Toe straps

[mermaid]

Hi, I am new! Just joined today after picking up my new bike yesterday, a Carerra Subway Hybrid. Its been a while in fact never ... since I had such a nice bike, but it has come with toe straps. Now, I am not sure if these are a good idea or not? Especially as the bike is new to me, any advice please. Hope it stops raining here tomorrow!

 

[Raging Squirrel]

take them off until you feel ready. It took my mate 2 weeks before he put his back on. I didn't bother putting any on mine

 

[mermaid]

take them off until you feel ready. It took my mate 2 weeks before he put his back on. I didn't bother putting any on mine

Thanks I thought that might be the advice

 

[nick.b]

toe clips are easy to get used to tbh, just pop them on and put up with a day of awkwardness and youll have them down.

 

[Andy_R]

+1 take them off. Get used to the bike, then go clipless if you want to. Clipless is so much better than clipped. For clipped pedals to be any use they have to be quite tight and can be awkward to undo. Clipless SPDs are a doddle to break away from when you need to.

 

[alans]

You might try removing the straps if you don't like the idea of being attached to the bike in that manner but keep the toe clips to help prevent your feet slipping off the pedals & being encouraged to keep the ball of your foot in the correct position on the pedal

 

[cyberknight]

When i started out again i used 1/2 toe clips , enough to keep the feet in place but small enough so they did not feel like you were trapped.
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/370540178815?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Yeh get to the point where you feel at home on the bike then consider clipless pedals/shoes. Strap in's are pretty dangerous if you tighten them. If you don't then you get too much movement. Clipless you just twist the foot and you are out. If you crash your feet WILL breakout of the pedal anyway.
Probably best with a mountain bike style set up so you can walk easier and get a pedal with one side to clip in and one side for normal shoes. Best of both worlds. Then as you get a feel for your own preferred style you can change thingsto suit your own needs.

Oh and see rule 9 regarding cycling and rain. http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

 

[mermaid]

Yeh get to the point where you feel at home on the bike then consider clipless pedals/shoes. Strap in's are pretty dangerous if you tighten them. If you don't then you get too much movement. Clipless you just twist the foot and you are out. If you crash your feet WILL breakout of the pedal anyway.
Probably best with a mountain bike style set up so you can walk easier and get a pedal with one side to clip in and one side for normal shoes. Best of both worlds. Then as you get a feel for your own preferred style you can change thingsto suit your own needs.

Oh and see rule 9 regarding cycling and rain. http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Tanks for the rules .....cool! noted!

 

[mermaid]

Thanks for all your help, have taken them off for now

 

[wisdom]

I have one bike with them and the other has cleats.I prefer the cleats now.However the bike with toe clips on is handy if i am nipping to the shops cause i can wear normal shoes.Incidentally my cleats are shimanos with road cleats not mtb versions so walking is a bit difficult without knackering the cleats.Are coffee shop covers any good?

 

[RAYMOND]

Just leave them on with the straps , but don't tighten them,have them baggy, you'll get used to them in a matter of weeks.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Yeh get to the point where you feel at home on the bike then consider clipless pedals/shoes. Strap in's are pretty dangerous if you tighten them. If you don't then you get too much movement. Clipless you just twist the foot and you are out. If you crash your feet WILL breakout of the pedal anyway.
Probably best with a mountain bike style set up so you can walk easier and get a pedal with one side to clip in and one side for normal shoes. Best of both worlds. Then as you get a feel for your own preferred style you can change thingsto suit your own needs.

Oh and see rule 9 regarding cycling and rain. http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

There's nothing dangerous about clips and straps, I've been using them for about 25 years, there's no need to tighten them right down either, you can get good foot retention, enough to pedal circles and pull up on the up stroke, whilst still being able to slip a foot out.
I ride clips and straps on my fixed and clipless on my geared bike, there's hardly any difference between the two.

 

[mermaid]

When i started out again i used 1/2 toe clips , enough to keep the feet in place but small enough so they did not feel like you were trapped.
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/370540178815?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla

These look like a happy medium, thanks!

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

There's nothing dangerous about clips and straps, I've been using them for about 25 years, there's no need to tighten them right down either, you can get good foot retention, enough to pedal circles and pull up on the up stroke, whilst still being able to slip a foot out.
I ride clips and straps on my fixed and clipless on my geared bike, there's hardly any difference between the two.

I said they are dangerous if they are tightened. Meaning you can't pull your feet out quickly (if at all). You sound like you have them tightened slightly or just enough without affecting your dismount.
Having worn straps (a few years back now) whilst racing bmx, i can certainly say they help massively with control of the bike when upright. They (if tightened for better control) can be pretty sketchy if you are flying down a hill with your weight in the pedals and trying to back your feet out. I have crashed both on bmx and mountain biking using them and see clipless systems as a Godsend now. There is just no movement which is giving no power loss. Then when you come to clip out a simple twist of the heel and you are free to bail. They also come free when you go down anyway. It got to the point where i just slckened the straps right off. In return i felt i lost the full control over the pedals.

Each to their own my good man. One mans pepper is another mans salt.