Toe Clips - anyone using them?

[fossyant]

Toe clips....oh so last year darling (well nearly 2 decades ago) !!

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

My last two bikes came with toe clips and I left them on and quite liked them.

One of the pedals got damaged though and the bike shop put really strange pedals and clips on them that I couldn't get on with - then they put new more conventional peals and toe clips on that were great but the toe clips were so blooming long that they would knock against the front wheel in certain situations!

Got fed up of the whole thing and just took them off in the end. I don't miss them.

What's supposed to be the advantage of having your foot attached to the pedal - if it is less work for you the I don't want it - I want my cycle commute to be the most hard work I can make it - it's the only exercise I get!!!

 

[tyred]

Plain pedals for me

 

[Crackle]

After 20 years converted to clipless last year. Clipless are easier but I don't think they'll work well for touring and they're not so convenient but they do have a marginal advantage for climbing.

 

[Riding in Circles]

My clipless shoes are good to walk in so I cannot find a reason to go back to toe clips and straps.

 

[silverbow]

I'm quite amazed to see that others are using toe clips and in some cases bare pedals. I was feeling a little left out of the clipless club, now I feel like I'm in the retro gang!

 

[MarkF]

Have clips on my hybrid and tourer, got used to them on the hybrid after a year on standard pedals. When I renovated my tourer I thought hard about clipless but I've never tried them and I like and am comfortable with clips, so a new pair went on the tourer too.

 

[marinyork]

I recently completed some bikeability training (free 2 hour session courtesy of Sheffield Council) My instructor used toe clips. I havent seen anyone use them for awhile.

Did you have Mick? Loads of people in that circle use toe clips.

 

[MartinC]

I think toe straps and clips still have a place. If you want a bike that you can just leap on in any type of shoe but still be able to pull up on the pedal then nothing else will do. M324's aren't that good in my view. They're always the wrong way up when you pick up a pedal - whether you're using the clip or not. Even more irritating - when you're riding in plain shoes you can't just pull a pedal upwards when you're stopped in traffic etc.

For serious riding then you can't beat clipless pedals but for a hack bike toe clips can be very useful.

 

[biking_fox]

Toe clips.

Admittedly I wouldn't like to try them on a fixie, but they seem to be as fast as clipless when pulling away from the lights against other commuters. And with no serious hills on my route there's no need for pulling up.

 

[BSA]

Did you have Mick? Loads of people in that circle use toe clips.

I did have Mick. Really nice guy, I am considering doing the cycle maintenance course he runs at recycle bike.

 

[summerdays]

Two of my friends cycle with toe-clips, I'm still on flats... I must make the effort to try clipless sometime.

 

[marinyork]

I did have Mick. Really nice guy, I am considering doing the cycle maintenance course he runs at recycle bike.

Do if you can. I've not been on one of them but I gather from the other cycling organisations nattering on about it to Mick that they are pretty good, successful and trying to branch out.

 

[Amanda P]

What's supposed to be the advantage of having your foot attached to the pedal - if it is less work for you the I don't want it - I want my cycle commute to be the most hard work I can make it - it's the only exercise I get!!!

Two main advantages:

1. Your foot can't slip off the pedal if you push hard. If you've had this happen, especially in traffic, you'll know why it's an advantage!

2. You can propel the pedal all the way around, rather than just pushing down on the downstroke. Most people only pull up on the pedal when climbing or accelerating hard, though. The ability to push all the way around may give you a better, more fluid pedalling stroke (not "pedalling squares").

I don't think clips or clipless pedals actually make anything easier as such. You can go faster for the same effort, perhaps. In terms of getting the most out of your commute, well, you'd get more muscle groups in your legs worked if you used clips, or especially clipless pedals.

Try cycling to work while only pulling up on the pedals, no pushing allowed. I guarantee you'll feel well exercised, and you'll find muscles burning you never knew you had! You may be late for work though.

 

[wafflycat]

Clipless. I'd not willingly go back to platform pedals with or without toeclips. I also have the advantage of having Look pedals and shoes with Look cleats recessed into the sole of the shoe so I can walk normally in them.