

Based on my results this weekend, it's fair to say I still have some work to do...
2 dirt samples in 2 days and my best result was a 3rd.

[billyschuler]

DAVE, HOPE YOUR FEELING OK BUDDY THAT LOOKED A LITTLE GNARLY ! GOTTA STAY OUTTA THAT SOFT STUFF, JUST ASK dk HAHA

ON ANOTHER NOTE TO FOLLOW THIS THREAD, IF YOU WOBBLE IN THE GATE UNCLIPPED AND CANT BALANCE FOR MORE THAN JUST LONG ENOUGH TO LAST THROUGH THE CADENCE, DONT CLIP IN... YOUR ONLY CREATING MORE STRESS FOR YOUR SELF ON THINGS TO THINK ABOUT INSTEAD OF RACING, IF YOU LOOK AT CORTNEY GREEN ,, ONE OF THE BADDEST DUDES ON A BIKE IN UTAH BOTH ON TRAILS AND RACING AND A FORMER A PRO, HE RIDES FLATS AND DOES IT JUST FINE, KRIS PARK ALSO FORMER A PRO ONLY SWITCHED TO CLIPS ABOUT A YEAR AGO.. AND ON SIXSTRINGS NOTE IF YOUR NOT GOING TO CLAMP THEM DOWN AND USE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE INTENDED , WHY PUT YOURSELF AT RISK FOR A MUCH WORSE CRASH? THEN YOU RISK COMING UNCLIPPED IN A TURN OR EVEN WORSE ST THE LIP OF A JUMP AND THAT COULD BE VERY PAINFUL. I WOULD STAY ON FLATS TILL YOU TURN INTER AND SAVE YOURSELF THE HOSPITAL TRIP, PLUS GUYS WHEN WE GO OUTDOOR , ITS MUCH FASTER MUCH BIGGER AND YOU (WILL) CRASH HARDER I WOULD GIVE IT AN OUTDOOR SEASON THEN CHANGE..JUST MY THOUGHTS ONE THING TO GO 15 MPH AND FLOP OVER A 2 FOOT TALL DOUBLE THAN GO 28 MPH AND FLY OFF OF A 5 FOOT DOUBLE.

[Todd Lee]

Awesome replies guys!! Just what I was looking for.

Based off of the advice and experiences shared, I'll be riding flats.... forever. It's nice to know that not everyone is laughing at me in their heads for staying with flats.

Thanks all!

[bnd]

Has it really been 2 1/2 years since we had one of these?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ner5ixqPXOw


b.

[REAPERSCURSE]

My bike is down for the count until i can come up with the money to fix it.

[ogr13]

What happened?
What do you need?

[REAPERSCURSE]

Forks and a front wheel. I wrecked last sunday and bent my forks and my front wheel.

[REAPERSCURSE]

Forks and a front wheel. I wrecked last sunday and bent my forks and my front wheel.

New forks too...