you have a Softride with bar end shifters... that is so incongruous, it's great! Most races I have seen (with timer mats at all) have the mats at entrance and exit to transitions, so you get split and transition times completely separately (and sometimes have door prizes for fastest transitions).
They actually make tri-specific bike shoes that are made to be worn barefoot (no tonge to get mushed up when a wet foot is stuffed in, seamless neoprene liner so no skin rubbing, etc) and have straps that open away from the drivetrain so you can get into them as you start riding with the shoes already waiting for you on your pedals, and not get tangled up in process. I have friends who have em (not me), I have never even messed with the shoes pre-clipped into the pedals thing - I just sit and put on my socks and change shoes. I am not competitive in any way and that little sitting to put on shoes breather always helps me a lot.
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you have a Softride with bar end shifters... that is so incongruous, it's great! Most races I have seen (with timer mats at all) have the mats at entrance and exit to transitions, so you get split and transition times completely separately (and sometimes have door prizes for fastest transitions).
They actually make tri-specific bike shoes that are made to be worn barefoot (no tonge to get mushed up when a wet foot is stuffed in, seamless neoprene liner so no skin rubbing, etc) and have straps that open away from the drivetrain so you can get into them as you start riding with the shoes already waiting for you on your pedals, and not get tangled up in process. I have friends who have em (not me), I have never even messed with the shoes pre-clipped into the pedals thing - I just sit and put on my socks and change shoes. I am not competitive in any way and that little sitting to put on shoes breather always helps me a lot.