Monday, May 9, 2011

SPDを履く - Wearing SPD Shoes

自転車のペダルの話ですが、SPDペダルというのは専用靴の底に取り付けた金具と噛み合わせてロックさせるシステムです。僕も長年のトウ・クリップをやめて、ようやく自転車にこれを取り付けました。シマノPD-A520の中古品です。そこでその初体験報告。

SPDにするということは、自転車の主要目的がちょっとそこまで買い物とかではなく、遠乗りのためとなるわけで、僕もそのパラダイム・シフトをまさに意識した。まずはSPDシューズだが、最初はペダルと合わせてシマノかなと思っていたけど、買ったのはイタリアのVittoria 1976モデル。カンペールと雰囲気が似ているので気に入った。ただ靴表面の皮に通気用の穴がいくつも開いているので、雨の中では使えない。 そしてこれで歩くと靴底の金具が鳴るのでタップダンスの靴みたいだ。

SPDにすると停車時に足を抜き損ねてみんな何度かは転倒すると言われていて、そのためまずロック&リリースの練習をするのだが、これは一番緩いロック設定で何ら違和感なくできた。もう少し設定をきつくした方がロック時の靴の遊びが少なくなるか知れない。リリースはかかとを外側にひねるのだが、靴がゆるいとこれがうまく行かない。ペダルと靴を一体化しても、靴と足が一体になっていなければ意味がないということ。タイトフィットする靴をしっかり選ぶ必要がある。僕はインソールを2重にしている。

ペダルを漕ぐというのは、普通は左右交互に踏み込む動作だが、SPDでは遊んでいる側の足も引き揚げて推進力を加算できるので、これまでより回転性の動作になる。これはすぐにはコツがつかめないようで、しばらく訓練が要りそうだ。

さてそれではと、信号や坂道で実際に停止などしながら走ってみる。「カチャッ」とロックに入る音が何とも小気味よい。 停車前にリリースもちゃんとできるし、取り敢えずこれなら倒れる気がしない。もうこれは手放せないなあ。


A topic of bicycle pedals. SPD is the locking system that bites the metal piece attached on the specific shoe sole. Now I have installed it in my bicycle after all the years with toe clips! The pedals are Shimano PD-A520 (used). Here is my brief impression report below:

When you bring SPD in, it means the main purpose of your bicycle is no more such things like just a short ride to shops in town, but rather long tour rides. This paradigm shift was exactly what I intended. First of all, the SPD shoes. In the beginning, I thought of Shimano products to companion with the pedals, but I bought Vittoria 1976 model from Italy as I liked the design that reminds me of Camper. The shoes had many ventilation holes on the leather surface and may not suit in the rainy condition. Walking with this pair, the steps will click just like tap-dance shoes.

It is always cautioned that everybody will inevitably fell down a few times with SPD failing to release the lock when the bike stops, so the first thing we do is to practice locking/releasing repeatedly. I managed it quite easily with the lock setting at the loose position. Setting it tighter, it might reduce the play of the shoes on the pedal. The release action is simply to twist the heel outward, but if your shoes are loose, the action may not be executed firmly. While the pedals and the shoes are securely unified, missing a tight joint between your feet and the shoes will collaps the entire methodology. Therefore a careful choice of shoes for a tight fit with the feet is essential. I use two layers of insoles to improve the fitting.

Pedaling usually means to push left and right down alternatively, but with SPD you can pull up the resting leg to add the driving force, so the movement will be more rotational than pistonic. It is not easy to master the movement and I felt the need for some exercise.

Well then, out to the streets to try stops and runs at the signals and the slopes! The click sound is so comfortable when the shoe is locked. The releases were flawless before the stops, and I had no fears and worries about felling. I can no more do without SPD now...

2 comments:

Austrian said...

Funny that we're experiencing similar things around the same time! I just equipped my second bike with similar SPD pedals (I've had shoes and pedals for my first bike for some time). I must echo your comments about the initial difficulty about entry/exit (I fell a couple of times myself). However now, after about a year of using them I wouldn't be without them! The change in power application is profound. I live on a hill, so coming home after 20 or 30 miles is always the hardest part. With push/pull power to the pedals it makes it MUCH easier!

fouchic said...

Interesting as I live on a hill, too. The slope may not be as long as yours, but it still is a killer for me to finish the run back home.