Today March 2023

[microcord]

@OreoCookie , I think that this year I really ought to go to Europe. I'd do so for cycling-unrelated purposes, but while I'm there I might encounter actual stores selling actual shoes for people who pad around on 46 Wide sized flippers.

But I'd rather buy in Japan: this way, it doesn't waste the time I spend in Europe (or wherever). I bought my current running shoes at a branch in Gunma-ken of the Sports Depo chain. At that time there was little in my size, but there was some and what there was was easy to find. By contrast, a recent visit to Sports Depo just left me mystified.

@hellerphant , by "a bit of a strange route" do you perhaps mean "a truly shitty route"? Two-four-six would I think drive even me to Zwift. Anyway, wouldn't it be easier to have your training tyre perma-mounted on its own wheel? Places like "Garage Off" ask low prices for wheels that I'd imagine would be good enough for this purpose. (I bought a very fresh looking pair there for 3300 yen, including skewers and rim tape.)

 

[OreoCookie]

I bought my current running shoes at a branch in Gunma-ken of the Sports Depo chain. At that time there was little in my size, but there was some and what there was was easy to find. By contrast, a recent visit to Sports Depo just left me mystified.

Yes, running and hiking shoes are available in stores also in wide. My feet are average length (EU size 43), so I don't know about 46, which seems about one size longer than what is commonly available.

It is just that I have never seen a cycling store that had wide models in store — that includes Germany. Perhaps some do, but I have yet to see one. In any case, most brands will help you out. E. g. when I told Bont's customer support that I have a pair of S-Works in 43 wide, they told me to opt for size 44 wide. That recommendation was spot-on.

 

[microcord]

@OreoCookie , if you or I were in west suburban London, we might go to Bicycle Richmond (whose proprietor is the star of "Bike Fit Tuesdays"). Clearly they have a lot of shoes, in a lot of sizes.

(But the place looks spendy, and I'm a tightwad.)

 

[BeerTengoku]

In my experience, running shoes fared horribly as cycling shoes (apart from commutes): the sponginess meant I left a lot of energy on the table, the pedals would chew up my sole and I'd actually get some numb spots.

Have you tried cycling shoes made for flat pedals? (Something like this.) They have a stiffer, reinforced sole.

Agreed. I would not recommend running shoes for cycling shoes as modern day running shoes often have carbon plates in them to work as a spring to help "return" energy to the runner. Not too sure about how the science of that works, but I have had a couple of pairs that have been retired from running, and are general walking about / getting dirty shoes. I tried using them once cycling on some flat pedals and they just felt like giant sponges on my feet and as such, I could not get a good feel of the pedals.

Get some flat shoes if you can and use those. I have 3 pairs of cycling shoes - mainly because of birthday / christmas ideas.

1. SH-CT5 SPD CT500 ESHCT5PG - These shoes are fantastic for pedalling and also walking around in due to their look and also flat sole. When I cycled around Lake Biwa back in October 2022, I used these both on and off the bike. Not good for going fast on road bikes, nor for getting muddy as the cleat itself is encapsulated in the sole so it can be a pain to clean.
2. XC1 SH-XC100 - Great trail shoes with SPD cleats, and with an open sole so very easy to clean if need be. A bit more slimline than the ones above, but a tad cold in colder months and very hard to find shoe covers that fit. I have used this on my road bike and found the sole to be a good solid base to cycle on.
3. RC3 SH-RC300 - Solid road shoes though the cleats are the old school style so I had to buy some cleat covers for when I am walking off my bike. Much warmer than the shoes (2), but special pedals are needed for these so I have to had to change out my bike.

 

[Chuck]

I am thinking about getting into Zwift. While I definitely took up cycling to see more of Japan, the fact is that work is an absolute nightmare and eats a lot of my time these days, and is likely to for the foreseeable future.

I did Zwift with a dumb trainer for years. Just bought the Wahoo Kickr Core so my trainer is sitting on the balcony waiting to be trashed. Yours if you want it. Also, the Zwift Hub (similar to Kickr Core) may be available in Japan one day. About $600 US dollars. Pretty good value if you want a smart trainer and can wait.

Anyone have experience with the cheapest Zwift setup? A standard turbo trainer, and some cadence sensors? Is that the best way to go? The other concern is having a training tire, and having to swap it all the time for when I do want to go out. Maybe it would be fine to just use my regular tire? I cannot seem to get a good consenus, and I just cannot afford a "good" setup.

If you use a regular tire, it will get chewed up pretty fast. I just threw away my trainer tire or you could have had that. I have a bike dedicated for the trainer, saves the hassle of swapping out rear wheels. Also, with all the sweating that you'll be doing on the trainer, you can eventually get corrosion on the frame, especially if it is steel or aluminum.

Cheapest setup: free trainer (see above), speed and cadence sensors, your current bike and tire

 

[OreoCookie]

I would not recommend running shoes for cycling shoes as modern day running shoes often have carbon plates in them to work as a spring to help "return" energy to the runner.

They must be working very well, some shoes were so good that they were banned. Now there are shoe regulations in running, which is funny. Some people are complaining, because they claim some of the banned designed would work much better for casual athletes (e. g. they claim they'd be more gentle on the joints).

Get some flat shoes if you can and use those. I have 3 pairs of cycling shoes - mainly because of birthday / christmas ideas.

The first one is another great suggestion, I forgot there were cycling shoes made for commuters.

And like you point out, cycling shoes made for flat pedals cost about as much as entry-level cycling shoes made for cleats. Although I'd recommend mountain bike-style pedals for beginners.

 

[Cactaur]

For MTB I use Five Ten flats, the sole isn't too flexy and the rubber works very well with the pins on flat pedals.

 

[microcord]

I rather like the look of these, not only for their price but also because they have soles of rubble. Unfortunately it doesn't look as if they come with rubble (or rubber) thingies to be mounted instead of the cleats. And so (A) I lose my own interest in them, but (B) I think we can call them "entry-level cycling shoes made for cleats".

And like you point out, cycling shoes made for flat pedals cost about as much as entry-level cycling shoes made for cleats.

This rule of thumb may need reconsidering. . . .

Hiking shoes might work too. I'd consider these, even though I'm more of a SutNour person myself.

 

[OreoCookie]

I rather like the look of these, not only for their price but also because they have soles of rubble. Unfortunately it doesn't look as if they come with rubble (or rubber) thingies to be mounted instead of the cleats.

You mean rubber, right? These look like hybrid shoes, they have the sole of shoes made for flat pedals. You don't need to fill in the empty hole with anything.

However, if you have wide feet, with very high probability will these shoes be too narrow for your feet. Plus, I don't think I'd trust $23 cycling shoes. Just a quality sole likely costs more than that.

This rule of thumb may need reconsidering. . . .

???
It isn't a rule of thumb, just have a look cycling shoes manufacturers, at the lower end they cost roughly the same.

 

[microcord]

You mean rubber, right?

 

[Cactaur]

Its made of chinesium, has to be some cement in that.

 

[OreoCookie]

View attachment 37608

That’s whatever the Chinese equivalent of Engrish is. 🤣

@Cactaur
Well done, well done.

 

[bloaker]

Yesterday I went above and beyond......
I put air in all my tires that were low.
It took a while as I have been strongly favoring 1 bike lately.

 

[hellerphant]

Thanks to Chuck, last night I did my first introductory ride on Zwift. Was actually pretty fun, and given how hectic my weekdays are with work right now, probably will be the way I go forward during the week until it quietens down, and then hit the roads on the weekend.

It did reveal something however. I moved my saddle forward as far as it would go recently, which definitely fixed my neck and back pain, and feels good on the bike. However I was noticing that I was slipping down to the nose of the saddle a lot while riding. Having the bike on the trainer I pulled out my iPhone leveler and its pointing down about 6 degrees.

I adjusted the saddle again and noticed that once I start to tighten it up, it points the nose down. Any tips on remedying this? I have seen a few comments that this is a Cannondale issue, with the single-bolt design, but those are just a few random comments. Doesn't seem to be a consensus.

 

[adventurous cyclist]

Hi guys. I'll now be hoping on my bike in April touring Japan. I first go to shikoku.
And after that I go back on the main island and really I don't really want to see what my goal is because I've really never met it after while this should be my fourth year but for 3 years my goal was to really go as far north as possible and that was Hokkaido so this year I'm actually have no time limit but I am financially on a really 200 yen noodle budget I can't sardines but even sardines have gone up really expensive now in Japan but anyway I'm really excited about this and I'll be posting it on my blog so and if any of you guys want to meet up with me while I'm traveling Japan yeah I'd be nice to have a cup of coffee with you guys and tell some war stories

 

[BeerTengoku]

Did a big ride around some local rivers and trails around Fujisawa / Kamakura today. Great fun finding some new routes around the area and taking the bike out on dirt tracks in wooded areas. Great time with a friend and a nice burrito lunch. Everything was going well until I got a double puncture along the Hikichi river on the way home. Two massive holes in the front and back inner tube - only had one spare inner tube with me and some patches. A slow ride home and I could feel that the rear patched tyre was not going to hold up for much longer so had to knock the long ride on the head.

 

[hellerphant]

Did a big ride around some local rivers and trails around Fujisawa / Kamakura today. Great fun finding some new routes around the area and taking the bike out on dirt tracks in wooded areas. Great time with a friend and a nice burrito lunch. Everything was going well until I got a double puncture along the Hikichi river on the way home. Two massive holes in the front and back inner tube - only had one spare inner tube with me and some patches. A slow ride home and I could feel that the rear patched tyre was not going to hold up for much longer so had to knock the long ride on the head.

That burrito looks so fire. Got some routes to share? I haven't ridden out that way yet. Really sucks about the punctures though, at least you were able to make it home.

 

[DanBell]

I adjusted the saddle again and noticed that once I start to tighten it up, it points the nose down. Any tips on remedying this? I have seen a few comments that this is a Cannondale issue, with the single-bolt design, but those are just a few random comments. Doesn't seem to be a consensus.

Welcome to the struggles of the single bolt life. The easy solution is to buy a two bolt seatpost. If weight isn't an issue you can find a relatively cheap one that will work just fine. To be clear, you want one with the bolts fore and aft, inline with the frame. There are some bontrager seatposts with two bolts side by side. These won't solve this issue.

I don't have any specific feedback for how to get your saddle level with your specific seatpost, but I have found that with enough attention to the saddle when tightening, maybe even starting with the nose pointing up, I have been able to end up with a level saddle on previous one bolt seatposts I've used.

 

[microcord]

I moved my saddle forward as far as it would go recently, which definitely fixed my neck and back pain, and feels good on the bike. However I was noticing that I was slipping down to the nose of the saddle a lot while riding. [...]

I adjusted the saddle again and noticed that once I start to tighten it up, it points the nose down. Any tips on remedying this? I have seen a few comments that this is a Cannondale issue, with the single-bolt design, but those are just a few random comments. Doesn't seem to be a consensus.

Wanting to move one's saddle as far forward as it will go suggests to me that some other dimensions are wrong for you. Maybe your stem is too long; maybe your saddle is too high. Maybe both. There's plenty here about saddle fore/aft.

I know nothing about any proprietary seatpost design, because each of my bikes has a seat tube with a circular cross-section. For all I know there could be something faulty about the design of your Cannondale seatpost's saddle attachment. But there's nothing wrong with single-bolt designs in general. Every seatbolt I use has a single bolt, and no saddle has ever slipped on any of them. (For a slipping saddle problem, I'd have to go back decades, to the ghastly old design of a plain seat pillar and a separate, poorly designed clamp that connected the pillar to the saddle rails. [See "Separate clamps" on this page.] I remember that junk with zero nostalgia.)

 

[BeerTengoku]

That burrito looks so fire. Got some routes to share? I haven't ridden out that way yet. Really sucks about the punctures though, at least you were able to make it home.

Here is some of the route we did today:

https://www.strava.com/routes/3071006927208082206