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Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1
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In previous races, I put on my helmet, grabbed my shoes and bike and ran barefoot to the mount line. From there, I brushed off any debris from my feet, put on my shoes w/o closing the straps, hopped on the bike and rode away. Once clear from other riders, I closed the shoe straps.

Pre-clipping shoes. This year, I'd like to practice pre-clipping my shoes. I'm using the Louis Garneau Tri-300 (it has loops for attaching rubber bands). I'm concerned about attaching certain rubber bands, then as I pedal, snapping them, if the rubber bands will get caught in the drivetrain. Has this happened to you? What type of rubber bands, or other device, do you use? Or, is the time savings so minute that it's not worth it?

Bike mounting. Having your shoes set up this way, how do you mount the bike - flying mount or the usual stop and swing your leg over?

Share any anecdotes from things you've seen with this setup where you or someone else didn't fair so well. Thanks!
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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I have done flying mounts for about 5 years now. The best advice I can give is to practice it a ton. Some of my teammates would use rubber bands in races, but we never used them in practice, as it is a real pain to put new ones on every single time. I have not heard any stories of rubber bands interfering with the drivetrain.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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There are 3 things involved here.

1) pre clipping shoes - Yes, you should always do this (if allowed by the race rules), it is much faster.

2) mounts - A flying mount (if done right) will also be even faster, but it must be learned and practiced. But if you're not quite ready for that, you can still start with a standing mount as you get used to all of this. A standing mount is still pretty fast because putting your bare feet on top of your shoes is easy and very fast. The rubber bands do work quite well but I tend to put one on only on my non-driveside (heel of L shoe to L side rear QR lever) With a few decades of doing this, I have never had any problems or issues with the rubber band getting anywhere near my drivetrain.

3) And do not forget - Practice getting your feet into your shoes (and snugged) in incremental steps while riding and looking where you are going and still controlling your bike. This is very very important. Because some athletes crash doing this. Others just weave like crazy. Not good. A crash will kill all of your time gains and might end your race, or worse.

Give it a shot, but practice everything in a safe controlled environment first.

Greg @ dsw

Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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I did a video a while back on how I like to mount and dismount the bike it's but it is long! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tMtNT5apaWs

As for rubber bands I have had them get stuck in the cassette but it's not been a particular issue i.e I just pull them out at the end of the race shifting not affected.

Iain

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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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As mentioned, practice a lot! A flying mount with shoes in is faster if done right, much slower if done wrong. It also depends a bit on the course (ex. it doesn't work as well if there is a steep hill out of T1).

Note that the athletes in the video are professionals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRKajY5GlyI

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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Rubber bands: the thinnest ones I can find. FedEx has good ones by the copy machines :)

Personally, I stop and swing my leg over. I have my right shoe/pedal at 12 o'clock and my left shoe/pedal at 6 o'clock. I run with my bike on my right side (I'm left of the bike). Once I get past the mount line I get my hands on the basebar, swing my right leg over the back of the saddle, and my right foot goes right into my shoe. Not on top of my shoe. Into the shoe. I then push off with my left foot and push down on the right pedal and as the bike is moving forward I get my left foot on top of the left shoe/pedal. Pedal a bit to get up some speed, right foot at six o'clock, slip my left foot into the left shoe and tighten velcro. Pedal a bit more. Left foot at six o'clock tighten velcro on right foot.

My forward motion only stops for about a second... two max... and I don't risk fumbling a true "flying mount". I've seen Caroline Steffen mount this way a few times so I kind of picked it up off of watching her. It's not as fast as a true flying mount but I'm not good enough for two seconds to count :)
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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The "flying" mount is overrated. Clip your shoes in and instead of jumping, step onto the left pedal with your left foot not breaking stride... There's no need to get chaotic with the overzealous jump.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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I never use rubber bands with my shoes clipped in. When I run with the bike out of T1 even if one sides shoe drags its never been a problem. I find it much easier to run fast barefoot out of transition. As far as flying mount , it's a no-go. I am 47 and prefer to keep all my front teeth!!
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Iain Gillam] [ In reply to ]
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Iain Gillam wrote:
I did a video a while back on how I like to mount and dismount the bike it's but it is long! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tMtNT5apaWs

As for rubber bands I have had them get stuck in the cassette but it's not been a particular issue i.e I just pull them out at the end of the race shifting not affected.

Iain

Great tips, Iain! That's cool that you also included an aerial view of your bike mount. Breathtaking landscape! Great tip on mounting and dismounting on the non-drive side.

I also watched Episode 2 long version. Got something out of the shoe lace for a race belt idea. More streamlined than most race belts I've used in past races. Currently using a Nathan one that is a beefier version of a shoe lace, plus a buckle. Going to try your tip of using multiple pins to keep that race number completely flush. Long for the day when races will do away with race numbers on a belt.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [neutron95] [ In reply to ]
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Roger that on practicing. Seen enough videos of people falling at the mount line that makes me wonder if they ever practiced beforehand.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [DarkSpeedWorks] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the tip on putting a rubber band just on the non-drive side. Will give that a try, and as you said, PRACTICE.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Titanflexr] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah, flying mount done wrong is much slower...and much more painful if you land wrong!

That video is practically slapstick. Poor girls should have practiced!
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [GreenPlease] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the tip. Will have to practice this Steffen move.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [cloy26] [ In reply to ]
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I like your idea of just stepping on the left pedal and swing your other leg over. Some look pretty smooth doing a flying mount right. I just keep thinking of how bad a flying mount can hurt when done wrong.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [KSP] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the tips. One reason I want to try the rubber bands is to prevent my shoes from getting chewed up when they scuff the pavement going to the mount line. However, it's going to happen when dismounting and running to T2.

You're right on running barefoot out of T1 (and 2). First half IM I did I put my shoes on and clip clopped all the way to the mount line. So awkwardly slow! Next tri I did, I grabbed my shoes and bike and ran barefoot to the mount line. Much easier and faster. I passed several people who were tap dancing their way to the mount line.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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Practice mounts & dismounts in grass at low speeds like cyclocross riders do. Once you get this down, add the rubber bands and such.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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I did the pre-clipping before.. Its easier during practice... and very hard when you're very tired after a 1.1 or 2.2 mile swim..... Keep that in mind.
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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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Recoverie wrote:
Iain Gillam wrote:
I did a video a while back on how I like to mount and dismount the bike it's but it is long! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tMtNT5apaWs

As for rubber bands I have had them get stuck in the cassette but it's not been a particular issue i.e I just pull them out at the end of the race shifting not affected.

Iain

Great tips, Iain! That's cool that you also included an aerial view of your bike mount. Breathtaking landscape! Great tip on mounting and dismounting on the non-drive side.

I also watched Episode 2 long version. Got something out of the shoe lace for a race belt idea. More streamlined than most race belts I've used in past races. Currently using a Nathan one that is a beefier version of a shoe lace, plus a buckle. Going to try your tip of using multiple pins to keep that race number completely flush. Long for the day when races will do away with race numbers on a belt.

Thank you! On the number belt front I did an ITU event a few years back that ditched them and sort of hoped it might catch on for the the rest of their events but it didn't sadly. That being said if you're a keen follower of the Specialized 'win tunnel' videos then The number belt didn't seem to make a drag difference when tested - provided it was minimal.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cRfMOdzF2SM

Iain

Training Full Time in 2015: http://www.triopensource.com
http://www.facebook.com/iaingillamracing http://www.twitter.com/iaingillam
https://www.youtube.com/...9JYCrOLP34Qtgp5w1WsA

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Re: Pre-clipping shoes & bike mounting in T1 [Recoverie] [ In reply to ]
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As long as you can run in your bike shoes, I don't think there's much to gain from shoes on the bike. If you have your bike shoes set out well in transition it takes 3-4 secs to get them on. I usually find I make this up when I go flying past all the people wobbling and weaving along trying to get their feet in the pedals. In a drafting race where it's vital to get in the right pack it makes a lot of sense, but otherwise I'd not bother.

I might be influenced by my experience at IM Austria where I rode into a bush at the side of the course coming out of transition while trying to get my feet in the shoes :-) luckily there was a big crowd watching.
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