Do you use toeclips?

[Venod]

Not used toeclips and straps since 1984 when look brought out there clipless system, swapped to double sided SPD sometime in the 90s can't beat been able to walk normally.
I had a brief spell with flats (no toeclps) on the MTB but soon went back to SPD.

 

[ColinJ]

I did exactly that a few months ago. I normally always unclip the left foot as I come to a stop, but that one time I got my balance wrong as I did so, and just toppled to my right as I stopped, with that foot still clipped in.

Ouch. I hope that you didn't hurt yourself too much!

In my case, it was my pride that suffered most... I just looked it up. I fell the other way when clipping back in!

I was very fit, lean and tanned and I thought I looked so coooooool on my bike. It was a fine sunny day and I was on a lane coming to a T-junction with the A646 near Hebden Bridge. There is a slope up to the junction. A sports-car was ahead of me waiting for a break in the traffic to turn right. I wanted to turn right too, so I pulled up on the left side of the car and put a foot down. The car had its top down and there were two attractive young women sitting in it. I had mirrored sunglasses on and I knew they couldn't see my eyes, so though apparently looking straight ahead, I was in reality eyeing up the women. There was a gap in the traffic and the car started to inch forward so I pressed down hard on my right pedal and went to clip in my left foot. Unfortunately the uphill slope brought me to a standstill just as I got it in and I toppled over onto my left knee, still clipped in. The women drove off, howling with laughter ...

 

[Alex321]

Ouch. I hope that you didn't hurt yourself too much!

In my case, it was my pride that suffered most... I just looked it up. I fell the other way when clipping back in!

No, didn't really hurt myself at all. I was at a standstill as I fell, and there was no traffic to hit me.

Just embarrassing.

 

[pjd57]

Just plastic toeclips.
No straps.
I saw them recommended on here a few years ago and thought I'd try them.
No complaints

 

[iandg]

I grew up with them and was slow moving to "clipless". None of my bikes are fitted with them now but I have a set of pedals, clips and straps ready for retro bike rides.

 

[froze]

My commuter bike, and my classic bikes have toeclips, my weekend road bike and touring bike all have modern clip in pedals.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I've always used toe clips and then later half clips because I realised I was never going to tighten the straps on the full verion. On my touring bike I have a lovely set of chromed half clips with leather lining so they don't damage my shoes.

 

[tinywheels]

This is the huge misconception about clipless pedals. Despite many users claiming efficiency and power benefits that just isn't what they are about.

agreed,I was berated for pointing this out. However, there's no so blind, etc etc

 

[Paulus]

I've got straps and clips on four of my older steeds, and spd's on the others.
I grew up using straps and never stopped.
I don't have the straps done up tight, just enough to be able to slide my shoes in and out easily.

 

[Hover Fly]

I’ve tried various clipless over the years, still got a pair of early Looks somewhere, SPD, Time various, and I’ve never been convinced that the small performance-advantage if there is one-, is worth the disadvantages of slipping on polished floors or stone surfaces, getting dirt in the cleats clip-clopping about like you’re wearing hob-nailed boots. Small inset pedals like SPD or Time Atac are like riding on walnuts, larger road cleats are awful to walk in. There was one case in the local paper where a cyclist fell over and was killed when he didn’t unclip in time, I’ve seen and heard of various other injuries as well.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Nope.

 

[Hover Fly]

Nope.

View attachment 671968

Crikey! How long do your socks last?

 

[Salad Dodger]

Back in my mountain bike days, I made something similar to these out of a cut up luggage strap, and bolted them to the pedals with some nuts, bolts and washers. No quick release, just slide your shoes in and out of the straps, but they worked pretty well.....

 

[Venod]

Small inset pedals like SPD or Time Atac are like riding on walnuts,

I find if I use stiff soled shoes there is no difference in the feel of the pedal no matter which system. I even rode flats in my SPD shoes and it felt the same, apart from my foot slipping off.

 

[ColinJ]

I believe that Sean Kelly was one of the last riders in the pro peloton to change to clip less pedals.

He was. He stuck with them years after just about every other pro changed to clipless. Once he finally tried clipless he said that he would never go back to toeclips***.

A friend of mine rode with toeclips for 40+ years but called into a bike shop with me and saw a pair of MTB-type SPD shoes that she liked. She bought them and the pedals to go with them. After a couple of weeks getting used to them, she said that she would never go back to toeclips either.


*** I just found an explanation for his delay in switching. The early clipless pedals/cleats didn't allow any float and he was worried about that causing knee problems.