Help getting my feet into toe clips

[Over The Hill]

Hi

Just wanted to voice my support for toe clips. I just have add on type and I think I had to drill the pedal to fit them.
I dont really fancy clipless as you have to then have the special shoes. Unless you are really pushing to knock a second or two off the ride time why bother? Clips do the job and are a low cost solution.

To use them:
First the foot wear - just not too nobbily or thick soled running shoes.
Leading foot is in while stationary - assume no problem there.

If I am pulling out into a busy road or something then I will just ride on the bottom of the pedal until I am going and can ease off to get the second foot in the clip. so no need to rush to get your foot in as you pull away.

Think of the clip as a cup of water and you take a drink of it. Just use your toe to tip it up. So it is a bit of a backwards pressure on the top edge of the pedal when it is hanging upside down.
as you push the lip backwards the pedal should flip round to the right position and you can then just slide your foot in.

Fit needs to be snug but not tight. You end up doing it without thinking in a fairly short time. Perhaps having to look down about one time in ten.

I find I adopt a bit more of a pointed toe position. If you do then you may need to raise the saddle a bit to allow for it as it will shorten the distance a little.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Newbie response

Hi all,

JUst my second posting but hopefully helpful...

Being a cycling oldie and just started again 3 months ago, I bought myself a "racer" (Giant SCR3) which has "rat-trap" (my lingo) straps.
I had the same problem and overcame it by, A. learning how to flip the pedals again after 20 years off and B. I got a mate at work to make me two lightweight metal plates that are now bolted on the inside of the leading edge of the pedals.
Although adding a very small amount of weight to the bike, it now means that the clips face down and easier to relocate rather than underneath and awkward as hell to get back in especially when fighting rusk-hour traffic in my daily commute.

Saying that though, I am getting a pair of clipless half-clips for my Giant Urban 100 whoch I bought last month (unfortunately need to change the pedals tho).

Anyways, hope my input helped.

TonyEnjoyD

 

[ianrauk]

Have a friend who has these, he swears by them, he couldn't get on with clipless or clips...

 

[rich p]

I also don't like the idea of buying cycle-specifc shoes. So am tempted by these:

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=12960

Surely if you have to do an emergency stop you have to bend down and loosen the strap. I don't fancy that.

 

[marooncat]

Firstly just to say thanks to everyone who has replied and for your suggestions and advice (and reassured me I have not made the wrong choice by using toe clips )

Had a good ride home tonight, decided to put the strap back on the second clip having realised that it made no real difference to getting it on or not. Had one wobble moment when I turned onto the main road a right turn so I just peddled with the left pedal upside down to get me across the road, but then I had problems getting my second foot in and was looking down and realised I was all over the place .

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Surely if you have to do an emergency stop you have to bend down and loosen the strap. I don't fancy that.

With clips and straps theres no need to keep tightening and loosening the straps. There is a sweet spot where the strap is tight enough to hold your foot and enable you to pull the pedal up and loose enough to get your feet out. I have been using toe clips since the mid eighties. I had spd's on my best bike for six months last year. didn't like them, got no advantage from using them and went back to toeclips. the toeclips in the picture look very similar to the ones I have on my fixed and they are not the easiest ones to get in and out of. The old ones on my Dawes are easier to slip in and out of. There seem to be a greater variety of designs about now and not all the designs are good.

 

[DJ]

Hi everyone, heres my input for what it's worth, just want to say that I use toe clips which came without straps, I attached those to a peddle from Evans which only has a flat on one side and a little triangle at the back to help flipping the peddle up. I find the peddle sits at a very comfortable angle for me to slide my foot in. Some times I have to have aquick look, but not often.
I have'nt tried 'clipless' yet but may convert if My cycling obsession carries on!
But my main point is that it has much improved my cycling both in technique and in the fact that because I am not so keen to put a foot down I have much more forward vision and planning of whats going on around me!
Or maybe that just comes with experiance any way?
Thanks it's been an interesting thread as I have been wondering what the advantages of 'clipless' are any way?

 

[Liddington]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie who's been lurking for a while but never quite got around to introducing myself properly (sorry!)

It's great to know there are so many people out there offering really helpful advice to beginners and this thread was just what I needed. I have an old Dawes 10 speed "racer" from 1973 which I acquired on eBay, equipped with the original rat trap pedals and toe clips. After a couple of embarrassing attempts I gave up with the clips and removed them and have been riding flat pedal ever since. I couldn't bring myself to fit spd type pedals because they would hardly be in keeping with the retro look of the rest of the bike, but now, after the advice given on here, I feel I have the knowledge I need to refit the clips and make a proper try at using them.

Thanks all

 

[peanut]

toe clips are sprung steel and are often flattened in storage and transit. Make sure that the pointy bit that holds the strap above your foot is high enough to push your foot into without snagging on your shoe.
You might need to bend the toe clips up a bit. Takes quite a bit of force but can be done. otherwise the pointy bit will dig into the laces or velcrose straps of your shoes and snag

 

[cheadle hulme]

@ Liddington, loads of old racers have been brought up to date with spd's and dual pivot brakes. My 1981 Peugeot being one of them.

Apart from the initial expense of cycling specific shoes, there is absolutely nothing that would make me not recommend spd's. Easy to clip in and easy to get out. Cheap (£16 for Shimano 520) and reliable. Miles easier than toe clips.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

 

[peanut]

@ Liddington, loads of old racers have been brought up to date with spd's and dual pivot brakes. My 1981 Peugeot being one of them.

Apart from the initial expense of cycling specific shoes, there is absolutely nothing that would make me not recommend spd's. Easy to clip in and easy to get out. Cheap (£16 for Shimano 520) and reliable. Miles easier than toe clips.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

absolutely couldn't agree more.
I actually use Shimano MO 80B (MTB shoes) with my SPD pedals on my road bike. That way I can get off and walk perfectly normally as far as I need to without looking like a chicken walking on ice