Going "Clipless"

Over the past couple of weeks I have been pondering going "Clipless" with BumbleB

On our recent rides we have felt pretty good, especially going up Box Hill which we have now renamed "Cardboard Box Hill"

Questioning the SPD members of the London Brompton Club & the staff at my local bike shop Londonfields Cycles, E9. We feel we are now at the stage where my fitness level & cycling technique should benefit from the change.

Don't get me wrong I love my MKZ Wide Platform pedals Review they are an excellent piece of kit & we will probably still use them once in awhile (until we're  a total convert to SPD)

After discussing with David P regarding his cycling shoes I decided to get the same Specialized  BG Tahoe shoes. I wasn't sure about the sizing so I went to my Londonfields Cycles, E9 and they so happened to have them in stock and in my size.

RESULT!

They will be adjusted ofcourse with yellow shoe laces in due time.

Specialized BG Tahoe Cycling Shoe

Cleat installed

 Specification and Features of Specialized BG Tahoe Shoe

• Trail Traction rubber outsole combined with our midsole plate, which is tuned for efficient cycling, but flexible enough for walking: 3.0 stiffness index
• Our most padded BG plush insole for on-the-bike support and off-the-bike comfort
• Suede leather upper with breathable mesh panels
• Top strap for secure closure also keeps laces safely out of chainrings
• 2-bolt SPD-style cleat pattern, compatible with all major MTB pedals
• Approximate weight: 500g (1/2 pair #42)

I'm liking these cycling shoes as they are great to walk in as well as cycle in. I can actually feel more though my feet as the sole is much harder than normal shoes I wear so I get more sensations though the pedals. The way the Velcro strap goes over the top of the laces is good too as stops those laces from flapping about and  getting caught in BumbleB. 

Alan K from the London Brompton Club lent me his Shimano PD-M520 Pedals to see how we would like going clipless. Cheers bud

Shimano PD-M520 Pedals on BumbleB

My cycling partner in crime swears by his Specialized M780 pedals which so happen to be on a pretty good discount at wiggle.co.uk at the moment too. They are a higher quality of SPD pedals than the M520's but we shall see when the time comes when ordering.

This weekend we are going on on the Critical Mass Ride & LBC Ride: Brighton - Rottingham Undercliff Ride which will be our first proper rides with SPD's

First Impressions:
Well after practising "Clipping In & Out" holding onto a wall then I went around my local area practising emergency stops & starts. I have to say its very different to what I'm used to but I think I could get used to it. I seem to be favouring the left pedal in "clipping out" at the moment but hoping in time I will be able to do either. Still surprises me how much effort is needed to clip out as I think something is going to break.

Also finding that I'm also using the "up stroke" when pedalling and I can feel a whole different group of muscles working now.

I think we are going to like SPDs just have to decide which ones I finally purchase for BumbleB himself.

London Nightrider 2014 for Charity

Like my cycling partner in crime Mr.OrangeBrompton, BumbleB & me shall be doing the London Nightrider 2014 on 7th-8th June 2014.

Medal after completing London Nightrider 2013

Nightrider™ - a unique 100km moonlit ride past London’s iconic landmarks and raising funds for charity!
You will cycle over Tower Bridge, through Canary Wharf, around the buzzing Piccadilly Circus, see the London Eye lit up and cycle over the crossing on Abbey Road and many other landmarks.


This year we've decided to get on early with the fund-raising for charity, with so many very worthy charities its hard to chose, so I choose, Breast Cancer Care

A few members of my family & friends have been effected by Cancer to varying degrees.

Just like last year we shall be doing the IG London Nocturne 2014 earlier in the day and then the Nightrider 2014 the same night. This year was the first time we have done 2 events so close together and I have to say we seriously enjoyed ourselves. I think BumbleB was surprised I kept going & to be honest so was I.

Starting and ending point is going to be Alexander Palace on top of that HUGE hill. This time though I won't be walking up that big mole hill.

Now no matter how big or small a donation you can give its all going to a good cause. On the plus side using the Virgin Money Giving page ALL the donation goes to the charities

Brompton Bumble B's Virgin Money Giving page

Legend goes to Up North to York

Yesterday we went to York for the first time.  We haven't been to York before and it maybe the furtherest North we have ever been together.

We was going up by train with Ann & David P from Kings Cross & meeting a few others from the LBC that are from "up north" Checking the weather for York it was saying it would rain in the late afternoon but the temperature wouldn't be too bad.

Arriving at Kings Cross a little early I took the chance to take a shot of the great roof of the station.

Kings Cross Station

The train wasn't all that full as its  mid week so was able to spread out abit.

English Countryside

After 2hrs 30mins Bumble B was getting a little cabin fever and wanted out.

Having arrived at York Station we met up with the rest of the LBC gang. Alan & Janet K, Alan B, Phil A, Debbie M, Ian J. Introductions and then we started to head out of the station.

We was going to do the York Orbital route lead by the navigational Jedi Master David P

Across the Lendal Bridge just around the corner we came up to York Minster Church & had to have a little photoshoot of the gang.

Lendal Bridge

York Minster Church

LBC @ York Minster

After the York Minster Church we started to head out though the city itself to the Orbital cycle route.

Passing though some of the wildlife on the River Ouse

The forecast rain started to fall and everyone got into their waterproofs.

As the rain started to get heavier we managed to find a pub just in the nick of time for abit of a break and lunch.

Bumble B drying off

When we left the pub it was still raining so we upped the pace to get around as much of the orbital route as possible to get back to the station.

We past the York Minster Church again and some of us decided to go inside to take a few photos.

Panoramic

 

We made it back to the station which a couple of hrs to spare but seeing it was raining we decided to go to the bike shop right next door to see what stuff they had. They are a Brompton stockist too so they had a few Bromptons there as well as other  bicycles.

Alan K tried on a cool looking tiger helmet which would have looked good with his Brompton as it has tiger stripes on too, pity is a kids size though ;) 

Alan K trying on tiger helmet

While having coffee outside Starbucks I saw they had a thing called a "Duffin", supposed to be a muffin and doughnut in one.

The DUFFIN

Me, Ann & David P had come down by train but everyone else had drove. We said our goodbyes as the London trio had to hang about the station waiting for our train back to London.

We was going to go on a short ride around the station to kill time but then the rain started to come down hard again so we stayed in the warm station pub.

Drying my cycling mitts

Soon our train arrived and we lined up to get on the train back to London, lucky it wasnt too full and it was non stop to London, Kings Cross

Waiting to get to the big smoke, London

Don't remember much of the train home as I was tired and napping for the most part, nice warm train kinda does that after a nice ride.

Another good ride with the LBC will have to come up to York again in summer I think to get a really good look at the city and all the old buildings and land marks.

Garmin Data: LBC York Loop