by Igor
A well-adjusted and fitted toe clip and strap system can have just as much pulling power as a clipless pedal and shoe combo. In fact, many powerful track riders still use toe straps for additional foot retention to prevent their cleat from popping out of their pedal during sprint efforts. These nifty Toe Strap Buttons are not only handsome and have just enough flair for the nerdiest of cyclists, but they are useful to grab and pull when starting off the line. In addition, they prevent the strap from going back through the buckle should your legs be "strong like ox".
I have a good feeling clips and straps will be making a comeback.
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9 comments:
I have a set of old Colnago-branded toe clip buttons. They are made of plastic and pretty worn out, but I like the look. I find them very useful as an audio cue to avoid pedal-strike in tight turns, because they are the first thing to drag on the ground. This is kind of a useless "life hack" micro-optimization, but I like 'em.
"I have a good feeling clips and straps will be making a comeback."
nope!
After discovering platform pedals like the VP Vice and VP001 I have done away with all toe clip systems and it feels amazing for city riding. Just as much traction but none of the fussy pedal flipping. I still use Clipless pedals for longer ride or camping/touring adventures and I'm never looking back at pedals you need to flip at every stoplight or pause in your ride. Such a freeing feeling never hear the scrape of a toe clip on pavement!
Andy: I agree—flipping pedals is rather annoying. That's why I use clipless pedals with the retention mechanisms on both sides, like the Shimano PD-M530 or other equivalent pedals. With the cages in plane with the pedal body, they don't have the "hot spot" issues of PD-M52/540 pedals.
a question for anyone who has had experience with these buttons: when riding, does the weighted end of the strap (with button installed) become a nuisance? like running with a heavy set of keys attached to your belt loop? or does the cyclical motion help to avoid that, therefore rendering this a non-issue?
For Simon Yung: I've only use plastic ones, for which the weight is negligible compared to the toe strap itself. I could imagine an aluminium one would flop up and down with each pedal stroke, if the strap is too long.
Probably someone at VO has tested these, right? =)
@Simon Yung,
We haven't found any issues with the button flopping around. If your strap is very long, you might want to shorten it anyway.
-Igor
thanks for the replies, everyone. with regard to ideal length...do the photos depict the ideal length that the strap ought to be?
Like many, I rode for many years with straps and clips as that was the only option. However, I always hated the things. I'm tall and ride with long cranks. my big (US14) feet mean I need XL clips and the straps have to be long and loose. Add it all up and unless I am in the clips, something is dragging on the ground and has more than once caught on something.
I have no trouble using the single-sided clipless pedals with platform on one side and the mechs on the other. I don't the for the small SPDs with mechs on both sides - they mandate clipless cleated shoes and are slippery if you don't clip in exactly (that cost me a left brifter once). I quite like the Welgo R120B double clip/platform pedals - decent platform but shaped for clearance
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