Do you use toeclips?

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Pendodave
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by Pendodave »

simonhill wrote: 25 May 2022, 5:26pm Useful for me when touring as I can wear the same pair of nearly normal shoes for cycling, walking, travelling, etc.
I use them for exactly this reason. It's nice to be able to jump off a bike and walk up a hill, along a beach etc.
Handy for pushing the steep bits as well...
jimlews
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by jimlews »

Always used them, except for a brief flirtation with SPDs on a borrowed bike which I found to be injurious to my knees.
Richard of York
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by Richard of York »

Used toeclips up until the mid 1990s, but always had cycling shoes with shoe plates to help secure foot position. What do folks with toeclips do now that the old cleats don't seem to be a thing anymore?
Jamesh
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by Jamesh »

SPD for me with Shimano touring shoes which are ok for walking on.

Did have toeclips and plastic soled shoes with the slot for the pedals before look pedals.
axel_knutt
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by axel_knutt »

I've been using toeclips since I was about 13, 50 years ago. In all that time I've only ever had two pairs, a chrome set that went rusty, and the current Christophe plastic ones that are about 40 years old. I've never tightened the straps, I just like the security of not having unexpected potholes bounce my feet off the pedals, and the ability to raise my foot to the starting position without hooking my toe under the pedal. I always use 'ordinary' shoes, I've never owned a pair of cycling shoes for longer than it takes to try them and then send them back.
a.twiddler wrote: 25 May 2022, 5:57pmI can just start off and then flip the pedal and slip my foot in without thinking.
I've always been able to get my foot in first time every time, but for two exceptions. I once lost my knack for no apparent reason, then realised my problems had suddenly started with the appearance of pedal reflectors. They quickly got binned. The other problem is my current pair of pedals (MKS MT-Lite). The bearing friction* is so low that they swing around all over the place at the slightest touch. They're a damned nuisance. On all my previous cup & cone pedals I used to pump grease in one end until it came out of the other, which was viscous enough to damp any oscillation, but the MKS ones are sealed.

*If I swivel a pedal so that the weight of the toeclip is at top dead centre, then let it go, it oscillates for 14 seconds before coming to rest.
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fastpedaller
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by fastpedaller »

ophspeed wrote: 25 May 2022, 4:45pm Yes, I use them. I gave SPDs a go as I can see the benefits. However, no end of adjustment of cleat position and angle could prevent a pain developing in my left knee. It turns out that my comfortable foot position while pedalling is with my left foot rotated outwards more than SPDs can offer, so my knee was complaining about the foot being pulled straight.

I went back to toeclips and the pain disappeared. I love them, though need to make sure they're not too tight as otherwise I get tingling toes...
Couldn't you move the cleat on the left shoe to a suitable position?
keyboardmonkey
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by keyboardmonkey »

In the olden days I used steel toe clips on my two bikes from the 80s. When I got back in to cycling perhaps a dozen years ago I again went for toe clips, but never felt comfortable tightening the straps - and my shoes didn't have cleats on their soles.

Now I use SPD-SL pedals on all five of my drop bar bikes (although I only own four pairs of SPD-SL pedals so have to switch them about). Yes, I've fallen off once or twice with SPD-SLs, but I don't feel so vulnerable as I would with tightened up toe straps and cleats.

(On the tandem I pilot I have those plastic half clips, and M324 pedals on the MTB, although I only use the flat side of those pedals. I've never used SPD pedals.)

For my racier 80s road bike I bought Shimano 105 pedals years ago with plastic toe clips (my Shimano 600 are metal) to avoid scratching my work shoes. Perhaps if I get that bike out again I'll try them with my Jacques Anquetil leathter-soled shoes with nailed on metal cleats...
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TrevA
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by TrevA »

After about 30 years of using Look road pedals - Delta then Keo, I’ve gone back to toe clips. Mainly due to knee issues. My left knee doesn’t like my foot being held in one position, even with the amount of float the red cleats give on the Keos, I get knee pain. Whenever I switch back to toe clips, the knee pain goes away, so now I ride them pretty much all the time. I lose a bit of power on hills but find it doesn’t make much difference on the flat. I keep the right strap tight, but loosen the left one so I can take my foot out at junctions. I tighten that one too on climbs.
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Audax67
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by Audax67 »

Double-sided SPDs on the road bikes, toe-hooks on the beater because I got fed up lifting my right foot when setting off and finding that the pedal didn't come with it. I could probably do without the left one.
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simonhill
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by simonhill »

Pendodave wrote: 25 May 2022, 9:46pm
simonhill wrote: 25 May 2022, 5:26pm Useful for me when touring as I can wear the same pair of nearly normal shoes for cycling, walking, travelling, etc.
I use them for exactly this reason. It's nice to be able to jump off a bike and walk up a hill, along a beach etc.
Handy for pushing the steep bits as well...
Another reason, that I forgot. Flat pedals and toeclips are not shoe dependant, which means that if your shoes get damaged, wear out or are stolen, it's a simple trip to the local market for a pair of trainers. Not so easy to find clipless compatible in the middle of India or rural Lao.

Yes it does happen. My friend had his shoes taken after leaving them to dry outside our bungalow in Vietnam.

This is part of my philosophy for long haul touring: basic gear with survivability and replaceability.
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velorog
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by velorog »

After riding SPD's for over 20 years I've started to develop knee problems, so have decided to revert back to clips. I'm hoping that these will allow more float and let my feet settle in a more natural position. Just had my first ride this morning which highlighted two problems; pulling my feet out at the bottom of the pedal stroke and trying to twist my foot when dismounting. I'm sure I can quickly re-accustom myself to clips and will stick with it to see if my knees improve. Meanwhile I will have to keep swapping one set of pedals and toeclips between the 3 bikes I'm riding at the moment.
rmurphy195
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by rmurphy195 »

Nope - I tried (single-sided) SPD's donkeys years ago and quickly diched the toe clips and straps - I keep the SPD tension loose, and find it much easier to click/unclick than bending down and tightening/slacking off the toe strap, especially in an emergency. I'm sure it saved me a bit of injury when I was in a collision a few years back - since I had the tension loose, feet came out of pedals no problem (The bike went under the pickup, I didn't!).
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saudidave
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by saudidave »

I used toeclips for many many years and then when I got back in to cycling in a more regular manner about 20 years ago I swapped over to cleats. When I got my first ebike 4 yrs ago I had them on that for a year or so until I came up to a junction, mistimed everything and couldn't unclip quick enough. I hurt my shoulder rather badly and decided not to be cliipped in any more by anything. I can't say as I miss being clipped in in any way whatsoever now and I'll never bother again. It doesn't seem to have changed anything about riding efficiency in any way at all.
mattsccm
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by mattsccm »

Only on the old bikes where they match. I have no real issues with clips and strap and was quite late coming to clipless, only swapping on the road in 1995 and the MTB a year or two later. I wouldn't go back though on my main bikes. Guess I was of the generation who was brought up on them. I even use flats on my pub bike as they suit posh daps or wellies better.
Only ever had one problem with clips. As a youth I borrowed a mates dads fixed wheel Flying Gate for a club hill climb. I had read that hill climbers and trackies used double straps so I fitted them. On the day I was second up the hill. The first chap was in the arms of the catcher and I couldn't rach down, still pedallying and flick two straps open wide enough to drag my cleated shoes out. Handily there was a nice pile of gravel to keel over into. I won my class though. RDFCC junior hill climb champion 1981. :D
hufty
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Re: Do you use toeclips?

Post by hufty »

A quick mention of Restrap diagonal pedal straps, which I have on my tourer mainly so I can wear Keen sandals.
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