shoes already clipped in

I don't have a link to a video, but I've got two thoughts.  First, keep practicing, set aside 10 minutes or so before your rides and just repeat until it feels more natural.  Second, don't be in too much of a rush.  I watched the Chicago Triathlon last year, and it seemed like some of the pro's were away and off into the distance out of T1 with their feet on top of their shoes before they began to fasten in.  Pedal in an easy gear for 20 or 30 seconds to get cruising.  You're much more stable leaning over and reaching to fasten the strap(s) when you have some forward momentum.  Even if it takes you a minute to get both in, a minute at 15 mph gets you out and on your way without sacrificing much in terms of timing.  Pedal 20-30 seconds, get one foot in, tighten, pedal another 20-30 seconds and get the other foot in.  Practice, repeat and you'll get there.

Do you have triathlon shoes (one velcro strap, opens away from drivetrain, no tongue, heel loop) or road cycling shoes? Makes a huge difference...

I watched people try to do that at a race last weekend (I was volunteering) It seemed more of a hassle than it was worth... so many people had to stop and put on their shoes.  There was one guy whose shoe fell off the pedal... several shoes got turned under the pedal, and got stuck between the bike and the road... I didn't see anyone fall - so that's good... but I'd say 75-90% of the people who tried it FAILED... not very good odds if you ask me...

The successful ones, got their foot put on top of the shoe and pedaled FAST up the hill to where I couldn't see them actually get their foot in the shoe (I'm assuming they were successful at that point)

I'd make sure you were FULLY practiced and SUCCESSFUL about 95-100% of the time before trying it in a race, because it could backfire and slow you down. JMHO.

I'm a newbie at the sport, but just wanted to share my observations...

Good for you for trying it and asking questions - that's a start!

Ditto ^^^ but wear the strap opens doesn't matter.

You need to get up to speed before trying to get into them.  It may take a minute or two for that to happen, but you want to be cruising before you start to do it.  I've made the mistake of trying to get into them too quickly and ended up losing places to people in my AG as a result (caught a few later in the bike, but lost a placing by less than :20 one time that was probably a result of trying to get into them too soon).

That, and practice.

Not sure why not, since you're pedaling to get up to speed and the strap opening toward the drive train could get caught in there, and also can't open as wide as the ones that open away. But it doesn't really matter since most tri shoes are made to open away.

yes, they open away....

biggest problem is sliding my foot inside the shoe smoothly on 1st attempt.

also, is this practive legal in all races?  I thought I recall reading on one of the races websites that it is not allowed, but saw people doing it? 

Some races have started prohibiting it because too many people that haven't practiced it and/or have no idea what they are doing try to put their feet in their shoes right after crossing the mount line and fall over and or swerve into other people trying to get on their bikes.

Not sure why not, since you're pedaling to get up to speed and the strap opening toward the drive train could get caught in there, and also can't open as wide as the ones that open away. But it doesn't really matter since most tri shoes are made to open away.

Don't unclip your shoes until you pack for your next race. Make every single mount a flying mount and every single dismount one out of your shoes. You'll end up with a really good idea how to do it and what you need to do to make it happen.

People who are trying to get into their shoes at or just over the mount line really gum up the works. Don't do that

Funny, you'd figure that one of the top selling, best designed (by Peter Reid no less), and kick azz shoes out there would have stuck with the "opens out" rule if that were the case .........





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Seems like they do "stick out" since nearly every other brand opens the other way. Not sure why that makes Specialized right (no matter who designed them) and everyone else wrong.

Looks to me like the big strap on these shoes DOES open to the outside.  The small strap on the toe opens to the inside (I don't open the small toe strap).  So Pete's shoes are like all the others.

I have those shoes.. a couple of years old, but the open away from the bike,,    they also have a small notch to ensure the strap stays open (well somewhat)  love those shoes

My take on the Specialized shoes pictured above:

1) The lower strap is probably a "set it and forget it" kind of strap to customize the fit of the lower part of the shoe.  You probably don't have to open/close it every time.

2) The "bend"/"hinge" on the upper strap is waaaaay over on the outside of the shoe.  In the case of the picture, it's on the LEFT side of the left shoe, as opposed to more on the right (instep) side of the left shoe on most popular road shoe designs.  This means that the flap, if open, really won't stick out towards the inside of the shoe.  It also means that you are closing the flap by pulling outward/away from the bike, which is nice - I know on my Shimano TR-50s I have to stick my arm in between my leg and the bike, which is a bit awkward.  Not a bad concept.

I've been doing that on most of my rides this year.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to apologize to my left testicle. My first attempt at the flying mount resulted in a grave miscalculation of package placement. Five year of cycling, and I end up dry heaving and nearly unconscious not from cracking my head on the pavement but from a shot to the jewels. Nice.

Maybe you should design a different type of cycling helmet...

I googled something to try to post a funny picture of said type of helmet. I am deeply afraid of what that turned up.

The straps open the same way - both top and bottom - cinch to the outside, open by pulling towards the bike.  More often than not the bottom is a "set it and forget it" design.  I don't touch the bottom one on mine in races except for really long events (and then I do it when I'm already moving).

Not saying it is a perfect design, simply that perhaps the most popular and best selling shoe out there designed for triathletes by a triathlete doesn't cinch to the inside - which to me means it is not a "necessary" attribute.

And if your rack is right near the bike out/mount line I would simply suggest putting on your shoes first and then mounting.  Seriously, you don't save that much time and it is close to a wash with putting them on in transition and trying to get into them on the bike.  Do what feels best and bottom line is ... if you don't have tri specific shoes, I definitely recommend them .... regardless of "where the strap falls."

Yep, read where one rd had the bikes checked and any shoes that were clipped in were not that way after the swim...

Love to see that article if you can find it. Any idea his rationale? Perfectly legal to have your shoes clipped in, seems like his transition crew would be better focused on other things than screwing with the participants' bikes and transition set-up.

That might very well happen until the first item shows up missing from the transition area, "But you'll notice the RD was allowing anyone to move equipment even knowing it wasn't the person moving it..."

That'll go over like a lead balloon.