# Fabric toe straps



## T4tomo (12 Sep 2017)

any recommendations? I've just entered the darkside and need some


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## Sharky (13 Sep 2017)

I would go for leather ones, however I wouldnt as I would stick with clipless.

What do you mean "the darkside"?
Losing the gears, riding a lighter bike, being in harmony with the bike, dont you mean the "enlightened side"?


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## Pennine-Paul (13 Sep 2017)

They're an absolute faff,getting your foot back in every time you stop and they don't feel as secure as SPD's.
SPD's all the way.


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## Lonestar (13 Sep 2017)

Pennine-Paul said:


> They're an absolute faff,getting your foot back in every time you stop and they don't feel as secure as SPD's.
> SPD's all the way.



Well I was thinking this but everyone's got to start somewhere.


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## T4tomo (13 Sep 2017)

Difficult to go SPD if I want to ride in my brogues / work shoes though. The fabric ones I've seen go with the fixie "look" a bit better than toes clips and straps that I have on another bike.

Sharky, I am enlightening myself!


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## tyred (13 Sep 2017)

Once you acquire the knack they're not difficult to use.

Leather is better as they hold their shape and are easier to get the hang of but I've ridden thousands of miles with cheapo ETC fabric straps and cages without issue. I don't see any need to spend more.


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## T4tomo (13 Sep 2017)

any recommendations for the big fat straps that don't come.with cages / toe clips. That's what I'm looking for?


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## MichaelW2 (13 Sep 2017)

Leather straps hold their shape better. Metal clips can be bent wider but plastic ones are kinder to nice shoes. As long as you don't act like a racer and try to tighten your straps, they are free of faff. Insert feet, remove feet. No twisting or getting stuck neccesary.
Remember to put a twist in the strap inside the pedal cage to stop it slipping. MKS sylvian touring are my favourite pedsls for everday toeclip use.


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## welsh dragon (13 Sep 2017)

I would go for the plastic toe clips as they are easier to get your feet into and out of. And being plastic they won't lose their shape at all.


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## T4tomo (13 Sep 2017)

I mean this sort of thing, anyone use this type and would recommend or are the readership of cc all.too old and unhip (as I am really if truth be told)


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## Nibor (13 Sep 2017)

I used these in the 90s they were quite good 
https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/...-6Fz7ouQq8nZWr6cdqWqRy9H9Nz5DESoaAjE9EALw_wcB


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## TheCyclingRooster (24 Sep 2017)

Sharky said:


> I would go for leather ones, however I wouldnt as I would stick with clipless.
> 
> What do you mean "the darkside"?
> Losing the gears, riding a lighter bike, being in harmony with the bike, dont you mean the "enlightened side"?



I am a veteran (I think ??) at 72 years young and still riding my original Marcel Berthet Lyotard Platform Pedals from the early 60's,indeed I still have my very very first pair complete with Christophe Toe Clips and Christophe leather QR's. I have three complete pairs at present.

Back in the early/mid 60's I used to ride track at the then Bootle Outdoor Stadium on my 1937 Hetchins Curly (Vibrant Triangle) track frame and the Marcel Berthet Lyotard Platform Pedals were the fastest to get into from a standing start and a quick yank of the tail of the strap and gone whilst the others were still thinking about it.
Over the years I have ridden Rat Trap and several other types but still ride the Marcel platforms.
Walking with the aluminium shoe plates does not do them any favours and will result in the need to replace them when the groove begins to give a sloppy fit because of loss of depth to fully engage with the ridge on the pedals.
I tried Shimano clip-less a few years ago but went over to Look PP 206 Pedals and later went to a pair of 337 because of the easy of engaging with them but reverted back to my trusty Marcel's with toe clips & straps.

I still have this fear of not being able to get out of the clip-less fast enough after having had my left knee totally replaced in November 2017 and a slight inability to quickly flick my foot to the outside. 

This was my last fixed wheel incarnation built-up from a brand new 48cm Fuji Track Frame. I rode this along the coastal route virtually on a daily basis whilst living in Ellington,Northumberland and then sold it to a chap from just outside of Blackpool that wanted it for a charity ride.


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## TheCyclingRooster (24 Sep 2017)

T4tomo said:


> View attachment 373214
> 
> I mean this sort of thing, anyone use this type and would recommend or are the readership of cc all.too old and unhip (as I am really if truth be told)



Hi T4tomo. The only problem with this type is when your foot is removed the pedal immediately flips upside-down making re-entry a faff.

I personally would regard this type as being favoured by the sandle wearing brigade of cyclists.


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## Sharky (24 Sep 2017)

TheCyclingRooster said:


> I am a veteran (I think ??) at 72 years young and still riding my original Marcel Berthet Lyotard Platform Pedals from the early 60's,indeed I still have my very very first pair complete with Christophe Toe Clips and Christophe leather QR's. I have three complete pairs at present.
> 
> Back in the early/mid 60's I used to ride track at the then Bootle Outdoor Stadium on my 1937 Hetchins Curly (Vibrant Triangle) track frame and the Marcel Berthet Lyotard Platform Pedals were the fastest to get into from a standing start and a quick yank of the tail of the strap and gone whilst the others were still thinking about it.
> Over the years I have ridden Rat Trap and several other types but still ride the Marcel platforms.
> ...


I used to ride those pedals as well. Also rode the Bootle track, just once for our club champs. Great fun it was and thought I would ride the track again, but it never happened. 
Cheers keith


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## TheCyclingRooster (24 Sep 2017)

Sharky said:


> I used to ride those pedals as well. Also rode the Bootle track, just once for our club champs. Great fun it was and thought I would ride the track again, but it never happened.
> Cheers keith



Hi Keith. My 1937 Hetchins Curly Track Frame came from your neck of the woods and had been used at Herne Hill.
When I bought it of a school pal of mine after he had acquired it from an uncle it was finished in the most ungainly Maroon that you would ever not want.
I stripped it and brush-painted it with Black Valspar paint and then later had it converted to road use by the now late Norman Roberts from Walvale 


Cycles,Liverpool and then added the Chrome forks.










It was later stolen and stripped of everything including the double crown forks by so little toerag that lived in Saint Andrews Gardens,Liverpool,more affectionately known as the Bull Ring.
By devious means I got the frame back after my youngest brother discovered it in the Liverpool Cycle Exchange.
I was rather surprised to see it there as it was a rather unique frame - being only a 19.5" and a curly. and with the frame number clearly showing as H108 on the Bottom Bracket shell and the rear track ends.
I would have thought that they wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole.


.


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## Sharky (24 Sep 2017)

Nice photos. My first decent bike was a Hill Special, which I rode fixed until it was nicked from outside Woolies in Prescot.


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## simongt (24 Sep 2017)

TheCyclingRooster said:


> I would have thought that they wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole.


Wee scumbags who will nick anything that isn't bolted down rarely think of ease of disposal, just - 'ere, that could be worth a bob or two.'


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## TheCyclingRooster (24 Sep 2017)

simongt said:


> Wee scumbags who will nick anything that isn't bolted down rarely think of ease of disposal, just - 'ere, that could be worth a bob or two.'



Hi simongt. Yes,even way back in the mid 1960's there were light fingered little ar******s that had no respect for other peoples property and the crooked businesses that would take the stuff in.


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## andrew_s (2 Oct 2017)

T4tomo said:


> View attachment 373214
> 
> I mean this sort of thing, anyone use this type and would recommend or are the readership of cc all.too old and unhip (as I am really if truth be told)


A good alternative would be Powergrips, which fit diagonally across the pedal, so they are looser when your foot is heel out, and tighten up as you straighten your foot.


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## T4tomo (25 Jan 2018)

So I ended up with a pair of these mainly because they are from Yorkshire. Have to say they are excellent, great for 
riding in your work shoes, easier than traditional toe clips and no chance of scratching your shoes, and for some reason due to the strap catching on the crank, the just seem to sit up for you to put the other foot in as you set off.

It’s also racked up no 5 in pedal systems for me, I have a bike with these, one with trad toe clips, SPDs, Look Keos and a Brommie with flats.


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## Time Waster (25 Jan 2018)

I wonder if they'd work with a recumbent? Indeed whether you need anything to hold the foot surname recumbents?


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## 3narf (27 Jan 2018)

T4tomo said:


> It’s also racked up no 5 in pedal systems for me, I have a bike with these, one with trad toe clips, SPDs, Look Keos and a Brommie with flats.



Wow, so many different pedal formats would do my head in...


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## T4tomo (27 Jan 2018)

3narf said:


> Wow, so many different pedal formats would do my head in...


horses for courses, you don't notice when you're pedalling.
to be honest I don't notice any real difference between keos and spds. I have keos on the posh road bike for posh shoes sunny days and spds on the winter road bike. Toe clips on the 80s steel bike, as that looks right.


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## Salad Dodger (29 Jan 2018)

Nibor said:


> I used these in the 90s they were quite good
> https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/...-6Fz7ouQq8nZWr6cdqWqRy9H9Nz5DESoaAjE9EALw_wcB



I made some imitations of those on my old mountain bike, out of an old luggage strap, and bolted them to the pedals. Didn't look too pretty, but they worked well.


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