Another SPD guy here, as others have said it is really nice having a little float so you can adjust your foot angle a bit during long rides, and being able to walk around is a big bonus.

I am among that rare breed of cyclist who rides often (7 STPs under my belt) but still only has one bike (Surly Long Haul Trucker 26er), if and when I branch out into having a dedicated weekend warrior bike I'll likely go with some "real" clipless pedals to match.

I can attest that Grant's no slouch on his LHT. It'll be a sad day when he gets something lightweight and aero because all you'll see of him from then on will be his backside disappearing out on the horizon.

SPD here as well. I like the adjustable release tension.

I think half the reason I haven't bought something light and aero is that in the meantime I can tell myself that my 16mph pace is purely because of my bike and not the 200lb Clydesdale mashing the pedals :D

My first "Look" pedals from the early 90s. SmileWavy

- Big and heavy by today's standards but they were a revelation at the time.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634700900.jpg

I had a pair of Sampson that looked just as clunky. They were affordable at half the price. I rode the second gen Look for a very time. Not the ones with the Delta cleats. It used the red (float) and black (fixed) cleat.

Remember the Cinelli clipless pedals that must be release by hand to get out of? I bought a used set and used it for a few years. My shoe came apart due to not having straps and not designed for clipless. I think they were Duegi. SAme ones Rebecca Twigg wore. I wish I still have them. I crashed with them on and my foot wasn't coming out. Somehow I have to twist and turn to release them while I was tangled with others on the ground. Fun times.

"Remember the Cinelli clipless pedals that must be release by hand to get out of?"

I certainly do... I used them on a track bike for a few years. They were great for the time and no harder than releasing duel leather straps.

Like these but these are not mine. CINELLI M71 PEDALS

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634706031.jpg

You must reach under to release. Leather straps are easy, just a gentle push on the buckle and out you go. When we were dumb kids, we would go out for a 3-4 hour training ride well into rush hour traffic here in LA. One time we decided to never clip out or out toe straps and track stand all the way through our ride. It was a 40 mile ride in heavy traffic. Youth, how dumb. Fun nevertheless. Are you still riding clips straps on the track? Binda's? I would think modern shoes and clipless pedals are more then strong enough unless you are competing. Sound like you are having so much fun riding track.

Pete, show us your track bike (s).

I still have Look pedals on my Cannondale that I bought when I was in the Navy back in the day.

I would like to start riding again and I'm thinking of changing the bars to mountain bike bars. No reason to change the pedals.

getting old

The one thing I learned from over 30 years of riding is to keep doing it and eventually you will become flexible again. Unless you have an old injury, getting beck to that point of a flat back, hands on the drops can be had with a some work. I am still riding the exact same position when I was 18. I did have to raised my stem about 1/4" higher. Just old age, but I still can ride with my back flat with the top tube for 20 miles. Don't give up, you will get back with some work. Just need a little discipline. Good luck, get out and fun.

Its motivation and time. I have rental properties and there is always something that needs attention. I moved to California for work after i was laid off at Raytheon after 9/11 made the Pentegon shift priorities. I got out of riding when I moved. I always rode with my hands on the hoods.

I'm just an overqualified handyman now. I'm working on a space to work on motorcycles. I'm doing the wiring now and after that it will be drywall. When I'm done with the space, I can start restoring my R90S. I used to ride at night in the summer so maybe I can start that again.

What part of socal?

I learned long ago, that there are always people that will do the donkey work so you can go and enjoy life a little bit before it runs away from you. One of those is drywall work. Don't get me wrong, I actually like taping drywall just hate the cleanup mess. I stop doing most of the work in my rentals too. The days are short as it is with running a construction business, last thing I want to do is to drill another hole in my rentals.

Sounds like fun restoring old motorbikes. Is this at your home or an industrial building elsewhere?

My hands are on the hoods 80% of the time the other 18% is on the top of the bar. The other 2, maybe riding hands free:D

Oh yeah, these are the oldest Look pedals I have.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634791759.JPG

Those white Speedplays, I rode them once for about three blocks. I didn't like them at all, now they sit. My kid didn't even like em' neither.

I could farm out much of the things I do but sometimes its hard finding people who will work with me. Sometimes the problem is they don't call me back. I need a roof done right now and I'm not doing that myself but its like I have to keep calling these guys to take the job. I have the money to pay for the job but I don't like to have to pursue them. If they can't keep track of their customers I'm not really interested in doing business with them. All they have to do is keep a simple log book of people calling for work.

And then there is the security issue. My tenants trust me so I can get in to the rentals with out any fuss. If I let someone in and something dissappears, I'll have a multi level problem that I'd rather avoid.

I lived in the Temecula area for about 17 years. Nobody really wants to live in the Inland Empire but it was the only place I could afford at the time.

I live in an old house and the garage is a single car carport that was walled off by a previous owner. My 911 takes up all the room in the garage so if I want to work on bikes I need more room. A small work shed in the back is the answer. I bought my BMW from a guy on my ship when I was in the Navy back in 89 and I'm finally getting around to restoring it back to its original Daytona colors.

My 911 isn't running and its officially a hanger queen. I think all I need to do is clean the screen thats on the bottom of the tank and it will fire up but I need to find time to get to it.

Same damn story with most sub contractors or contractors in general. I think they pulled them aside during the 4 th grade and drill it into them to never return phone calls when they become contractors.

When I find someone we like, we use them for each and every job. large or small, it goes their way. Its a tough deal having to rely on them to keep rentals running. Half the time, most owner do not know or even see their half ass jobs which they get away with murder. I only send my own trusty employees to perform any repairs on my rentals.

Let me know if you need solid people to help with your rentals. Temecula is a bit far but if I ask them, they will go out there because most of them owe me big favors over the years. PM me your phone and I will give you their info. Its time to let someone else do the dirty work. and enjoy riding more.

oops, sorry, I forgot to mention I got the F out of California

After my 2nd layoff I decided to become a temp. I was direct for 10 years at 2 large aerospace companies and I didn't have a lot to show for it. I became a contract engineer and my take home pay doubled over night and I just banked my pay for a couple years. I was too busy to spend it and I had no idea what to do with my savings. Then the economy tanked in 2008 but I was still able to find work, on and off. A couple years later, the housing market was still in the dumpster and I had an epiphany about rentals. I grew up in Arizona and wanted to move back sometime so I got a real estate agent and started buying in Tucson. I bought 6 units and they all were in the black from day 1. 3 years ago my last job at Aerojet ended and I figured I had enough rental property so I sold my house in Cal and moved home.

Now my goal is to be debt free. I have one more mortgage to pay off, about $30k and I'll be free.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634832668.jpg
Lollipops

Keo on road bike. SPD on mtn bike.
gonna try some speedplays on the road bike, for interest's sake.

Christmas came early today! Both the pedals came from Herr Oberst......as well as a pair of used shoes I picked up on eBay. I have the cleats mounted so far and will do the pedals over the weekend.

Will post my thoughts after I get some riding in.

Here are the new shoes and pedals.....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634856576.JPG

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634856576.JPG

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634856576.JPG

And here are my trusty old SPD shoes......they are still functional and I love them to death! :p Will hang onto them and can still use them on a second bike setup with SPDs.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634856721.JPG

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634856721.JPG

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1634856721.JPG