Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - why do some prefer straps to clipless?

Other than straps being cheaper or more stylish, is there a functional/performance reason?

Cause I can wear any shoes I want with them

My heels don't fit my Looks.

Cause I can wear any shoes I want with them


mmmhmm.



you get good(not super great, but good) power transfer without having to lug around two pairs of shoes if you wanna chill somewhere.

Most people are unable to find shoes for clipless that you can walk comfortably in, and don't look like what an astronaut would wear.. I was fortunate enough to find some I can wear around school all day, or even around town. Shimano somethings, I don't think they make them anymore. Sure they're not running shoes what with the stiff sole (wouldn't want to walk more than 2 miles in them at once), but I'd rather bike than walk around, so the power transfer makes up for it.

If you're actually planning on riding, go clipless :p

just a matter of taste. i've used both. both are good for some bikes for some things for some people. just depends on the bike, the use, and the person.

the ease of being able to wear any shoe you want. it got to be very annoying having to wear only clipless shoes so i had to go back to straps but went to double straps. i LOVE clipless for the power and control aspect but hate it for its lockdown method. i wasn't used to being so locked in and didn't find it very safe to use in traffic(of course i was using shimano spd's so that could be a factor of it) i may plan on trying to score a used pair of time attacks and see what the rave is about them. overall straps are very practical for daily use

I commute on fixed with toe clips. It's easier to jump off the bike and do my thang.

i may plan on trying to score a used pair of time attacks and see what the rave is about them.

I've used Times on my mountain bike for years. They're amazing.

I once heard somebody say they would never ride in shoes they couldn't run up the stairs in. I liked that.

Because I'm not a Sunday cyclist. I ride to get places, and I need to walk when I get there.

Most people are unable to find shoes for clipless that you can walk comfortably in, and don't look like what an astronaut would wear.. I was fortunate enough to find some I can wear around school all day, or even around town. Shimano somethings, I don't think they make them anymore. Sure they're not running shoes what with the stiff sole (wouldn't want to walk more than 2 miles in them at once), but I'd rather bike than walk around, so the power transfer makes up for it.

If you're actually planning on riding, go clipless :p


can you take a pic of them, or take a look what model they are, I have been looking around for some. If you can wear them through a school day, those are the ones fo me.

Because if youve ever pulled out of a clipless pedal you will understand that brakeless clipless is very, very scary.

Straps are more practical, who wants to bring 2 pairs of shoes everywhere what happens when you ride, your bike down the pub? correct me if im wrong, but itsnt one of the points of riding Fixed gear having a simpler bike. you don't have brakes but you need a pair of shoes to ride your bike? that makes sense in my mind *rolls eyes*

Saw one bad wreck when I was younger racing BMX, clipless had just started to be used. Kid lost all his teeth and shattered his jaw open.


* Note:
Not to say I didn't see a ton of other bad wrecks, a broken neck, etc, but he wouldn't have gone over like he did had he just been on platforms

both. just depends on mood and purpose of ride. most of the time, i ride clips and straps because of the reasons stated above (i can wear any pair of shoes i want, great for errands, etc.). but when i go on longer rides, just to ride, then i will swap them out for clipless. clipless feels safer -- much easier to get your feet out of, if you are one of the people who pull the clips and straps tight, like me -- and they have much better power transfer. plus, on longer rides, my feet go numb with clips and straps, whereas on clipless they feel great. but yeah, for commuting, short rides, pub 'n pedals, then i like clips and straps.
also, someone above said clipless are scary if you ride brakeless. for me, it's the opposite. i've never accidentally clipped out of my Candy SL clipless pedals, but i've had a scary moment or two trying to skid with clips and straps and have my straps come loose (but i'm a big guy...)

I ride clipless on my road bike that I use for delivery because climbing hills seems much easier but I also usually end up standing around in my clipless shoes for 5-8 hours at a time and it kills my feet. More comfortable shoes and simplicity is the name of the game when I wanna ride without feeling like I am at work.

Saw one bad wreck when I was younger racing BMX, clipless had just started to be used. Kid lost all his teeth and shattered his jaw open.


* Note:
Not to say I didn't see a ton of other bad wrecks, a broken neck, etc, but he wouldn't have gone over like he did had he just been on platforms

hardly relates to this conversation though, since hardly anyone advocates riding only platforms. he'd have still been fscked if he was in clips & straps, id imagine.

i ride with clips & straps because i usually am going to work, or going to a friends house, or going to class when i ride. for just going on a ride, clipless would be good, but thats less frequently the case.

Saw one bad wreck when I was younger racing BMX, clipless had just started to be used. Kid lost all his teeth and shattered his jaw open.


* Note:
Not to say I didn't see a ton of other bad wrecks, a broken neck, etc, but he wouldn't have gone over like he did had he just been on platforms

You would be stupid to race BMX without clipless, you only get half the power otherwise. I raced for seven years with clips, almost like second nature to me now, I'm not trying to be mr. hippy hipster and ride around without any brakes, but you will and can get just as hurt on a bike with or without clips, I have crashed plenty and if you have your clips setup right, any sideways motion on the clip and you would pop out. I used to hit doubles and triples and occasionally screw up and clip out mid air to save my ass. Once you learn it and set it up correctly, you would have to be dumb to scorpian a bike or stay cliped in while crashing.

Because if youve ever pulled out of a clipless pedal you will understand that brakeless clipless is very, very scary.


I think it's more frightening to pull out of straps. Going fast or downhill, if by chance you unclip, at least you can just step back down and clip back in (my experience is with eggbeaters which I love, and am way happy with the sixsixone launch spd mountain shoes, they look like skate shoes). I tried clips and straps for a while and was sketching when bombing down steep hills because I wasn't confident I could get back in the straps if my feet slipped out. So I guess it really depends on your style, speed and terrain.

On a different note, I have been rocking PowerGrips upon suggestion from several BFFGs and I must say that they truly are the jam.

I had several bad falls with first and second generation clipless from Look and Time. It was possible to pull out of these pedals on the upstroke, and the early attempts at including float in the systems (red Look cleats, for instance) were prone to disengaging on the down stroke. This resulted in unpleasantness when it occured during, say, a 1/pro field sprint. I am told that these problems have been solved, but early experiences put me off the whole business, so I went back to clips and straps and have rarely looked back. (I have Eggbeaters on my mountain bike, and can pull out of them on the upstroke.)

Properly set up clips and straps are extremely secure. This is a dying art, as there are few straps that work correctly -- and they are NOT inexpensive: a good pedal/strap setup can easily cost $250 -- and even fewer shoes with good cleats. Right now I am using Campagnolo laminated straps, Campy steel clips, and Campy Super Record pedals, none of which have been made in the last 15 years or so. I am also using an even older pair of ventilated leather shoes with wooden soles and extremely deep cleat slots. This is a reliable, comfortable setup which absolutely holds up to the most violent sprint, but can also be adjusted to allow the foot to be pulled out in an emergency. Too bad it can't do both at the same time.

i dont use clips because tennis shoes look stupid with spandex

hardly relates to this conversation though, since hardly anyone advocates riding only platforms. he'd have still been fscked if he was in clips & straps, id imagine.

i ride with clips & straps because i usually am going to work, or going to a friends house, or going to class when i ride. for just going on a ride, clipless would be good, but thats less frequently the case.
True true, but my head still relates the two.

The second, and more pertinent one these days, is I don't feel comfortable riding them in city traffic, which is where I spend most of my time on my bike.

You would be stupid to race BMX without clipless, you only get half the power otherwise. I raced for seven years with clips, almost like second nature to me now, I'm not trying to be mr. hippy hipster and ride around without any brakes, but you will and can get just as hurt on a bike with or without clips, I have crashed plenty and if you have your clips setup right, any sideways motion on the clip and you would pop out. I used to hit doubles and triples and occasionally screw up and clip out mid air to save my ass. Once you learn it and set it up correctly, you would have to be dumb to scorpian a bike or stay cliped in while crashing.
Like I said, clipless wasn't really being used 10 years ago, at least where I was. I only saw a few select people at Nationals/Grands with them. I'm sure things are different today (actually looking again at getting a BMX bike, if I can find a nice shape mid-90's Haro Group 1 frameset to build) and I can understand the power aspect, but it really put me off to them.

Don't get me wrong, I've ridden them on one of my mountain bikes, and one of my road bikes, but I personally feel more comfortable with straps. This might be different if I had a fixed gear, but I ride a single speed conversion soooo...

It's Kinky.............and they cost a lot of money when MKS is stamped on them

can you take a pic of them, or take a look what model they are, I have been looking around for some. If you can wear them through a school day, those are the ones fo me.

Shimano Sh-M037 (http://www.togoparts.com/items/view_item.php?did=&cid=&bid=&iid=1274), although the reviewer at this site says they're not so hot for actual MTB-ing, and I'd prefer velcro and a stiffer sole for road biking, they're perfect for commuting and doing everything in between. And my cleats don't rub. Looks like they're a little hard to find, I suspect they're not produced anymore.

hardly relates to this conversation though, since hardly anyone advocates riding only platforms. he'd have still been fscked if he was in clips & straps, id imagine.


He would have been OK in powergrips probably though =p

I like clipless, a lot. It's like anything else, you ride them long enough and engaging/disengaging become second nature, no matter what system you run. I've run SPDs, Speedplays and most recently Eggbeaters. Speedplays are the easiest as far as engaging and disengaging, but the cleats suck for walking on. SPDs are the best for walkability and my favorite shoes for riding and walking around in are Shimano SPD sandals. They aren't the best for power transfer, but they are very comfortable for walking around in... They're a decent compromise in power transfer and comfort. They make touring shoes that are comfy to walk in, as well. To me, the only real downside of clipless is the cost.

Mark

i just switched to spds from clips + straps, and i can't believe i didn't do it sooner.

for the same reason some prefer fixed to ss... its all preference. Unless you ask every single person, you're not truly going to know why.

then all we need to do is to get every single person to post in this thread...

worthy endeavor i think

Because I'm not a Sunday cyclist. I ride to get places, and I need to walk when I get there.
I've been wearing SPD shoes on about 200 days per year for the last 3 years. That's a fair bit of walking around, and I have not been swallowed by a black hole or anything - yet.

Of course there are more comfy shoes to walk in than SPD, but most of the time I don't notice it at all. If you walk a lot, it's obviously not going to work. Normal in/out of buildings etc. aren't bad at all.

I don't feel comfortable riding clipless. If I ever start racing, maybe I will learn to use clipless, but for around town and training rides... I love them staps :).

i am with lofarkas

comfort and fashion vary by individual

but i walk all the time in clipless shoes and ive never broken a bone doing it

if you can learn to ride a bike you can learn to walk in clipless mountain biking shoes too

I prefer riding clipless, but my job requires me to be on my feet all day. Even with really comfy adidas minretts, I still have to change my shoes when I get to work. So- my commuter bike gets clips and straps (soon to be powergrips). I'm also getting a pair of real mtb shoes with stiffer soles for long rides. The minretts suck on anything over 20 miles.

hey folks who ride clips and straps

do your feet sweat when you ride
?

i am happy to change my shoes and socks when i get to work

i wonder if my feet are extra sweaty or something

i never ride slow sweat up a storm and dress accordingly

am i dirty
?

My Sidi MTB shoes are plenty comfortable for the bar/friend's house. As for work, I just leave a pair of shoes there. I don't think anyone has mentioned pedal clearance as a plus for clipless.

I prefer riding clipless, but my job requires me to be on my feet all day. Even with really comfy adidas minretts, I still have to change my shoes when I get to work. So- my commuter bike gets clips and straps (soon to be powergrips). I'm also getting a pair of real mtb shoes with stiffer soles for long rides. The minretts suck on anything over 20 miles.

Truthfully, I keep a pair of shoes at work for my commute days.

Mark

Converse All Stars.

I love riding with clipless pedals.

I do not, however, like hanging out in clipless shoes. There are plenty of times when I spend a whole weekend on my bike, and my feet start to hurt and feel tired. Wah, wah, wah.

Also, ****in' around and whatnot - less fun with clipless. I find clips and straps to be better for ****in' around, easier to pull out of when that no-handed one-foot-on-the-front-wheel trackstand goes awry and sends you up that exponential disaster slope (leaning, leaning... FALLING!).

Same goes for stupid skid attempts.

clipless is great for commutes and long rides, but for the week end ride to the shops or cafe for lunch, straps and sneakers are better. i've swapped back and forth a couple of times - i like both.

For the sake of redundancy, I'll chime in. Clipless is a fantastic ride. Any decent, modern pedal simply will not disengage unpredictably, and unclipping becomes second nature. For both reasons, I feel infinitely safer with clipless than in clips. Clips just take more time to wiggle out of; otherwise, they're set too loose to provide much of an advantage. But that's just for riding, and as others point out, that stiff sole sux on land.

If your commute is long enough or you're big on how your ride feels, go clipless. Get mountain or touring shoes so you can walk moderate distances -- you're not out racing in lycra, so the extra shoe ain't slowing you down. Keep a pair of regular shoes at your destination, because you don't want that stiff sole all day. If you don't put in crazy miles and/or you're not super-fussy about your ride like I am, clips are fine and far more versatile.

i go back and forth. i get tired of wearing my clipless shoes around (and slipping on those marble lobby floors downtown), so i switch to the clips. then i get tired of the extra hassle they add (not as much power, the frustration of not being able to get your foot in), and i switch back to clipless.
i used to be terrible at skidding and skipping with clips, but it gets easier the more you use them. i still get a little sketched out trackstanding at lights, but that fear is slowly receding.

It's Kinky.............and they cost a lot of money when MKS is stamped on them

?
20dollar pedals and 12 dollar clips?

As a MTB rider I always depended on my Times, loved them. Liked Look style on my roadie. I ride brakeless and would never ride brakeless with any clip system, they do unclip from time to time(I'm thinking railroad tracks and roots). And I just ride for fun and commuting so I like to wear comfortable shoes for off the bike which accounts for at least half my time.

I recently got on the clipless bandwagon, and I'm not going back. I love it. I ride Eggbeaters with a pair of Specialized Riata MTB shoes. I think if you want to be able to walk decently you should go for MTB shoes, they have a little grip to their soles.

Clips/straps would dick over my nice shoes so I'd end up bringing two pairs anyway.

ive actually gotten very used to converse allstars, at first they really suck but, i have to say now any other shoe just feals cumbersom

Any decent, modern pedal simply will not disengage unpredictably...
Eggbeaters and SPDs must not be decent, then. Unless you count that a good sharp upward yank will release the cleat is "predictable". :p

I like clips and straps for what just happened 10 minutes ago...

as I was coming up to my apartment, I started to wheelie, I soon started to wheelie too much and went over, pulling my feet out in time and catching myself. if I had clipless, I would of probably fallen.

I just have two bikes. One clipless for longer rides/commuting (I leave a pair of shoes at school and at work) and one clips and straps for messing around in.