shifting with mx boots

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mattb348

Member

Aug 2, 2005

204

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• Aug 19, 2005

• #1

I started wearing mx boots for the first time recently (fox forma pro's) and I noticed that everything feels different now, as in shifting and braking. My question is this: are you supposed to use the little metal lip on the tip of the boots to shift? or use the actual toe?

Currently I am using the actual toe of the boot to shift, but its so thick that sometimes I miss gears becuase my boot holds the shifting lever up so high that it isn't able to upshift when I push up, becuase it never went down all the way.

Also, my feet actually get stuck under the shifter sometimes!
The only way around this I have found is to always keep my foot pointed down.

Unfortunetly I have been messing up alot of awesome wheelies lately becuase of it not shifting when its up in a wheelie. I am on pavement and go from 1st to 2nd in a wheelie, but almost always miss 3rd (and ruin a great wheelie) becuase of this issue.

Any suggestions? am I sposed to just be using the steel lip on the tip of the boot to shift or something?

 

ellandoh

dismount art student

~SPONSOR~

Mi. Trail Riders

Aug 29, 2004

2,958

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• Aug 19, 2005

• #2

adjust the shift lever yet??

 

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bcVulcan

Member

Nov 13, 2002

241

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• Aug 19, 2005

• #3

ellandoh said:

adjust the shift lever yet??

Click to expand...

Yeah, especially if you have big feet. Whenever I try to ride a bike that the shifter is not raised a notch, I have trouble too.

 

S

Sawblade

Timmy Timmy Timmy!

Sep 24, 2000

1,491

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• Aug 20, 2005

• #4

New boots take a few rides to break in. It always takes me 2 or 3 rides to get used to a new pair of boots.

 

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mattb348

Member

Aug 2, 2005

204

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• Aug 20, 2005

• Thread starter
• #5

I'm gonna try raising the shifter a notch; that shoud do the trick.

I don't have big feet :)

I don't think I'm gonna get used to riding with my foot pointing diagnally down just to be able to shift. Its so tight that my boot actually gets stuck under the damn shifter LOL.

Raising the shifter a notch seems like the only option.

No one answered my question though: are you supposed to use the metal lip on the end of the boots to shift? it doesn't seem like it would even be able to catch the shifter :)

 

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lithium

Member

Apr 10, 2005

109

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• Aug 20, 2005

• #6

Yeah, when i got new boots, i had to adjust the shift lever. It was that or total hell when it came to shifting.

 

darringer

LIFETIME SPONSOR

Dec 2, 2001

1,029

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• Aug 20, 2005

• #7

Raise the shifter one notch and use your toe to shift, not the metal toe protector. With new boots, it will be a little uncomfortable until you get used to it.

 

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SpeedyManiac

Member

Aug 8, 2000

2,374

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• Aug 20, 2005

• #8

I use the main part above my toe to shift. Hammerhead designs (?) sells extended shifter tips if you want to move it closer or farther from the footpeg.

 

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tyesai

Member

Nov 4, 2004

452

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• Aug 21, 2005

• #9

mattb348 said:

No one answered my question though: are you supposed to use the metal lip on the end of the boots to shift? it doesn't seem like it would even be able to catch the shifter :)

Click to expand...

You just answered it. I believe the metal is just there for protection.

 

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mattb348

Member

Aug 2, 2005

204

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• Aug 21, 2005

• Thread starter
• #10

Thanks guys.

I raised the shifter one notch today and it made all the difference in the world! shifting is perfect again as if I wasn't even wearing mx boots at all.

I love my boots and now I'd never ride without them! They grip the pegs much better than regular shoes, and its easier for my foot to slide on the groun when cornering with my leg down etc. (they don't catch like regular shoes like to do) And now shifting is easy with them; I just use the toe section of the boot like I was doing with regular shoes.

 

Masterphil

DRN's Resident Lunatic

Member

Aug 3, 2004

1,003

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• Aug 23, 2005

• #11

It also helps if you think of shifting as an entire leg motion rather than trying to flex your ankle. When it's time to shift I just pop my leg up a little bit instead of trying to flex my ankle, much easier that way.

 

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mxmatthew

Member

Apr 7, 2003

276

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• Aug 23, 2005

• #12

Masterphil said:

It also helps if you think of shifting as an entire leg motion rather than trying to flex your ankle. When it's time to shift I just pop my leg up a little bit instead of trying to flex my ankle, much easier that way.

Click to expand...

yea, that's what I do, especially for downshifts. I can get away with upshifts but if you're riding hard it'll probably tire out your ankle.

 

3

+30

Member

Aug 2, 2005

276

0

• Aug 24, 2005

• #13

cmon

SHOES?????????????????????????? whaaaaaatttttt???????someone needs to kick you with a metal toe for riding in regular shoes? uhhh,,, now can you teach an old rider how to wheelie?//

 

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moore_716

Member

Jun 1, 2005

108

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• Aug 24, 2005

• #14

as I'm sure you've noticed the boot soles stick out pretty far. You can atcually shift with your heel when doing starts or when your leg is in front of you when cornering. Alpinestar boots even have a rubber piece built into the heel for this.