toe clips and straps OR clickpedals

[Psycolist]

Anyone have any thoughts or experinces of using either clickpedals or toe clips. I am gradually starting to get a few miles under my belt every week and am finding our local roads uneven and bumpy enough that i'm having my foot position adjusted by the road surface when travelling at any speed. Therefore I am looking at options to try and avoid this unwanted disconection. I am used to using platform pedals with a nice big shoe to pedal surface. I have recently tried out a pair of resin pedals that were the sort that are shaped to a point at the front, resembling the toe of a shoe and with the toe clips built in. I didnt get on with them very well, I didnt seem to be able get my foot far enough into the clip to have the ball of my foot on the pedal surface, they felt very small as well. So I am now wondering wether to try an open 'cage' pedal with toe clip and strap, or go the whole hog and try a pair of clickpedals. Anyone out there have any thoughts please ?

 

[ianjmcd]

clickpedals or as they are more commonly know clipless are the best way try them and you wont ever go back to flat pedals or toe clips

 

[Saluki]

Clickpedals? I am assuming SPD's or clipless pedals here. Personally, now I have made the change to them, I would never go back to toeclips and straps (or rat-traps as we called them when I was a kid). I have a pair kicking around the shed, just in case but clipless all the way for me. Much more comfy, much easier to pedal and I love them.
Hope that helps

 

[shouldbeinbed]

It sounds like you've tried a pair of Look pedals. never used them so can't comment on the setup but they seem to be for the racing cyclist and pro ranks. maybe you have a different expectation and comfortable foot position to the norm for racing.

I guess by clickpedals, you mean SPD pedals using a small metal arrowhead-ish shaped cleat on the sole of the shoe and collection of springs and interesting shaped bits of metal on the pedal top. These fell out of the mountain bike scene and are better for general purpose riding and commuting on, as you can get shoes that can be 90%+ normally walked in without the bambi on ice routine of proper racing soles.

As above posts: clipless are a godsend, you soon get used to them and can ride/click in and out with confidence. I'd never go back to toe clips and straps in a million years.

The other advantage of SPD clipless is that you can have a dual sided pedal for the best of both worlsd. solid feeling clip in for longer rides and flat pedal comfort for those short hops and times when you just jump on and go or are off out to the pub etc and want to be seen in a pair of normal shoes.

 

[Psycolist]

Does nobody find that the clickpedal (SPD or clipless) option inconvinient in so far as having to wear a specific pair of shoes on to go out cycling. The double sided option mentioned by 'shouldbeinbed' sounds like an good compromise. Just been browsing the site, several comments on other threads about 'getaway' being tricky with clickpedals as well, not to mention the extra expense of having to buy pedals as well as shoes !

 

[thnurg]

Don't worry too much about expense. You can get a cheap set of SPD pedals on Ebay from £20-£40. Aldi and Lidl do a reasonable set of SPD shoes for around £20, but they tend to only be available during "cycle specials".

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Does nobody find that the clickpedal (SPD or clipless) option inconvinient in so far as having to wear a specific pair of shoes on to go out cycling. The double sided option mentioned by 'shouldbeinbed' sounds like an good compromise. Just been browsing the site, several comments on other threads about 'getaway' being tricky with clickpedals as well, not to mention the extra expense of having to buy pedals as well as shoes !

Double sided sound like a great idea and so I went that route on one of my bicycles.....but once you're used to clipless it feels so strange trying to cycle unclipped that you won't want to cycle any other way. The double sided pedals are designed so that the cleat side should always present as the upper surface.....but this doesn't always work on mine.
Another compromise worth considering is Shimano M424pedals (or M545 which are better but pricier) these have a large platform and a recessed clip mechanism so can be used with normal shoes.
If you do go for SPD's the cheapest and best value pedals are Shimano M520's - and they are deservedly popular at about £20 a pair - but make sure when you buy them that cleats are included as if not you will pay an extra £10 for them.

Having said all the above.....many of us cycled quite happily for many years using toe clips and they worked fine - so if price is an issue they might just be all you need.

 

[Sittingduck]

You will soon get used to 'clipping in' when you move away from a stationary position. Shimano M520 - the best 20 quid you will ever spend (cycling related).

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Does nobody find that the clickpedal (SPD or clipless) option inconvinient in so far as having to wear a specific pair of shoes on to go out cycling. The double sided option mentioned by 'shouldbeinbed' sounds like an good compromise. Just been browsing the site, several comments on other threads about 'getaway' being tricky with clickpedals as well, not to mention the extra expense of having to buy pedals as well as shoes !

Yes, I use clips and straps on my fixed, I use the fixed for commuting, general running about and as a winter bike, the clips and straps give me good basic foot retension with the versatility of allowing me to use any boots or shoes I want. My geared best bike has clipless pedals, which limit me to cycle shoes only. I find the difference between the two systems is that small I'd need a stop watch to measure it.
Clip and straps are like clipless, you have to learn how to use them, Its a good idea to park the bike where you can lean on something and practise flicking the pedal round and sliding your foot in.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I don't mind either and use both systems. My general purpose bike has rat traps because as others have stated, you can use any shoes within reason with them. I've found in the past that my clipless peddled bike only gets used on long(ish)runs and not for nipping to the shop etc as i can't be bothered to put on my clip in shoes.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I don't mind either and use both systems. My general purpose bike has rat traps because as others have stated, you can use any shoes within reason with them. I've found in the past that my clipless peddled bike only gets used on long(ish)runs and not for nipping to the shop etc as i can't be bothered to put on my clip in shoes.

 

[Psycolist]

many thanx for all your input. i'm leaning towards straps and toe clips i think, more versatile and useable, although i can understand why clipless are popular. they seem to offer a more proffesional method of obtaining the same thing. i'll let you know how i get on.

 

[Drago]

SPDs all the way. You can get your foot off the pedal ever but as quick as flat ties just so long as you twist your foot slightly while doing so, which soon becomes second nature.

 

[Eribiste]

I'll be able to tell you my opinions of SPD clipless this weekend. I've sold a bicycle that had ordinary pedals on it, bought a bike with toe clips on, and immediately rushed out and bought a set of SPD pedals because the toe clips are already proving a bit of a fiddle-faddle.

On the plain pedals, of course there's no problem with getting feet on and off, but I did find myself slipping off them in the wet, especially when applying a bit of effort. The toe clips on the new bike are ok, and I've got the hang of flipping the pedal round to poke my left toe in pretty well. They certainly stop the slipping foot thing too.

I'm changing to the clipless partly out of the reasoning that I've read on this very forum, partly out of curiosity, and partly because (and this is a bit wierd) I dig the click, click sound I hear when clipless equipped cyclists make as they start off. Who says I'm a fashion victim? I'm also expecting them to be easier and quicker to engage than toe clips.

The pedals I've chosen are Shimano A530, which have a plain side and an SPD clip side, so I've got the best of both worlds with those, probably. The shoes have the cleats recessed too, so I can walk a little on them when fetching a pint of Thatchers Black Rat energy restoring elixir.

I must just have a bit of practise of unclipping in a hurry before I go too far though......

 

[Psycolist]

I'll be able to tell you my opinions of SPD clipless this weekend. I've sold a bicycle that had ordinary pedals on it, bought a bike with toe clips on, and immediately rushed out and bought a set of SPD pedals because the toe clips are already proving a bit of a fiddle-faddle.

On the plain pedals, of course there's no problem with getting feet on and off, but I did find myself slipping off them in the wet, especially when applying a bit of effort. The toe clips on the new bike are ok, and I've got the hang of flipping the pedal round to poke my left toe in pretty well. They certainly stop the slipping foot thing too.

I'm changing to the clipless partly out of the reasoning that I've read on this very forum, partly out of curiosity, and partly because (and this is a bit wierd) I dig the click, click sound I hear when clipless equipped cyclists make as they start off. Who says I'm a fashion victim? I'm also expecting them to be easier and quicker to engage than toe clips.

The pedals I've chosen are Shimano A530, which have a plain side and an SPD clip side, so I've got the best of both worlds with those, probably. The shoes have the cleats recessed too, so I can walk a little on them when fetching a pint of Thatchers Black Rat energy restoring elixir.

I must just have a bit of practise of unclipping in a hurry before I go too far though......

Eribiste I'll have to google that one. I totally understand where you are on the 'click' though.
I have this odd compulsion to seek out the strange or unusual combinations. It has to work, and work well, as a piece of equipment, and should enhance my riding experience, but if its possible, i will want to try it out. My combination of BMX bars, ladies loop frame,some suspension forks and Shimano R500's is testament to that. AND if i can get a set of pedals made by a Ukrainian dwarf working from a cave in the New Forest then I will want to try them out. Many thanx for your comments. I am off to my LBS tommorow to see what they have in the way of clips and straps, simply because of not needing to have specialist footwear and there will no doubt be further posts about how I get on