Missed connection

[guga31bb]

Just my pride, thanks. Also learned the hard way to make sure cleat screws are really tightened down after adjusting them…

[Vicegrip]

@guga31bb 77047 wrote:

Just my pride, thanks. Also learned the hard way to make sure cleat screws are really tightened down after adjusting them…

I have done the same thing. Once I know the cleats are in the right place, one at a time so the position is not lost, I take the screws out one at a time and apply a little blue lock-tite.

[PeteD]

You: Group of 5 guys who passed me on the outskirts of Bodden Town
Me: Dude in a poseur Alpe d’Huez jersey riding a Trek 7.2FX

Hope your friend had the bestest birthday and you all got a good breakfast. Riding 126 miles for someone’s birthday takes some real commitment and shows a lot of love. Thanks for letting me sit on your (collective) wheel until I had to turn around at the Lighthouse. Hope I have friends as cool as yours someday.

–Pete

[dkel]

@guga31bb 77045 wrote:

This was really embarassing

Did any of those pedestrians even stop to ask if you were ok? Looked like they just glared and walked by!

[vvill]

@Vicegrip 77048 wrote:

I have done the same thing.

Yeah I’ve done it too. Luckily it only affected me when I got to where I was going – my car, so I leaned against it and undid the shoe from my foot. I left the shoe on the bike on the car for the drive home.

[oldbikechick]

@Vicegrip 77048 wrote:

I have done the same thing. Once I know the cleats are in the right place, one at a time so the position is not lost, I take the screws out one at a time and apply a little blue lock-tite.

Do I need to add this to the list of things I didn’t even know I had to worry about?
Or does this only happen with really elite shoes and pedals that I wouldn’t have?

[hozn]

@oldbikechick 77056 wrote:

Do I need to add this to the list of things I didn’t even know I had to worry about?
Or does this only happen with really elite shoes and pedals that I wouldn’t have?

If/when you adjust or replace your cleats (i.e. you re-tighten down the screws), it is a good idea to check up on them after the first ride. Cleat screws like to come loose. Loctite is a good idea, though I usually just use grease (to prevent the screws and plate from fusing/rusting together) and retighten them after install. It usually just requires one readjustment and then they are fine.

[dbb]

You: Motorist heading south on 15th just north of Independence

Me: Cyclist heading north on 15th.

The U turn on 15th so you could drive north instead of south was not particularly elegant. In a compact with no traffic you shouldn’t have to do a three point turn.

Turning onto Jefferson and pulling into the turnout by the CaBi station, I thought you might be getting your bearings.

The left turn onto 14th northbound from the right lane on Jefferson (straight and right turn arrows) was a nice maneuver. At least it increased the distance between us.

If only there was a requirement for some form of vehicle registration and driver licensing this sort of scofflawish behavior wouldn’t happen.

Oh, wait …

[scorchedearth]

You: Motorist driving down Holmes Run Parkway in Alexandria

Me: Cyclist about 100 metres from a left turn to get out of your way

Passing me dangerously along a narrow road fully crossing a double yellow approaching a speed bump wasn’t the wisest move. I would have been out of your way 10 seconds later. I hope your suspension holds up after you hit that speed bump at 20mph where ironically enough, I caught up with you. Try to mellow out next time, OK?

[creadinger]

@guga31bb 77045 wrote:

You: the cleat screw that has abandoned me for greener pleasures
Me: Unable to clip out in Georgetown when I found out the hard way something was missing from my cycling shoes

This was really embarassing

This happened to me in the fall, when I was breaking in my new shoes. I didn’t screw down my cleats enough and the got loose while I was riding. I realized this was happening, so when I got near my house I did laps on the nearby street until I could get the shoe off of my foot. Thankfully I didn’t have your experience.

[OneEighth]

@hozn 77057 wrote:

If/when you adjust or replace your cleats (i.e. you re-tighten down the screws), it is a good idea to check up on them after the first ride. Cleat screws like to come loose. Loctite is a good idea, though I usually just use grease (to prevent the screws and plate from fusing/rusting together) and retighten them after install. It usually just requires one readjustment and then they are fine.

Just another regular maintenance item. Honestly, you should give everything a periodic once over—bike and gear.
Plus one for grease instead of locktite.

[Anonymous]

Dear lady who tried to run over me last night in Old Town: good job stopping at the stop sign. However, the whole point of stopping is not just to stop but to give you a moment to double check and make sure no one else is already in the intersection before entering it yourself. Not such a good job there. And I’m really not sure how you could have missed seeing me, what with the headlight-that’s-been-mistaken-for-a-motorcycle, blinky blue bike glow and reflective bits scattered all over me and the bike. Oh, and me being RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

[consularrider]

@PeteD 77049 wrote:

You: Group of 5 guys who passed me on the outskirts of Bodden Town
Me: Dude in a poseur Alpe d’Huez jersey riding a Trek 7.2FX

Hope your friend had the bestest birthday and you all got a good breakfast. Riding 126 miles for someone’s birthday takes some real commitment and shows a lot of love. Thanks for letting me sit on your (collective) wheel until I had to turn around at the Lighthouse. Hope I have friends as cool as yours someday.
–Pete

What are we, chopped liver? I’m sure we can get a group together to ride 200 km on your birthday too, all you have to do is ask. Breakfast in Baltimore, the long way around?

[PotomacCyclist]

@guga31bb 77045 wrote:

You: the cleat screw that has abandoned me for greener pleasures
Me: Unable to clip out in Georgetown when I found out the hard way something was missing from my cycling shoes

This was really embarassing

Brings back some memories from my first week or two with clipless pedals. I tipped over like that maybe 3 or 4 times. But it had nothing to do with missing cleat screws with me. Just my newbie-ness.

(However, I did mess up the cleat screws once. First time I ever installed cleats myself. I tried it out indoors and promptly got the cleat stuck on the pedal, without the shoe.)

[dasgeh]

@oldbikechick 77056 wrote:

Do I need to add this to the list of things I didn’t even know I had to worry about?
Or does this only happen with really elite shoes and pedals that I wouldn’t have?

It’s a basic check that I keep forgetting to do — look at your cleats. I’m trying to get in the habit of doing a better bike and gear once over once a week, but alas, I’m always running late, so I never do it ;-( . Luckily, I’ve never fallen, but I have had to lean against a wall on the Custis to get my cleat out, then switch a screw over from my non-stopping foot to my stopping foot.

[Author]

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