Toe Clips - anyone using them?

[colinr]

I pull up on them to help me slow when on my fixed.

This is my main reason for trying to get out of my flat pedal comfort zone. I can't quite do the whole journey without using brakes, yet.

I'm more worried about looking like a numpty than actually hurting myself with them

 

[Crankarm]

Illogical tosh.
Toeclips haven't got more dangerous than they ever were!

Don't hold back..........

So they are dangerous then.

With cleats you have to twist to release the foot, with clips you flick backwards slightly. Some people will find one easier than the other.

Yes, flick your heal out. As opposed to bending to loosen the toe clip strap done up tightly to hold your foot in place.

As with cleats, you only take one foot out when stopping

Yes possibly.

....and can peddle quite happily with this on the 'wrong' side until you have sufficient momentum for the half stroke to get both feet attached.

Not sure what you're getting at ????

As with cleats it will take a couple of rides to become natural, and whenever you change peddles it will take a couple of journies to re-establish how the new peddle works.

I have to confess I used toe clips and straps when I was about 16 but that was many decades ago when clipless or SPDs had not really become widely available. On reflection I wonder how I ever managed as I had to tighten them so much to get my foot to stay in place it was painful. SPDs are so much easier to use, safer and make for far more efficient cycling as you can spin properly generate more continuous power around the whole pedal stroke thus cycling further as your leg muscles are working so much more efficiently. There is not pressure on your toes/foot from a vice like toe strap. Plus in using SPDs or any other cleat system you have to use a cycling shoe which has a much stiffer sole than a pair of manky old trainers .

 

[purplepolly]

I'm more worried about looking like a numpty than actually hurting myself with them

numpties won't even have heard of toeclips, they just use enormous plastic pedals

 

[Arch]

Yes, flick your heal out. As opposed to bending to loosen the toe clip strap done up tightly to hold your foot in place.

As I said, I use the strapless kind, but I had some with straps ages ago, and as I remember you just jerk the foot up to loosen the strap, not bend down to do it by hand. Or simply pull the foot out backwards. Either way, you shouldn't need to use your hands...

 

[MacB]

numpties won't even have heard of toeclips, they just use enormous plastic pedals

excellent, there was me trying to see where I fit in to Bonj's world order of cycling, my category is Numpty

 

[colinr]

numpties won't even have heard of toeclips, they just use enormous plastic pedals

Haha, fair point. I can just see myself concentrating on getting my foot in and forgetting I'm riding fixed. Numpties will know what falling over sideways look like.

Regarding SPDs - I have toeclips, I don't have SPD pedals or shoes. Cash money rules this decision. Either way, it's progess from flats right?

 

[Cranky]

My daughter (15) uses toeclips because they came with her bike. She had no trouble getting used to them and can keep well up with me, as demonstrated yesterday on a 110k Audax. She's primarily a swimmer so doesn't get a lot of spare time for cycling, otherwise we'd probably have splashed out on some clipless pedals and shoes for her, but it doesn't seem necessary at present and she's quite happy with what she has.

 

[ultraviolet]

i used to use them for my road bike, but, got into SPD's as i was given free a pair of shoes. in my mind toe-clips are for people who can't aford SPD's

 

[MadoneRider1991]

Toe clips, I use them and I love 'em, it means I can hop on and off the bike in any shoes and still be able to push and pull a bit.

I was just wondering if anyone uses toe clips to commute in or just me? I haven't seen them on any bikes for a while now, but then I see more tractors than cyclists where I am!

(For those who don't know who Maragret Thatcher is, they are metal/plastic cages that attach to the pedals and hold your feet on, kind of .)

i still use them on my MTB/Commuting bike

 

[Oddjob62]

A couple of weeks ago i got a pair of Power Grips, and i'm actually really liking them. Not tried proper clips tbh but have done plenty of SPDing. Still sometimes takes a few attempts to get my second foot in (i ride fixed), but i find them just as good as SPDs once in.

 

[tyred]

Can you get different sized cages? I find when I use mine, I can't get my foot as far into the cage as I would like and feel as if I'm pedalling with my tiptoes which gets painful after a while. I wear a size 9 so it's not as if my feet are unusually big. Or is it a case that I have been keeping my feet too far forward on the pedals all through my life?

 

[Amanda P]

They used to come in long, medium and short, back in the day. These days, most shops only keep the medium ones, if they keep them at all. Shop around, though, or go to one of Cycle Promotions' sales, and you might find some long ones.

I'm size 10, but have always needed long ones.

You can sometimes find great big plastic ones for mountain bikes, with a sort of double bit that holds the strap over your instep, like this one. These seem to be sized to accommodate chunky boots, so are usually longer as well as deeper. (I have a pair rather like this on my elderly mountain bike. I use this for walking the dog, and the toe clips can be used while wearing wellies).

 

[Tel]

Back in the day I used toeclips, straps and cleats. These held my feet extremely firm but were rather dangerous as releasing the foot in an emergency was an impossibility. I then converted to Look style clipless pedals and they were fantastic...

Got car, stopped cycling, sold all cycling bits to fund life....

Got back in saddle after umpteen years using trainers and toeclips but I recall the glory days of clipless and can't wait to get some back on the bike but now I'll be able to have recessed SPD cleats and will be able to walk around like a normal civilian rather than a cycling oddball

Roll on my Birthday!

 

[phil_hg_uk]

I have the plastic ones and all I could get locally was medium and they needed to be slightly deeper, so I made some spacers out of an old shelf bracket I had.

My Specialized Taho size 9 shoes fit them great but I can't get my Shimano MT 90 Boots in them, but I only wear them in winter anyway so I just either ride my MTB instead or just change the pedals for my DMR v12's when I want to wear my boots.

 

[col]

I have tried them and dont like the restriction, much prefer freedom of movement for my feet, I also found I couldnt get the ball of my foot far enough forward on the pedal for comfort. Now I realise the benefits are there and the clipless type will improve things for performance, but I suppose Im a die hard old school and like basic pedals.