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Bike shoes+Elastic Bands....
tomtris
Posts: 135
in General Chat
Distance from transition to bike mount may make a difference,best to practice and see what results you get before trying it out on the day for the first time.
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Mmmmmm........are you sure you will be able to slide your feet into your standard cycling shoes? Because unless you are you'd be better off putting them on in T1. I know i don't have a lot of experience but i have been where you are now.
I was (and remain) convinced that there is no way i could leave my standard cycling shoes clipped onto the peddles and just slide my feet in after jumping on the bike. No way!
So for me i had to choose between putting shoes on in T1 and running with them on (not recommended by the experts due to slipping hazard, however, i've seen loads of people doing it) OR buy a pair of tri-shoes and leave them clipped in - using the lackie bands trick to hold them upright.
But leaving the standard shoes clipped in seems like you're making thinks difficult for yourself!
[;)]
I went and got some tri specific cycling shoes!
Yeah i havent tried 'slipping' them in yet, maybe i should see how easy this is first before making any decisions.
I need to see how long the tranistion is really...
First sprint tri coming up at end of the month. I have some road bike shoes, but no tri shoes, not that Im too worried, but I am lacking the loop at the back of my bike shoes to attach the old 'lacky band.
Whats everyones thoughts on using a bit off gaffa tape on the back of the shoes to hold an elastic band in place?
Or should I not bother and just slip them on during t1?
wet grass...bare feet= arse over.....
dry tarmac...cycle shoes = arse over...
It is bound to happen,try running flat footed with short strides.
Anyway - i did it and have it on video. Note that even though i had my tri-shoes clipped in one of the rubber bands popped off and one shoe was not help upright - didn't make that much difference, just an extra few seconds getting my foot in.
Video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX8PZGzLy80
Regarding the cycle shoe with no tab issue.....
You could sow a loop of material onto the back of the shoe if the shoes material allows.... I wouldnt like to try and tape it to the bike.... although it may work? Try it well before the race to see if it does work.
I always run in bare feet from the lake or pool.. and from T1 to mount line regardless of distance/condition of road etc. only time i wouldnt use the elastic bands method would be if the mount line was on a hill for obvious reasons!
Popped off! Note to self: make sure the band is well located!
I wish....
I don't strap my shoes to my bike, first because I'm afraid of losing one, and second because it's harder for me to slip them on whilst on the bike than it is for me to run in them. Just run flat-footed and be careful.
[ol][*]If your shoes have a ratchet buckle and you have to feed a plastic thing into the ratchet, put them on in transition regardless of anything else, even if transition is on an ice rink - no way you are getting those on properly without ending up on your face, especially if like my other road shoes they have an elastic strap to make the fit better but which for tri just makes them utterly impossible to put on while moving. I'm serious, don't even try it
[*]If you have several individual velcro straps like me, put tape over the end to stop them being able to come out of the loop, no way you can do that moving either
[*]If the bike course starts up a steep hill of more than about 100m, put the shoes on in T1 (and make a mental note not to go to that tri again - what kind of sadists are they???!!!)
[*]Tarmac, dry grass (or sodden grass/mud) - shoes on bike (saw someone last year trying unsuccessfully to clip in with mud all over their cleats)
[*]Gravel, broken glass etc for more than 50m - shoes on bike, old running shoes you have been meaning to throw away because they smell so bad and have no sole left on your feet (unless the marshals tell you you can't). just remember to go back and get them after the race, leaving those in lost property would just be mean...
[*]Gravel for less than 50m - shoes on feet unless you are braver than me - certainly for OD or greater. I sliced my foot at a sprint last year between swim and transition area (so not much i could have done) and didn't know until after the race but starting an OD run or greater with holes in your feet would be horrible. 50m tottering in bike shoes or 10k with cut feet, i think the tottering works out quicker over the total event
[*]Once on the bike, don't be in a mad rush to get the shoes on, get some speed built up first - why go to the effort of the gazelle like leap (copyright Conehead) to then wobble around trying to get your feet in while you are hardly moving?
[*]Careful with non-tri shoes and the velcro opening as they are likely to face the chain. Mine are short enough not to get caught but try yours first to check
[*]If you have saddle mounted water bottles, make sure you can still get your leg over (cue various legover gags)[/ol]
Think that's it, the key is practice - i now start almost all my bricks with the shoes on the bike
It sounds complicated but in fact is very quick and easy.
[:-]