Peddle straps

[captainhastings]

Got my tdf road bike home today and its has them peddle feet clip in things.
Whats the score there do you keep them relatively loose.
Stick one foot in and when you launch off stick the other foot in ? I can see me swapping the work boots for some thing more pointy

 

[Arch]

Got my tdf road bike home today and its has them peddle feet clip in things.
Whats the score there do you keep them relatively loose.
Stick one foot in and when you launch off stick the other foot in ? I can see me swapping the work boots for some thing more pointy

Ahem. Pedal...

Yes, to start with, keep them loose. Put one foot in (the foot you tend to start off with on the pedal) and then get the other in once you are moving. At first, you may find it a bit of a faff to flick the pedal round and slip your foot in, but practise will help. I found at first I was rushing to get the other foot in straightaway although I didn't need to - just ride on the other side of the pedal for a few strokes until you are going along and have the momnetum to freewheel for a second to flick the pedal round. Smoother narrower shoes will help. Hardcore users will then reach down and tighten the straps by pulling them, to give more grip - to get your foot out you just slip it backwards. Personally, I never bothered, and these days I use the strapless half toe clip type anyway.

Everyone else will say get clipless pedals and shoes (the sort that actually click into the pedal).

 

[Mike Rudkin]

In the dim and distant past,we had leather soled cycling shoes and then fastened a slotted plate on the soles.The slot engaged with with the pedal cage and then the 'quick release' straps were pulled tight.So,getting out of them was harder than disengaging clipless pedals !! Actually we never seemed to have 'Clip and Strap' moments !!
I would tend to leave the left one loose in traffic-much as I use the 'ordinary' side of my left Shimano 324's which I have put on my road bike.

 

[captainhastings]

Ahem. Pedal...

Yes, to start with, keep them loose. Put one foot in (the foot you tend to start off with on the pedal) and then get the other in once you are moving. At first, you may find it a bit of a faff to flick the pedal round and slip your foot in, but practise will help. I found at first I was rushing to get the other foot in straightaway although I didn't need to - just ride on the other side of the pedal for a few strokes until you are going along and have the momnetum to freewheel for a second to flick the pedal round. Smoother narrower shoes will help. Hardcore users will then reach down and tighten the straps by pulling them, to give more grip - to get your foot out you just slip it backwards. Personally, I never bothered, and these days I use the strapless half toe clip type anyway.

Everyone else will say get clipless pedals and shoes (the sort that actually click into the pedal).

Cheers Arch and yes pedal my mistake

 

[nigelnorris]

I started with them nice and loose and just gradually tightened the toeclips an itty bit at a time over a period of weeks until they were actually pretty tight while riding. With little incremental steps your feet will automatically find their way in without you having to think about doing it.

Same with flipping the pedals over, it becomes second nature. After a few weeks I was finding my feet in the straps having caught them on the upstroke which naturally occurs when you start to pedal, no need even to use toes to flip them up, it just happens automagically.

But I've swapped them [fashion victim] for clipless 520s now [today in fact]. Have done a quick 25 miiles on them this morning and am currently disappointed by the fact that I really couldn't discern any useful difference. Early days yet though

 

[tyred]

The other thing to take note of is that the cages come in a variety of sizes and it may be necessary to modify them to move it forward so you get your foot into the proper place for comfortable pedalling. Or at least i had to modify mine.

 

[Arch]

But I've swapped them [fashion victim] for clipless 520s now [today in fact]. Have done a quick 25 miiles on them this morning and am currently disappointed by the fact that I really couldn't discern any useful difference. Early days yet though

I thought the difference is, one day, when you've stopped remembering to worry about it, you'll come to a stop still clipped in, and fall over....

 

[Arch]

Cheers Arch and yes pedal my mistake

Sorry about that, it's the pedant in me....

 

[nigelnorris]

I thought the difference is, one day, when you've stopped remembering to worry about it, you'll come to a stop still clipped in, and fall over....

Well I did that using the cage/strap style clips, I'm sure a matching clipless moment is on its way.

 

[Mike Rudkin]

If you've been using clips and straps and then change to clipless-I would have thought that the only difference would be in the ease or otherwise of en or dis engagement. Surely both systems do the same job as far as transferring the power of the engine into the drive train :-)

 

[captainhastings]

If you've been using clips and straps and then change to clipless-I would have thought that the only difference would be in the ease or otherwise of en or dis engagement. Surely both systems do the same job as far as transferring the power of the engine into the drive train :-)

oh I thought they were for just stopping your feet slipping off

 

[Mike Rudkin]

Arglwydd mawr-or summat like that lol

 

[MajorMantra]

If you've been using clips and straps and then change to clipless-I would have thought that the only difference would be in the ease or otherwise of en or dis engagement. Surely both systems do the same job as far as transferring the power of the engine into the drive train :-)

If you're comparing tight straps to clipless then that's probably true. Thing is, most people using clips and straps for everyday use don't actually tighten them up so there's quite a lot of slop in your mechanical system. I find that I had to tense my feet to pull up effectively with clips and straps whereas with clipless there's no need, making clipless rather more comfortable.

Matthew

 

[purplepolly]

Until you're used to them, don't try to flick the second pedal until you're moving smoothly, especially if you're in traffic or at a junction. Pedal using the back of it until you're clear.

 

[captainhastings]

Until you're used to them, don't try to flick the second pedal until you're moving smoothly, especially if you're in traffic or at a junction. Pedal using the back of it until you're clear.

Yea that seems a good plan just had quick run up a quiet road and had a play.
The second one does seem to flick round surprisingly easy. But it doesn’t half make a racket when it’s the wrong way round and slapping the floor.
Worst part I found was when I was going slow or on tight turns definitely time to get unclipped for me there