Yes the Vendetta is fast...But it's nimble too!

[Rick Youngblood]

I captured this footage yesterday (2-22-2015).

We talk all the about the Vendetta being fast. It has been proved time and time again. Looking back at the last couple of weekends, it's amazing seeing what Maria, Jim, Larry, Ben, Charlie, and me (well maybe not me), can accomplish!

Well this video is a tribute to just how slow and nimble the vendetta can be too, if you need be. here I'm weaving my way through a congested Sundial Bridge that has a deck made out of glass. The deck is slick especially in early morning. Traffic on the bridge is not bad on this pass, but can get quite crowded.

 

[Wannabe]

Yes fast and nimble!  just

Yes fast and nimble! just like my Silvio is also... but a wee bit faster. I like my frog pedals. I bet you do too!
Thanks for the video, I hope to be riding again soon. Was that in the Houston Area? How long of a route is it?

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Redding Northern California

Redding Northern California area. The trail is little more than 20 miles, starts at the Mt Shasta Redding Mall, and ends at the Shasta Dam. Follows the Sacramento River, very scenic and fun, with lots of wildlife. It's included in most of my rides, I live 1/4 mile from a trail head.

Love the Frogs, but they are hacked/reversed. A little trick I learned from Ratz.

 

[Eric Winn]

Rick stop posting these

Rick stop posting these alluring riding videos it is making me want to relocate to Redding. Especially now since I'm warmth deprived - it is 2F as I write this...

-Eric

 

[Wannabe]

Amen Eric!  It is 35 and

Amen Eric! It is 35 and raining here. Worst winter in a long time. Plus we have no dedicated place such as that to ride. Something has to change!!!

Rick, please explain the hack on the frogs why, etc etc. I can probably never catch you guys, but I can at least give it a go!

 

[ratz]

Frog Hack

Frog Hack.

Remove the two screws. Pry the pedals apart with a knife. Swap the spindles Left<-->Right and re-assemble. Yes grease will make a mess. But they are meant to come appart for repair.

Now you have two pedals that will disengage left or right; This gives you much more float and simple clip in and out. You feet will not pop out when riding. And you knees will love it.

The Frogs are "one way" by design so that mountain bikers can push there heels in; to prevent unclipping during stunts and jumps. On a recumbent that's not needed and this hack lets you disable that without modifying the pedals in a non reversible way.

I we have 6 pairs of them hacked this way with many miles and no problems.

That said I do ride speedplay zeros on my fastest bikes and frogs on all the rest; that more about the shoes than the pedals. Still haven't found a suitbly stiff MTB shoe that I like; although give the quality my New DMC road shoes I may just try their MTB shoe. That shoe is a steal at it price and quality;I suspect their MTB might be equally good if it's stiff enough.

 

[Rampa]

I didn't know that trail was 20 miles!

Dang! Might just have to come up from Chico to check it out. Sadly, No Vendetta But a recumbent, at least!

 

[snilard]

When you are talking about

When you are talking about Frogs. A have to ask

Ho often do you replace grease inside pedals bearing?
I was using Shimano SPD and I was changing grease once a year and old grease was still ok. I have bought Frog last summer and I have to add grease nearly every 2 weeks if I use it regularly. There is written that you should regrease pedals if it spins freely in the manual. After every regreasing and first ride there is huge grease excess on pedal axle. Is this ok?
I also have to clean and lube pedal and cleats surfaces regularly.
I like Frogs but don't like this need to take about it. So I am thinking about some alternative with some float but without this maintenance requirements.

 

[ratz]

2500 kilometers should be fine

Frogs where meant for Mountain bikers running in dirt; mud; and slamming down hills. They are severely over greased. If you do the hack you would quickly see how much in there; it's more of a weather seal to keep the bearing cartridge free of water and dirt. On a recumbent you aren't going to put them through that sort of abuse. Every 2500 kilometers should be enough. They do weep grease out the spindle you can correct that by cracking the pedal and re-sealing the seam with silcone; I tend not to worry about it and just wipe it down.

 

[LarryOz]

Rick - will you adopt me??

Then I can move out to Redding and ride with Dad, in nice weather all the time.
All our ice just melted away yesterday from our sub-zero temps in NC the week before.
Of course is/was not as bad as others have it way up North! Eric, Ratz, Alex, Thom, etc, etc.
Now - woke up to 2 more inches of snow, and still coming down!

 

[1happyreader]

Winter torture

Spring is on its way,,, I heard frogs last night.

 

[Wannabe]

I want to be adopted as well.

I want to be adopted as well. Will work for food and fancy bike parts.

 

[snilard]

Bob, thanks for your

Bob, thanks for your experience.
I don't think that Frogs are well designed do deal with dirt. I have got bad experience with dirt in cleats. I stepped into field and filled whole cleat and sole with dirt. I had to use some stick to get it out of the cleat to be able to ride. Than I has to clean cleats and pedals by water and paper towel to clip in. After this emergency cleaning, clipping was very hard to recognize. So I have to disassemble and clean cleats by brush and water at home.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Hey I'm not old enough to be

Hey I'm not old enough to be a dad!

Got locked out of posting last night by the anti-spam. Bob, thanks for stepping in and explaining the Frog-hack.

Yikes, watching the weather back east...well simply put, I feel guilty that we are have mid-June spring type weather.

 

[ratz]

Matej,
That's really odd;

Matej,

That's really odd; first time I've heard someone say that; the cleat is only 1 of 2 self cleaning ones I've ever seen that works; Eat beaters being the other MTB favorite.

I have been know to stop in the occasional corns field; get my shoes very muddy and then clip right back in.

I wonder if any of these are true:

1) If you shoe cleats are worn out
2) They are missing the press bar "little metal strip that goes under the cleat lock" that need on curved sole shoes.
3) They are on the shoe with the opening pointed to the heel rather than the toe.
4) The offset adjustment screw on the cleat is set too tight.

If you get a chance post a pick and may be one of us might spot something.

Did you get them new or "used"; I once got a pair of "zeroes" from ebay that were suppose to be new; that turn out to be a bad deal they were refurbed by someone and never did click in properly on both sides.

 

[snilard]

Bob,
my pedals was about two

Bob,

my pedals was about two months old when this happened. Cleat was OK, with little metal strip, in correct direction and adjustment screw untouched by me. I have bought it new from chainreactioncycles.com. When it is clean I can feel and hear click when correctly clipped in. But when it is muddy there is no click sound. I have kicked my handlebar by my tibia when I was not clipped is but didn't know about it, it is really painful.
I have change cleats position last evening. I will see if it is better.

 

[ratz]

That sure sounds correct

Matej,

That sure sounds correct. You might do better with the hack setup; that does improve the click in.

 

[Happyrider]

Eggbeaters

I ride with eggbeaters and really like their 4-sided entry, enough float (though not as much as some), light weight and zero maintenance in the 4 or 5 years I've had them (albeit only on surfaced roads).

 

[snilard]

I have done Bob's hack with

I have done Bob's hack with Speedplay Frog pedals. I have ridden it two times and I am switching back. It may be useful on MBB bike with smooth crank arms but on my RWD recumbent with edges on cranks I cannot use it. When I am sprinting I am sometimes hitting crank with my heel. I have damaged my boots. It is only cosmetics damage after two rides but I don't want to risk real damage.