Going backwards

[byegad]

No real issue, the shim is so thin and you should have got some with the pedals and cleats. If not, try cutting a footprint of a removed cleat from a small piece of a postcard, cut out the holes for the bolts and try it.

Or you could spend vast amounts of money on a reverse gear set up, it can be done but it won't be easy.

 

[markg0vbr]

ball of string and a big brick, affix string to brick, throw brick over shoulder and wind string in.

i have had to put a shim "12mm of it" under one cleat as i have one leg longer than the other, any thing will do, but when you get new shoes they normally have the cut out bit of the sole held in with two bolts in to a metal plat on the inside of the shoe the cleats normally have the same metal plate on them when you get them.
so with slightly longer bolts you should be able to put one plate on the out side under the cleat and one on the inside like it should be.

 

[starhawk]

A ball of string and a brick isn't such an axpensive proposition is it

Couldn't find any suitable shims, but the shoes had four holes and I had placed the cleats in the back position, moved them to the forward position and made a mental note on where the cleats where in relation to certain features on the top of the shoe, then walked to the garage and tried it out, It seems a bit easier now

 

[byegad]

Still I'd suggest, cleats fully back and a shim. For goodness sake, just try it! If it doesn't work for you at least you tried it.

OR else go for hugely expensive and engineeringwise complex revere gear.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Hmm...even though I dropped out of my engineering degree many many years ago, this thread has me instantly mentally desiging a setup for trikes and quads with fixed sprockets and a freewheeling chainring setup with a fixed small ring and freewheeling middle and large rings (no need for freewheeling in smallest climbing gears, no need for high gears in reverse)

Small problem it would need to be pedalled forwards a couple of feet to drop the chain onto the small ring in order to engage reverse, and would not be "idiot-proof" if the rider tried to change hears during a reverse

Yep, it's probably a good thing I dropped out

 

[classic33]

Where I park the trike at work is a slight incline, I just sit and it rolls backwards Then the other week, someone asked me how I selected reverse gear as they couldn't see a specific lever!

At least I'm not the only person to be asked that question.

 

[classic33]

Following on from sheffield tigers suggestion, there is this bit if you feel like having a go yourself

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Retro-Direct

 

[BentMikey]

If clipping in and out is difficult, and assuming your equipment is set up correctly, then more practice is needed. It's easily possible to get to the stage where it becomes second nature and you're hardly having to think about it, especially using SPD MTB type pedals and cleats.

 

[starhawk]

Following on from sheffield tigers suggestion, there is this bit if you feel like having a go yourself

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Retro-Direct

Interesting thing but in the end you just have a bicycle with two gears forward

 

[starhawk]

Came up with a solution: As I have a electric-assisted trike, buy another motor wheel mount it "backwards" on one of the front positions and a switch to turn it on, but I heard someone say that the motor wheel doesn't like going backwards and I don't think the problem is worth it ( expensive wheel and tricky installation)

 

[classic33]

Interesting thing but in the end you just have a bicycle with two gears forward

"Usually the second sprocket is larger, which provides the cyclist a lower gear for climbing steep inclines simply by pedaling backwards. While most historical examples of retro-direct bicycles used the reverse gear for climbing, several modern retro-direct riders prefer climbing while pedaling forward and engaging the higher, cruising gear while pedaling backwards."

Provided the freewheel is facing the opposite way to normal or by using a fixed, it will give a reverse gear.

 

[andrew_s]

Provided the freewheel is facing the opposite way to normal or by using a fixed, it will give a reverse gear.

A reverse freewheel will prevent any progress at all, as will fixed.
When being pedalled either way, the non-driving sprocket is freewheeling in the regular direction to return the chain to the chainring.

A retrodirect on Paris-Brest-Paris 2007 (1913 Hirondelle)