Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - toe clips? brake levers?

more n00b questions: i am still getting my fixie (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=380634&highlight=) put together and i don't know what to do about my pedals and my brakes. . .

1. i want to put toe clips of some sort on my pedals. i no longer have the bmx pedals that you see in the photo above, i switched them out for some roadie-type flat pedals that are supposed to be fitted with clips. i have seen that some are strapless (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=6000108&subcategory=60001077&brand=&sku=8044&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Pedal%20Accessories) and some have straps (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=6000108&subcategory=60001077&brand=&sku=8034&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Pedal%20Accessories). what might be the dis/advantages of each? any reason why i should get plastic vs. metal?

2. i need to put a front brake on my bike. i have seen a few variations of different kinds of brake lever setups. i took the bars off my bike (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=380634&highlight=), fliped/chopped them into bullhorns the other day. what are my options for a cheap brake lever? i think i want to put them on the top position (http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2008/jan/2/RobintheRobot-4.jpg) but i am also looking at those "time tria (http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2008/jan/2/Scrapbmxrider16_bikeguide-1.jpg)l" type levers. is that what they are called? (i think they make your bike look like a praying mantis, which is also cool.)

The toe clips without straps are essentially worthless. Get some steel clips and some straps and you'll be a lot better off. Plastic clips are OK in a pinch, but certainly not the greatest.

can we turn this thread into a plastic vs. metal clip war?

i'll start off:

plastic is cheaper

and where else can i buy parts like this cheap besides nashbar and ebay?

^ I'd suggest going to your LBS. Clips and straps aren't that pricey, you can give them some business in the slow season - besides, with stuff that small any savings are usually offset by shipping.

I'd like to add that straps are also worthless without clips. I had some lady pull out in front of me today and one of my clips actually snapped off where it mounts to the cage while I was frantically trying to stop. Real pain in the ass in this weather, the pedal would flip over and the strap would get all twisted and try to knock me off my bike - but I guess it'll be a good excuse to get better at skip stops with my off foot forward until I make it to the bike shop.

Another upside of plastic: it won't rust and then snap.

It'll just snap without the rust.

the 'time trial' levers you mentioned are a great idea for bullhorns, assuming you prefer to ride with your hands on the horns than with your hands on the flats. the levers are also known as 'reverse' brake levers. the kind that plugs into the bar end is probably the best, but there are also clamp-on versions. check out jensen bikes selection (http://www.jensonusa.com/store/sub/111-Brake+Levers.aspx?s=1474) for a good starting point. also, check out cane creek's version (http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/13710-035_CACTT4-43-Brands-191-Cane-Creek/Cane-Creek-200-TT-Brake-Levers.htm).

thanks.

my lbs has some decent clips with straps cheap, so i will probably pick up some of those.

thanks for the links to brake levers too.

the cages I just pulled of my fixed gear were older than I am, they didnt rust.

but yeah truthfully you will pay about the same from your lbs and online for straps and clips. and really really small parts like that. you might be able to find a used pair at your lbs if you ask really nicely.


the brake levers you are talking about are reverse pull levers or time trial levers.
the nashbar kit is 25 bucks and you need cables
dia-comp makes a pair your lbs can order for the same price



just saw the above post, I am moving slow this morning. it took me about ten miuntes to write that

http://elitecycling.biz/page.cfm?PageID=55&action=details&sku=PD1172

check these out, even though you already have pedals may be something to consider

go clipless. better than clips and straps.

go clipless. better than clips and straps.

Don't be that guy. J/K clipless isn't a bad way to go, but if your on a budget, stick w/ clips and straps. My first clips, the lbs gave to me. They were plastic though. I soon replaced them with the MKS metal clips and leather straps. I like em.

clipless is nice, but it's not for everyone. i'm sort of on the fence about which i like more. clipless for racing, fasho, but on the street, meh.

personally, i like plastic clips. cheap, durable, don't make that horrible scraping noise if you ride the undersides of the pedals...you can get colors if you want...i've heard far fewer stories of breakage than with metal clips. they're a little more flexy, but is that really all that important? that's also part of why they seem to break less. that which bends does not break. i think that's some zen thing.

in short, fixed gear is about zen, right? go plastic!

metal clips for sure. i started off with plastic ones and the plastic snapped off the second day i had them. i would actually put plastic toe caps in the unsafe category if you plan on using your feet as the primary break

plastic is cheaper

and also directly funds the war machine. (Here's where I duck and hide).

EDIT: And part of the reason that it is cheaper is that petroleum (where plastic comes from) is subsidized by the US government.

hahahaha

the economy's going to **** today, i'm making a joke.