Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - My powergrips have pissed me off....

In less than a week. I got them as a temporary solution until I could afford a new set of clipless pedals. Unfortunately, the temporary solution lasted approximately 6 days. The actual strap itself seems to be a very good design. However, the set screw in the front got all messed up. I noticed that left strap had gotten a bit loose. I went to tighten it, I found that the set screw had bent. When I went to unscrew it it promptly stripped the threads in the housing.

Needless to say, I am not happy about this.

In less than a week. I got them as a temporary solution until I could afford a new set of clipless pedals. Unfortunately, the temporary solution lasted approximately 6 days. The actual strap itself seems to be a very good design. However, the set screw in the front got all messed up. I noticed that left strap had gotten a bit loose. I went to tighten it, I found that the set screw had bent. When I went to unscrew it it promptly stripped the threads in the housing.

Needless to say, I am not happy about this.

A few years ago, a gave the power grips a try. I was surprised at how well they worked. The way the strap runs across your foot, an incredible amount of lift/pull is possible.....but .... I found the mounting system to be flawed too. There seems to be 2 types (at least there were then). One used a vise-like mechanism to cinch the straps and I had similar problems to yours. The other type has a series of closely-spaced holes in the strap that the screw goes completely through. While this set up does not allow the fine adjustment available in the vise type, it works much better and is simpler. Regardless, I found the metal mounting strips to be weak as well. Buy the time I reached the top of a long hill (I pull up a lot) the metal strip were bent forwadr by 90 degrees. After a few weeks, they just snapped. I think the idea is sound, and they couldn't be easier to get into and out of, they really need another pass through the R&D department.

In the end I retired them in favor of clips and straps.

Take care...

Jim

Did you get them from Ekko Sports? That's where I got mine. I wear biking sandals and they were too uncomfortable across the Velcro toe straps so I emailed Ekko about returning them. I got a response the same day with directions; they seemed very reasonable about it. But then my husband tried them and likes them so I didn't have to return after all.

This sounds like a malfunction to me and you should be able to return them no matter where you got them. Good luck!

Yeah, its frustrating. When they worked they worked very well. Hopefully I won't have any problem exchanging them.

I posted something on Powergrips a while back...I had a similar experience to yours, delay, and found that after 30 days, without a proof of purchase you're screwed. My screw broke and got stuck in the hole. Drilling it out ruined the threads, now I'm on my own. Powergrips are total pieces of crap, though work well in theory.

Craig

I've had no problems with mine!

yeah, i've been using powergrips for nearly a year now and have had no problems. i am a totally skinny (and not heavy) bastard, though, so that might account for my lack of issues with bending. i also have relatively small feet (size 9), which, given that less of my foot hangs over the sides of the pedals, means that there is less "outward" force on that metal strip. i do a lot of climbing and skidding, too -- no bending.

as i've said in other threads, i definitely prefer powergrips over clips and straps. it definitely sucks that you've run into problems with the mounting hardware, because, aside from that issue, they are quite effective and a good alternative.

I have been riding with PowerGrips for 3 or 4 months, and I have been nothing but pleased. My only complaint is that they are ugly as hell, otherwise, they work fantastic.