Mountain Bike Clips
by: Admin
Posted on: Thursday, January 3rd, 2008 at 2:18 pm by: Admin
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Once you’ve taken an interest in mountain biking, the next step is often to add mountain bike clips to your setup. These mountain bike pedal clips help you to get the most out of even a low-end bike, by completely maximizing your pedaling efficiency. Once you clip into your mountain bike, you’ll be getting as much momentum from your up-strokes as you do on the down-strokes. Additionally, you won’t need to worry about losing your footing on the pedal if you tackle difficult terrain. Some serious downhill mountain bikers even say that mountain bike clips give them more control over the bike by allowing them to guide it with their feet as well as with the handlebars.Any bike can be fitted with pedal clips and they are sold in any dedicated bike shop, as well as some department stores with a biking department. Mountain bike clips come in several sizes so, if possible, bring in your pedal measurements and brand when buying your clips. The more expensive clips come attached to a new pedal, while cheaper clips need to be installed. Actually installing these bike clips is a fairly simple process, and you should only need a screwdriver in addition to the basic hardware (usually some screws and washers) that come with the clip.
If you’ve never done it before, cycling with mountain bike clips can be a little bit disorienting at first. Some people find that being attached to the bike pedals throws off their center of gravity, so go slow at first. However, this difficulty is usually overcome quickly. Make sure to properly adjust your mountain bike clips before riding. Usually there is a strap that can be pulled in or let out so that the clip snugly encircles your foot. You should still be able to remove your foot without difficulty if you want to. Clipping yourself in too tightly can result in twisted ankles if you end up taking a spill, so take the time to properly fit your bike clips. Begin your mountain bike clip experiment on a flat surface with little or no car traffic, than take the bike out once you’ve gotten a good feel for using the clips.
To mount the bike with its toe clips, start by only locking one foot in, then getting on the bike. Get the bike going slow, then coast with your locked in foot in the down-pedal position. This should bring up your free pedal and allow you to lock your foot in with a minimum of work. While most serious mountain bikers do use pedal clips, you may find that you prefer not using them. If using mountain bike clips feels weird, try some short runs. If they still feel strange after you’ve broken them in, then pedal clips might not be for you.
