Rule #34-Mountain bike shoes have their place-on a mountain bike.
During our very recent Cogal I gained some on-the-road insight on Rule #34. We were on a part of the route I have never ridden on a bike and had no memory of. The pavement was pavé, Maui-style. Somewhere deep down below the surface of the road was primordial road, patched with only scoopfuls of asphalt over the years until the surface is completely dimpled with mango sized mounds of road. This was good and expected. The Roubaix technique of big charinring (ahemmm, errrr, 50 tooth), powering along, keeping the weight on the pedals and handlebars had us making good progress through some of Maui’s most remote country. And it was raining and there was cow manure to ride over…almost Northern France.
I came around a bend and hit a steep berg. The tilted road kept curving right so it was impossible to know when it ended but it couldn’t end soon enough for me. I was quickly in the worst of straits: out of gears, out of the saddle and fully gassed with no end in sight. There were still two people behind me that had to be looking to get by; they could not possibly be going slower. I was unintentionally weaving over the pavé as my complete focus was on keeping the bike up and not hitting a hole or a bump big enough to stop me dead.
Totally redlined on a climb that has no immediate end in sight, these are the worst and best times for a cyclists. If you let your back wheel slip, you stop and the foot goes down, unacceptable. If you just say basta, pull on your brakes and put down your feet, that is worse. I assume all cyclists feel this way. If you are on the Koppenberg someone better have blocked your way. No one gets off halfway up that and says, nah, I’d rather walk. If I have a heart attack trying to ride up something horrible, that might be better than the alternative.
“He wasn’t the brightest, but he didn’t put his foot down”.
It is the best time for a cyclists simply because given all alternatives, there are none, it’s Rule #5. No need to think, better not to think, just keep it going up.
If I did put my foot down on a shiny, wet, steep berg, what then? I have speedplay cleats and those aren’t getting me anywhere if I’m not on a bike. No cleat covers that day so I would be laying down my sweet steed, sitting on this hill while I take my shoes off? That is not going to happen.
The only way my putting a foot down that would not end in a bad nickname for life would be if I was wearing mtb shoes. No one needs that temptation. Looking past the obvious reasons for Rule #34: the mtb shoe-cleat connection is sloppy, mtb shoes look lame on road riders and we are riders, not walkers is the cruel temptation to put a foot down and push the bike up to the top of a hill. This is something no one needs in their time of need.
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@snoov
Well this morning we also have about 10cm of snow lying so maybe our mountain influenced weather can do the roads in more too, that and shite local authorities who canny be arsed doing a proper repair job. Look forward to the next "Cogal Ecosse Est"
@strathlubnaig
I'm going swimming...
@the Engine
Er...I sincerely hope this exercise is not also going to end in a run! Personally I am going to go chop some wood, this will fill me with a desire to smash the pedals on the turbo this afternoon!
@the Engine Around christmas on of the Dundee Wheelers ended up in a waist deep puddle, I don't think I've seen rain like it in my life, except over in the states, everything's bigger in the states even the raindrops.
@Deakus
I can swim to a better standard than "not drowning" and when the sleet is hammering down and what passes for roads round here are slick with slush its a little better that being on "The Bastard Piece of Shit" or turbo as you so quaintly call it. That or observe Rule #5 I suppose.
@snoov
I had a 100m long axle deep "puddle" (loch really) on New Years Day over here...
@the Engine
Stalled on a climb momentarily where the Garmin went on autopause. Was still able to take a breath and stand on the pedal to keep going. Hit the ground hard yesterday as I went over a rain slick wooden bridge. I think I am ok although my shoulder is a bit still. Although shaken up, with the bike ok there was no choice but to rule 5 and continue on.
@Gotta Ride Today
Through experimentation I've discovered that falling off when stationary is less painful than falling off when moving.
Generally.
@strathlubnaig
Out this AM, was snowing a bit at Blair, walked the dogs and it had went off so headed out half way round snowed, then snowed some more. Only about 0 (centigrade for your US residents) so warm enough to be falling as rain and snow.Got home and into shower and the pain in the toes was bad as they warmed up,must invest in a set of overshoes.
Better than the work of the devil that is lurking in the shed though! Save that for weekday evenings.
PS only managed about 45k and took me 2 hrs so a long way to go yet.
@Velosophe
Yes it is an option to ask and no I didn't put a foot down. But I felt like I burned the whole pack of matches at once when I was 1/3rd the way through a ride I had doubts about finishing. I am the world's worst/slowest climber.