Clips and shoes

[sam hudson]

 

Right, If I'm going to try to get racing again, I suppose I'd better do it right and use some clips. I need shoes for these clips don't I?  So what do you recommend?

I am a bit nervous about using them, so the sooner I get on with it the better!!

Ta all 

[gossa]

You don't have to go clips but they are faster for sure. Are you sketchy though? If so maybe not a good idea.  Shimano's specific BMX show pedal combo is a good start if you want to go for them.

[sam hudson]

Are you sketchy though? If so maybe not a good idea. 

I am ok skills wise but not expert yet. 

[sam hudson]

Just had a quick look at the combo's...ta v much. The pedals seem a little on the small side so I looked the Shimano M424 which had a wide platform. Supposedly, cleats come with pedals, but is it worth buying better cleats such as the SM SH56 which have got very good reviews??

Apologies if this is all old news to everyone but its all greek to me

[gossa]

No the regular cleats will be fine mate but just have a very good practice clipping in and out before you go anywhere near the track!

[sam hudson]

 

Yeah, slightly terrified, I have to admit!!

Ta for all the advice.

[Twatty]

Hi

With all respect Sam, "YOU MUST BE MAD". Have you ever ridden any bike clipped in before? If not then perhaps think again. I had ridden DH & XC for a number of years clipped, but still did not bother in my first 2 years back in BMX and stayed on Shimano DX & Vans. The tracks that confronted me were very tech in comparrison to what I was expecting, and I am glad I took the time to learn to deal with a BMX track, whilst not having 8 inch of traval front & back.

This season, (by default more than anything as I tried my SPD's which got stuck in my flight cranks), I have raced clips. A couple of crashes have been worse than they may have been but generally done OK. I cannot imaging having gone strait into them at the age of 40.

Hope this helps,

Matt.

[gossa]

Sound advice Matt!

[kdubbmx]

Hving raced bmx from 1980 and DH from 96-2008 all on FLATS & having never even tried clips i was pretty green about the things 

Didnt stop me putting them on and racing on them the same day (Gosport), i stayed safe and got a good result with them and Andy Restall did the same thing and was ok, so i think its a case of try it and see, just be carefull though, clipping in on the gate is the hardest thing i found, but within 2 go's it was fine.     

[sam hudson]

 

Ta all

This is why I was asking...good advice.

I am only getting back into riding but I have been making really good progress at my local track. Realistically, I want to try to get a season of racing in at some point and it wont be too soon as my fitness need attention but my skills are getting much better. I think I have the skills to race now (and come last) but not the fitness.

My plan was to get used to clips on the flat and then slowly get used to them on the track by puttting them on for a bit and then swapping back to flats etc etc. Although I'm an old schooler, I have really tried to embrace new school technology and skills and this seems like the next step.

I guess that I've come on so quick that I don't want to go back to the beginning when I get clips. Maybe I'll have to?? I don't know-thats why I was asking you guys. 

One thing I do know about BMX is that sometimes you just have to go for it....(and then wonder why after 11 hours in A&E)

Thanks all for the advice, its all good.

[medved]

ride off to the shops in your clips and round the back streets first making sure you learn to clip in and out as much as possible. then once you feel comfortable loosen the clips as much as possible and then get on the track. i find it best to just ride the track and avoid gates for the time being,

practice balancing against a wall in the clips and bailing before you fall (because it will happen on the gate at some point!)  once you feel comfortable doing this get on the gate and see what happens.

if it doesnt work out then you'll at least notice what you need to work on when you go back to flats

[sam hudson]

 

Great advice medved, thanks v much. I shall buy some clips and practice riding to A&E !! 

Just what I was looking for mate thanks.