Well who'd a thunk - I now like the streetmachine

[tonycollinet]

[/s]Roll back about 1.5 years, and I decided I was not enjoying the speed street machine because my foot kept slipping away when at standstill, leaving me in an embarrassing heap on the ground. I decided to sell it.

Apathy set in, and it didn't get sold.

Last August bro came round and had a go on it. I tried it again with standard trainers, and didn't find is so difficult. I wondered if I got shoes with grippy soles (instead of hard plastic MTB SPD types) it might go better.

So I bought shoes with vibram soles at the start of winter. More apathy and I didn't try them with the speed machine - until last weekend.

Hurrah - it's like night and day. Confidence at standstill. I have my speedstreetmachine back.

[henshaw11]

 

Not fancy SPDs tho' ?

[Kim]

To clarify: The problem is the foot you put down slipping on the ground, rather than grip on the pedal?

I occasionally find that a problem on the Streetmachine, exacerbated by one or more of: MTB shoes rather than the grippier touring sandals or boots; worn-smooth tarmac; adverse camber; wet; the bonk; not holding the brakes on.

I sit forward in the seat when stopped, in order to better reach the ground (which moves my centre of gravity forward), and habitually use my longer leg.  Not sure how applicable that is to the Speedmachine, but presumably is only an option with USS.

[tonycollinet]

Yes - it is grip of shoe on road. I now have specialised Tahoe SPD's which have the vibram sole. Two benefits to this:
1 - they flex sufficiently that it is possible to get the ball of the foot in contact with the road - rather than just the tip of the shoe
2 - the sole is not hard plastic, so has some grip.

When you say you sit forward - do you actually sit upright (back off the backrest) or just slide forward in the seat?

Oh yes - and it's not the speedmachine - it is in fact the streetmachine - oops. Title amended.

[henshaw11]

Oops, thought you meant slipping off the pedal !

I use Sidis on mine - whilst they're not *that* rubbery, they're not so hard that they're that slippy either..

[Kim]

When you say you sit forward - do you actually sit upright (back off the backrest) or just slide forward in the seat?

Yes, actually sitting upright.  It's the only way I can make more than the tip of my toe reach the ground.

I sit forward as I come to a stop, and indeed don't lie back in the seat until the bike is moving.  Sometimes I ride sat upright in the seat for short periods, where the surface is extremely dodgy and I want to be able to get a foot down quickly (the extra control from being able to shift your bodyweight is helpful, too).

[tonycollinet]

OK

I'll give that a try on the commute today.....