Cycling UK Forum

i ride a nice 80s bike with clips and straps, i like it that way.

however i dont like getting my feet wet and then numb in the winter. is it possible to wear overshoes with clips and straps?

melon wrote:... is it possible to wear overshoes with clips and straps?

Yes, but only quite thin ones. Sidi used to do some rather posh ones in a sort of canvas-backed stretchy plastic material, and I have some others kicking about which were nylon fabric with a thin insulation layer of some sort of fluff. (Edit: Come to think of it, although I've had them ages, they are no different to any thin overshoes.) Ron Kitching used to do some leather toe-clip covers which protected the front half of your foot but I only ever saw them in his catalogue, never in use.

http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/co ... -comp.html

(Scroll down to Paturaud and it's item 38)

I had (and may still have in my 'stores') some Bernard Hinault toeclip covers. These were black plastic and fitted over the toeclip, a bit like the front half of a pair of wellies or galoshes. A big advantage was that they were reasonably cheap - unlike the Paturaud which cost an arm and a leg (so there was no point buying a pair )

I've googled to see if I can find a pic, but Bernard Hinault was also famous as the man who introduced clipless pedals to the pro peloton, so that screws up the search.

In fact, in those days, a lot of riders simply took the winter off and returned to cycling in the spring (or stuck to knitting etc.)

Yes, I'm sure I used to do this although I wore thinner more primitive overshoes in those days just like third crank describes. I know I did because I remember forgetting them on a really cold ride and then the once classy barelli (?) pedal came off the spindle and I was grubbing around for ball bearings in the midwinter muck with frozen toes.

Fo true authenticity wear a pair of knitted wool football socks over the shoes - that would be very retro, you could even search out a pair from your favourite team's kit.

Many years ago, Andrew Hague used to market a neat set of fabric covers which fitted onto the toe clips and straps and kept water off the front part of the shoes. Mine have long since worn out, but were very effective at the time. I would buy a replacement set if they were avaible, but the advent of clipless pedals makes their re-introduction most unlikely.

When mountain biking, in winter, I have used walking boots with clip peddles and no problems.
I wouldn't expect any issues just using overshoes. You just have to open the straps a bit more.

BigG wrote:Many years ago, Andrew Hague used to market a neat set of fabric covers which fitted onto the toe clips and straps and kept water off the front part of the shoes. Mine have long since worn out, but were very effective at the time. I would buy a replacement set if they were avaible, but the advent of clipless pedals makes their re-introduction most unlikely.

I've just tested the Mk Ia InnerTube Overshoe - lashed to a plastic toe-clip with a ziptie and some electrical tape. Very effective, but needs a longer test to assess:
- durability,
- windchill reduction.

the latter is what I really need in winter. The MIITO has no side protection, so won't be as snuggly as I would like, but I remain optimistic ...

Please forward pictures of any similar efforts.

mattheus wrote: ...Please forward pictures of any similar efforts.

These are my Bernard Hinault toe clip covers as mentioned above. I don't suppose the great man ever used anything like this but that's his name in yellow on the side. Not very good pics I took several to try to make it clear how they worked but after endless faffing about resizing images and the imminent arrival of my tea, I had a serious loss of interest. When clean, they are shiny black PVC. I began washing them, which is why they are wet, but my wife needed the kitchen sink for to prepare our tea. The patina does show they have had a lot of use.

That flap on the RH one which is turned up in the pic has two slots which take a toe strap. They fit best on a traditional Campag Record style quill pedal. There are a couple of slots intended to take the pedal projections. Of course, if they are used at night, they have to be on a bike of that vintage or they are illegal as the pedal reflectors are masked.

Marvellous, thankyou! They look fit for a Maillot Jaune.

thirdcrank wrote:That flap on the RH one which is turned up in the pic has two slots which take a toe strap. They fit best on a traditional Campag Record style quill pedal. There are a couple of slots intended to take the pedal projections. Of course, if they are used at night, they have to be on a bike of that vintage or they are illegal as the pedal reflectors are masked.

From the picture I have no idea how that flap would attach, but no matter - I have no means of constructing PVC, so I'm unlikely to copy this design! They look very good, and would probably solve most overshoe/winter-boot requirements in a trice. Ideal for the regular commuter wishing to use "normal" shoes, even in the clip-less century.

They woudn't work with clipless pedals. They are a snug fit over toeclips, and encase the front half of a quill pedal. That flap, which has become curled up in storage, fits under the pedal. The toestrap is threaded though the slot in the outer sideplate of the pedal, down through a slot in that flap, back up through the other slot and out through the slot in the sideplate nearest the crank. It then goes through the loop in the top of the toeclip and finally through the buckle. When the toestrap is tightened, everything is held in place, more or less, but I added a bit of wire to be certain. Otherwise, if you are a bit slow to flick up the toeclip, the top of the cover can drag slightly on the floor and slip off the toeclip, although it will not drop off the pedal.

And yes, I appreciate they would be difficult to copy at home. And now I have had my tea, they are off back into the garage.

thirdcrank wrote: That flap, which has become curled up in storage, fits under the pedal. The toestrap is threaded though the slot in the outer sideplate of the pedal, down through a slot in that flap, back up through the other slot and out through the slot in the sideplate nearest the crank. It then goes through the loop in the top of the toeclip and finally through the buckle.

Ah of course. It's so long since I used toestraps (for their intended purpose) I'd forgotten the arrangement under the pedal.

i have a feeling that the toestrap would pull at and wear the overshoes away. what do you reckon?

melon

I don't know if this is what you are asking but in general, cycling shoes used with toe straps often has a tell-tale worn area on either side from the toe straps. I think we lived with it. I don't think it affected overshoes any differently. If you are asking about my toeclip covers above, apart from where they were fastened at the bottom, they went over the toe straps and so were unaffected by them.

I too use toe clips on all of my machines and old style shoes, i cycle all year, i use modern neoprene type tight fitting shoe covers... they get eaten up by the quill pedals but they do the job for me except in frosty very cold conditions, then i use heated insoles in my shoes..from Maplin about 16 quid, i usually have to do a repair , sewing leather around the side and heel area about February time.. doesn't look great but keeps them going for the rest of the winter and early spring.. i see there are some available that have all enclosed rubber bottom,[Chiba neoprene] or you could try the rubberised shoe covers available to use over smart dress footwear when walking in slush or snow... just my two P..will

willcee wrote:...i use heated insoles in my shoes...

Heated cycling shoes. That must alter the schoolboy definition of the height of luxury....