The Get fit club!

[ioan]

I was on a multi-day ride with someone new to clippy pedals that fell over like that with a loaded down bike. We actually had to get the thing off him and untangle his feet. I'm mainly afraid of that plus the image of trip-trapping around like the billy goats gruff when I'm off the bike.

There are bike shoes that offer a rubber sole and have a recess for the spd cleats so you can walk normally with them. Really practical for both on and off the bike.

Edit: I see Mark has already cover this. Only that there are also other shoes that offer this not only mountain bike ones.

[ioan]

Both I think, the shoes isn't as good as my road shoe and spd pedals have much smaller contact area against the shoe which causes more pressure to the foot.

It is mainly the shoes. I have the same issue after riding more than 2 hours. The problem is that the sole does not support your metatarsal bones and these 'collapse' during the ride, especially after increased effort and will clip your nerves which gives you that awful pain and impression that your foot are falling asleep.
What you need to do is get shoes that are better suited for your feet.

[janneppi]

What you need to do is get shoes that are better suited for your feet.

I have really good road shoes, Specialized Comp somethings, stiff carbon sole, light and comfortable. My mtb shoes are Bontrager Something somethings, which aren't nearly as good.
The problem is that most shops in Finland only keep stock in children's sizes(both shoes I have are size 49 ) and I'm not keen on getting shoes without trying them first.
I have been looking at some web shops for Specialized Rime shoes, but at the moment they cost way too much.

[janneppi]

Pih, 90 minutes of mountainbiking with my brother. 25C isn't the optimal temperature to go riding on very technical trails. Average HR was 138 and max 170bbm.

It felt we were walking more than riding in some sections, you had to be Dougie bloody Lampking to clear the boulder fields. Fortunately last third was very good trails and I discovered a new area to ride 10 minutes from home.

[airshifter]

Pih, 90 minutes of mountainbiking with my brother. 25C isn't the optimal temperature to go riding on very technical trails. Average HR was 138 and max 170bbm.

It felt we were walking more than riding in some sections, you had to be Dougie bloody Lampking to clear the boulder fields. Fortunately last third was very good trails and I discovered a new area to ride 10 minutes from home.

At least you found a new area to ride at.

I found a trail yesterday and explored it. Very short, lots of logs, and more bugs than you could shake off with a fire! I'd actually enjoy if I could find some decent single track or technical areas to ride at.

On the up side while exploring one far end of a trail I did flush a deer out from about 15 feet away.

[janneppi]

Considering I live in a more densely populated area just north of Helsinki it's a wonder there is so much forest still left. I'm on single track in less than 5 minutes from my apartment and I can get 2-3 hours of riding without doing same trails twice, and not having to venture much into people yards.

[Mark]

Doesn't sound heavily populated at all.

110km in 'desolate' Northumberland for me today

[Big Ben]

I did it , I finally did it. Me so happy :. 21 km in 2h last night. I didn't think it'd be that hard tbh. It was just 3 km over my previous longest run but somehow it felt like my legs were gonna fall off when I finished

[janneppi]

Doesn't sound heavily populated at all.

110km in 'desolate' Northumberland for me today

This is the area where I live, pretty much all of the local trails are in these three woodland areas surrounded by roads or housing areas.
http://goo.gl/maps/LIv5l

Today was the first day I rode to work since late June, morning ride was hell, my legs were still asleep. But in the afternoon I could do a 32km ride back home.

[Gregor-y]

I rode 40 Miles along the lake yesterday getting used to the new bike. I think the reach is too much since my neck shoulders ache a bit this morning. I already have a smaller stem on order and still want to lower the handlebars a bit, too. Once the fenders and racks go on it'll become my regular commuter and I can stop carrying things on my back and sweating so much.

Now that it's done I want to go and build another bike, taking advantage of all the lessons learned and using a nicer frame, components, and so on. Instead I really should devote that money to better camping equipment and planning some decent trips. I've got friends in towns 150 and 250 miles away that make feasible destinations, plus I need to plan my trip from Pittsburgh, or more importantly how to get myself and the bike to the start. Long distance trains all require bikes to be packaged and that seems to be the biggest stumbling block.