Try and snub me now roadies, I dare you, I double dog dare you!
- Helmet ?
- Ryders ?
- Jersey ?
- Arm warmers ?
- Gloves ?
- Padded cycling shorts ?
- Road bike ?
- Clip-in shoes ?
Two weekends ago I bought my very first pair of clip-in shoes and today was the first opportunity I had of using them outside. The shoes were the last accessory I needed to conquer that oh-so-coveted, and yet so snobbishly reserved roadie wave. For three years now I’ve been doing everything in my power to get that wave, but for three years I’ve been snubbed. Sure I’d get the odd one here and there, but for the most part, them roadies made it as though I didn’t even exist. I waved, nothing. I smiled, nothing. I made eye contact, nothing. Snobs, I say, snobs!
But I would not be deterred, oh no. It was a challenge my friends, I was going to get that wave no matter how much it cost me – physically and literally!
When I first started down this cycling path, it was on a Dahan fold-up bike, a great little bike with 24 gears, three rings, did everything a “real” road bike does, even took me as far as Horseshoe Bay one day, which was 80 km of hill hell, but my Dahan, she got me there. The only difference was she folded up; apparently that wasn’t couth with the cycling snobs. So, not long after purchasing my Dahan, I upgraded to my Kona Zing. And still no waves. I then bought a pair of butt accentuating (my butt does NOT need anymore accentuating) padded cycling shorts. Nothing. I got the cyclist sunglasses, had the cycling socks, the jersey, the arm warmers, the jacket, everything but the shoes. Today, I had those shoes.
TODAY’S RIDE:
- 10 a.m. BG before: 10.1
- Temp. basal: -80 per cent (4 hours)
- Distance: 70.12 km (New West-UBC-New West)
- Average speed: 20.5
- Time: 3:21:39
- 3 p.m. BG after: 10.0
- Temp. basal: +50 per cent (4 hours)
Today wasn’t the first time I’ve ridden with clip-in pedals. The first time was back in October, when I rode the cobbles of Belgium with Mario and my cousins, where riding in sneakers was not acceptable. And it was okay, I was pretty good at it for the most part; I didn’t fall over. So with that fairly successful experience, you’d figure I’d be good to go for today, right. Wrong. I was totally freaking out, and rightfully so. While I didn’t fall over, I came close at one point, having to smash my bike repeatedly against my leg to break free of the connection; there were several times where I couldn’t get my foot clipped in for the life of me; and there were a couple of occasions, where because I couldn’t get my foot clipped back in, I wasn’t even through the traffic light before it had already changed back to red again. Awesome.
Totally sucking up this hill and not impressed with Mario’s camera in my face!
And the fact that he made it look so bloody easy in his fancy schmancy, super fast, super new, sexy Lapierre didn’t irritate me at all … note the sarcasm!
I know the theory behind clip-in shoes, that they’re supposed to make you a more efficient cyclist, that they’re supposed to make you work more for more, and that cyclists “apparently” really do fall in love with them, but you know, the thoughts going through my head for about 90 per cent of that ride, went a little like this: Forget the bloody wave, I’m happy being the lazy girl cyclist!
I most definitely deserved this ever-so-tasty lunch at Mahoney’s; the only missing was the beer!
Of these athletic types – runners, cyclists, triathletes, pole walkers – which would you classify the nicest, the snobbiest, the weirdest, the bestest?