Adam Hansen glues & ties his cleats on

[FastforaSlowGuy]

CyclingTips got this shot of Adam Hansen's cleats. In his latest iteration, he has eliminated the cleat bolts and is using glue and kevlar thread to hold the cleats to his shoe. That's taking WW to a whole new level, on a component where failure can be disasterous, and where the benefits are negligible. If he pulled a cleat off, I think Greipel would separate his body from his arms.

http://d25pj63blmhnvu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ridley-Lotto-Belisol-bikes-46.jpg

[FlashUNC]

Adam's always been experimenting with footwear. Just launched his shoe company if memory serves based on the carbon fiber slipper thing he developed on his own.

[ohsnapitsed]

FlashUNC -I remember seeing those last year.

http://inrng.com/medias/img/adamhansenshoe.jpg

With a little further digging it looks like the shoes with the tied and glued cleats are also some of his design.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/hansen_shoes.jpg

[goonster]

That's taking WW to a whole new level,
Weight aside, that may be more secure than the bolts, which can strip threads, crack the cleat, or slip.

On the other hand, forget about adjusting cleat position.

If it fails, he can't blame anyone else!

[Joachim]

Adam's always been experimenting with footwear. Just launched his shoe company if memory serves based on the carbon fiber slipper thing he developed on his own.

Yes, 2000-2500 euro

http://hanseeno.myshopify.com/collections/shoes

[Louis]

Can the Roman Centurion model be far away?

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/0/9/8/9/8/0/webimg/497964156_o.jpg

[FastforaSlowGuy]

His custom molded shoes are always fun to see. I think his latest innovation of taking out the screws is going over the top, even by his standards. Those guys must wear out cleats really quick, and I have to imagine the bonding process means he can't exactly pop off used cleats and drop on new ones. All new shoes for every cleat change?

[goonster]

I'm sure there is a way to replace the cleats, but it probably involves at least some cutting and grinding.

[thegunner]

that looks like the same sole used on the s-works... wondering if they sourced those from easton too?

[gospastic]

I'm guessing he did that to get as low of a stack as possible. :rolleyes:

[Roadguy]

I was recently told he did his best to price his shoes outside of availability much like the British olympic team did their helmets and frames as per UCI request on public availability to purchase. Still a rad shoe and concept.

[bikinchris]

That looks hot. Not hot as on ooohh, cool. Hot as in damn, my feet are killing me hot.

[wallymann]

http://d25pj63blmhnvu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ridley-Lotto-Belisol-bikes-46.jpg

[Louis]

That can't be a very stiff attachment - the cleat must move relative to the "shoe" when he applies any significant effort.

[tiretrax]

That can't be a very stiff attachment - the cleat must move relative to the "shoe" when he applies any significant effort.

One would think, but he can ride it hard. Hasn't he won a few races this year? Classics?

[gavingould]

he's mentioned in this video (http://vimeo.com/95881087) that heat isn't an issue. there's nothing to the shoe as far as insulation, so cold is an issue.

video is pre-glued/tied cleats.

[Auk]

Hansen is no stranger to carbon fabrication, I'd wager the tie'd setup is even stronger than the bolt method.

He's also no souch in the power department. Years ago he posted training ride data from his SRM that had the equiv kj output for the ride to negate eating 25 cheesburgers of calories. He's a monster.

[oldpotatoe]

http://d25pj63blmhnvu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ridley-Lotto-Belisol-bikes-46.jpg

T&S....cleats? That is really dumb, IMHO. Solong any adjustment or easy replacement.

[mktng]

Stupid or not. Looks like he enjoys tinkering with his apparel. Someone was bound to try it. What better position to test it than the TDF

[Louis]

I'd wager the tie'd setup is even stronger than the bolt method

I'll believe that when I see you flying in an aircraft with wing attach lugs that have been tied to the fuselage.

[Auk]

I'll believe that when I see you flying in an aircraft with wing attach lugs that have been tied to the fuselage.

Different forces at play there, but I've been in plenty of planes that comprised their entire surface area of cloth that was tied together with thread and treated with dope. And yes, dope being the exact word for the mixture used to coat the cloth.

[Louis]

Different forces at play there, but I've been in plenty of planes that comprised their entire surface area of cloth that was tied together with thread and treated with dope. And yes, dope being the exact word for the mixture used to coat the cloth.

That's just the OML.

[FastforaSlowGuy]

Stupid or not. Looks like he enjoys tinkering with his apparel. Someone was bound to try it. What better position to test it than the TDF

I can think of a lot of better places to experiment than the most important race of the year. For example, training rides, training camp, and any race that is not the most important race of the year.

I'm sure he's tested this out before, but I'd want to be damn sure it's 100% spot on before I go tinkering at the TDF. If he rips his cleat off 2k from the line and disrupts Greipel's sprint train, I think the guys on the bus would have some pretty choice words for him.

[eBAUMANN]

I can think of a lot of better places to experiment than the most important race of the year. For example, training rides, training camp, and any race that is not the most important race of the year.

I'm sure he's tested this out before, but I'd want to be damn sure it's 100% spot on before I go tinkering at the TDF. If he rips his cleat off 2k from the line and disrupts Greipel's sprint train, I think the guys on the bus would have some pretty choice words for him.

Which just goes to show the level of confidence he has in the materials and his design…

He clearly isn't making them to SELL them (so the practicality of the design doesn't really matter) he's making them because he had a need and the means to make it happen.

I think its rad.

[DRietz]

Which just goes to show the level of confidence he has in the materials and his design…

He clearly isn't making them to SELL them (so the practicality of the design doesn't really matter) he's making them because he had a need and the means to make it happen.

I think its rad.

Yeah, exactly - the guy obviously knows more about what he's doing than any of you do.

He's forgone the cleat bolts for years now, but he's often had layers of carbon going over the cleat - it seems this time around, he just made a simpler, lighter design.

It's pretty cool.

[thirdgenbird]

Bonding and Kevlar fibers holding the cleats on?

Doesn't sound much worse than bonding and carbon fibers holding all of the components together.

(Insert picture of carbon frame here)

[spartanKid]

Bonding and Kevlar fibers holding the cleats on?

Doesn't sound much worse than bonding and carbon fibers holding all of the components together.

(Insert picture of carbon frame here)

Exactly, anyone who doubts the strength of carbon fiber epoxies has never really thought about how carbon fiber is made.....

[Louis]

The day we replace our PH 13-8 Mo fasteners with glue and Kevlar string I'll agree with you guys, but until then you're dreaming.

[FlashUNC]

Exactly, anyone who doubts the strength of carbon fiber epoxies has never really thought about how carbon fiber is made.....

Amazing that folks are okay with carbon for a frame and fork, but holding cleats on a shoe? That's crazy talk!

[Louis]

Amazing that folks are okay with carbon for a frame and fork, but holding cleats on a shoe? That's crazy talk!

I think the load paths for your two examples are slightly different.

[FlashUNC]

I think the load paths for your two examples are slightly different.

If carbon can be used to build giant airliners and F1 cars, and is a sturdy enough material to build bike frames and forks out of that last reliably for years, I think it can hold onto a pair of cleats just fine.

Hansen's not a moron. He also helped design a logistics program for the team, using skills from his former life as a computer programmer. I think if he's looked at it and built it to a level he's comfortable with after years now of building his own shoes, I'm not going to knock it.

[Louis]

If carbon can be used to build giant airliners and F1 cars, and is a sturdy enough material to build bike frames and forks out of that last reliably for years, I think it can hold onto a pair of cleats just fine.

1) I don't know exactly what he used, but epoxy + Kevlar string isn't "carbon."

2) I have no problems with CF in bikes and have long defended it, but in certain cases metal is better than glue and Kevlar string. I think this is one of those situations.

[FlashUNC]

1) I don't know exactly what he used, but epoxy + Kevlar string isn't "carbon."

2) I have no problems with CF in bikes and have long defended it, but in certain cases metal is better than glue and Kevlar string. I think this is one of those situations.

At the end of the day, it's still a cloth/fiber material being impregnated or bonded with epoxy for strength. A rose by any other name...

That being said, I'm sure the guy who's done 8 grand tours in a row on his own shoes -- aiming to finish 10 in a row this year -- really needs our input on what he's doing wrong.

[Admiral Ackbar]

leave it to the armchair engineers

[Louis]

I agree, if he has a long history of experimenting with this he should use whatever he wants / is paid to use.

In the meantime, I won't be tying my cleats to my Sidis any time soon, even if it is Kevlar string.

[Louis]

leave it to the armchair engineers

I'm an engineer and I am sitting in a chair with arms, so yes, that's bang-on accurate. ;)