R1200GSA Gear shift lever position v Enduro boots

Wingit

Wingit

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I've just bought some enduro boots for my upcoming BMW offroad course.

Compared to my old standard Alpinstars bike boots, it's really tricky selecting the lower gears. (Sat down as well as stood up).

For those experienced R1200 GSA Tossers who use enduro boots - has anyone come across the same problem? How did you resolve it? Adjust the gear shift lever angle? Peg height?

Sensible advice appreciated thanks.

Ken.
 
Not at home so don't remember the tool needed but the 'peg' on the end of the gear lever is on an eccentric fitting. You can rotate it to raise it which might give you enough space to use enduro boots. There may be other adjustments possible but that sorted the problem for me.
 
I'd suggest persevering for a while - with practice, you will start to use the side of your boot/sole to grip the gear lever and change gears. If you move the gear lever up to high, it will make it too easy for you to knock it down a gear or in to neutral by mistake. Going in to neutral at the wrong time (like controlling a descent through engine braking) can be tedious :blast

Just go for a gentle ride up and down the road a few times trying it - you'll be surprised how quickly you will adapt.
 
Yep - just use the 'lip' at the edge of the boot to change up. How people manage with those enduro boots without a lip beats me.
 
improves with wear

You will also find that it feels strange as the new enduro boots will be restricting your ankle movement a lot more than other boot types, especially if they are new.

Try 'wearing in the boots', i.e. wearing them off the bike in the garden and getting some flex into them, by neding at the ankles (squats) and general movement without sitting standing still like when you are on the bike.

You will be amazed how much this will help.
 
After fitting Fastway pegs and a shift lever enlarger to my bike (stock GS), I had to move the shift lever up by one spline. Much easier to use afterwards with enduro style boots.
 
Shifted with the side of my boot initially, which wasn't a big deal but had the odd missed gear Then bought one of Nippy Norman's knob extenders and shifted the lever up one spline. That work's a treat.
 
Thanks guys, that really useful information.

My boots unfortunately don't have a pronounce lip where the sole attaches to the upper so shifting with that part of the boot is not an option.

I didn't realise that the peg was on an eccentric fitting so I'll try out the adjustments on that.

And I have been working on getting the boots to flex more. Yes they are new and I appreciate they need to loosen up a bit.

Jammyk, you're so right about the ankle movement. That is THE reason why it's more difficult to select the lower gears.

Pukmeister, thanks for the heads up re: the lever enlarger. I'll look at that if I can't adapt to the new boots on the standard bike. I'm presuming that the bikes at BMW will be standard fit so I will have to adapt and get used to it.


I'm hoping to get myself tuned in to the new set up by the weekend because I'd like to ride down to Wales in the boots to get used to them before the course.

Cheers, Ken
 
Nakambale said:
Shifted with the side of my boot initially, which wasn't a big deal but had the odd missed gear Then bought one of Nippy Norman's knob extenders and shifted the lever up one spline. That work's a treat.
Click to expand...

Gert that sounds like a good plan too. Cheers, Ken
 
Slowdown said:
Yep - just use the 'lip' at the edge of the boot to change up.
Click to expand...
+1. The lip of the sole on an enduro boot should be wide enough. :thumb2

This is how Simon Pavey told me I should be doing it - If it's good enough for S. Pavey, it's good enough for me. :clap
 
I had considered I may need to buy an extender of some sort. Ended up removing the lever and rotating it up 1 notch and all is perfect.

D
 
Taff said:
+1. The lip of the sole on an enduro boot should be wide enough. :thumb2

This is how Simon Pavey told me I should be doing it - If it's good enough for S. Pavey, it's good enough for me. :clap
Click to expand...

Taff, when you say lip. Do you mean where the sole is stitched to the upper? If so, my boots don't have stitching. There's no lip between the sole and the upper :blast
 
dialdn said:
I had considered I may need to buy an extender of some sort. Ended up removing the lever and rotating it up 1 notch and all is perfect.

D
Click to expand...

Did you use a special tool to mate with the strange looking head on the retaining bolt? (Looks like a torx head in reverse)
 
Wingit said:
Did you use a special tool to mate with the strange looking head on the retaining bolt? (Looks like a torx head in reverse)
Click to expand...

Yes, very odd looking. I think I ended up using a multi-point socket and it worked just fine. Can't remember the size.

D
 
You are better off moving the lever up a notch as changing gear with the lip of your boot is a sure way of missing gears in my experience:augie Especially in the mud:D
 
Wingit said:
Taff, when you say lip. Do you mean where the sole is stitched to the upper? If so, my boots don't have stitching. There's no lip between the sole and the upper :blast
Click to expand...

Hence my post on how does that work then..

And +1 for Mr Pavey's technique



To be honest - I don't really want my off road boots to be that flexible in the ankle - they're rigid to try and give extra support should my ankle need it. If I wanted a fully flexible ankle I'd just wear my road boots.
 
Slowdown said:
Hence my post on how does that work then..

And +1 for Mr Pavey's technique



To be honest - I don't really want my off road boots to be that flexible in the ankle - they're rigid to try and give extra support should my ankle need it. If I wanted a fully flexible ankle I'd just wear my road boots.
Click to expand...

Well I'll have to see how I go with what I've got. I guess it's all a learning curve. Thanks for the advice.
 
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