Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Clip pedals?

Would these be good for me? I can't afford the clip less just yet, but want to make my pedaling more efficient. Would these do OK for now?

http://freeflite.com/product/bontrager-resin-atb-pedals-w-clip-strap-84008-1.htm

Yes you should gain some efficiency. However be sure to practice stopping and getting your foot on the ground. Sucks to be at a come to a stop or intersection and fall over. i would wear flat, smooth soled tennis shoes.

I have those... I am not a fan really and switched to clipless recently the biggest reason is the resin gives an aweful lot. It absolutely did help with pedaling effeciency however not as good as the clipless. Check your messages

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For future reference, you see the big black plastic piece? That is a toe "clip".

So when others ask why do they call clipless pedals "clipless", it's because they don't have that big plastic toe "clip".

Cliples spedals "engage" by way of a "cleat". ;)

thanks Beanz

Would these be good for me? I can't afford the clip less just yet, but want to make my pedaling more efficient. Would these do OK for now?

http://freeflite.com/product/bontrager-resin-atb-pedals-w-clip-strap-84008-1.htm

Seems like a waste of $20 to me... You'd be better off saving your money. Plan to buy some Shimano SPD M520 clipless pedals for $30-35 and find some shoes on sale for $30-50. Lots of shoe close-outs at this time of year (ex: at Nashbar (http://www.nashbar.com)), though sizes are often limited. You can also keep an eye on Chainlove (http://www.chainlove.com/) or BonkTown (http://www.bonktown.com/). Just make sure you buy a shoe that's compatible with a 2-bolt SPD style cleat.

thanks Beanz

He he he! I figured you know since you posted the link but surely, someone will ask somewhere down the line.:D

I think $20 is a reasonable interim purchase (especially for a guy without a job that wants to make progress biking!)

If you look on CL or eBay you can probably find clipless pedals for pretty cheap (or do you have any bike stores around that have used stuff? There's a vintage-only store near me that has buckets of all kinds of parts for cheap), but the problem is shoes. Cycling shoes are not cheap, not likely to be good-as-new if bought used, and they need to fit your feet!

I got a pair of these (http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1101498_-1___) about a month ago, I see they are still on sale for $40. As far as I've seen, that's about as cheap as bike shoes get. And yes, those are "mountain-bike shoes", which are compatible with the 2-hole cleats for SPD pedals. (Road shoes have a three-hole cleat system).

I have those... I am not a fan really and switched to clipless recently the biggest reason is the resin gives an aweful lot. It absolutely did help with pedaling effeciency however not as good as the clipless. Check your messages

That's what the straps are for. Toeclips, regardless of make or material, are of marginal use without manually tightening the straps after you've inserted your foot (the need to tighten straps quickly and easily led to the creation of the toe strap button industry). The clip only maintains your foot in the proper fore/aft position on the pedal. It's the strap that provides the transfer of power.

I bought these for my Comfort bike and really noticed an improvement in pedaling efficiency. http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Alloy-Pedals-Straps-Silver/dp/B002BW3HKU/ref=lh_ni_t

In fact, I'm going to get another set of these for my '83 World Tourist.

At the risk of being told I have a nasty soul or that I'm biased against the disabled, I suggest the OP ignore any idea of going clipless for now. Just two days ago he was confessing that he was depressed and not riding. Getting sucked into the gear game won't help him. I've been there.

I would skip clipless for now.

I do like Power Grips, that is what I use on my Cannondale Quick. They are easy to use and help anchor your feet in the pedals. They are far easier to exit than the old strap kind.

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Grips-Sport-Pedal-Strap/dp/B001FYGGLC

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41iB3F4ekNL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

I didn't get anything until I had 700 miles under my belt. Now I am at 1200 and will be getting a clipless system for my road bike. The pedals are waiting for me for when I return to town. That said, I am not entirely convinced any anchoring system is necessary. I do find the Powergrips helpful because I spin my pedals pretty fast and they help keep my feet on the pedals.

Those are a gateway drug, and pretty soon you'll be using clipless pedals. But if this is what you need to get there, more power to you.

BUT: Will you put these on the bike yourself, or will you take them into a shop and pay to have them switched out? For $10 at most bike stores, you should be able to get a pair of toe clips that threads into the pedals on your bike now, which you can do yourself, easily.


If you look on CL or eBay you can probably find clipless pedals for pretty cheap (or do you have any bike stores around that have used stuff? There's a vintage-only store near me that has buckets of all kinds of parts for cheap), but the problem is shoes. Cycling shoes are not cheap, not likely to be good-as-new if bought used, and they need to fit your feet!

I got a pair of carbon fiber soled MTB shoes on Craigslist for $40 or $45 a year ago. Great shoes with very stiff soles, which are wonderful on SPDs. They were a bit too big for their former owner. They came with a bit of wear, but have held up very well for the past several thousand miles. A friend of mine got a pair of shoes with cleats and crummy SPD pedals (double sided, but eager to release no matter where the tension is set) for $75 on Craigslist. I think this is a good way to get started ... I wound up with a few pairs of bike shoes, mostly because it rains a lot here, stuff dries slowly when the air is so wet, and I hate putting damp things on. Our hero, Allen, might like the toe clips, and ultimately go clipless; there's no shame in beginning used, especially when a lot of people will like it and get another pair of shoes.

I use clips on my street bike. I have a set of the resin ones somewhere, but the ones I actually use are metal - they seem to grab my shoe better. I wear ordinary cross-trainers (NewBalance, if it matters), and I find that they're great with the clips. The shoes stick in the clips when I want them to (so I can use the up-stroke to add power to my pedaling), and pop out instantly when I want them to, like when I stop at a light. As you get used to them, you get good at just slipping into and out of the clip without looking or even thinking about it.

Toe Clips...No Straps needed. 40,000 miles

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Toe%20Clips%20no%20Straps/toeclipstwo001.jpg

MKS GR-9 Pedals with toe clips and straps will last years. We've used them on tours where we wanted to wear normal shoes or sandals.

http://www.amazon.com/MKS-GR-9-Platform-Pedals-Silver/dp/B001GSMRQ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1319040085&sr=1-1

Eventually, you may get SPD or other clipless pedals and shoes but these will make a big, immediate, difference in your cycling efficiency.

These power grips look pretty neat, but I think you have to pull up on the band to get your foot in.

If you still haven't bought the new pedals you can have mine off my bike - I'm going to get a clip ins the week.

I use good old fashioned Christophe toe clips and leather straps, they work wonderfully and I can wear my street shoes with them.

I'm sure clipless with stiff riding shoes is an improvement but what I have works fine for me.

These power grips look pretty neat, but I think you have to pull up on the band to get your foot in.

If you still haven't bought the new pedals you can have mine off my bike - I'm going to get a clip ins the week.

Depends on how tight you have the band. I don't have them very tight. I slip my foot in, twist a bit to the outside with my foot, and they hold me just fine. I actually keep the left foot looser as I want to be able to exit quickly.

Would these be good for me? I can't afford the clip less just yet, but want to make my pedaling more efficient. Would these do OK for now?

http://freeflite.com/product/bontrager-resin-atb-pedals-w-clip-strap-84008-1.htm

These pedals look to be a fine way to get some extra energy into each pedal stroke without the unsafe aspects of clipless pedals.

Then there is the Power grip pedal that is also a fine way to get more power without going clipless.
http://bicycling.about.com/od/equipmentreviews/fr/power_grips.htm

Both of these pedals allow the ride to ride in street shoes saving a bundle in special shoe cost required for clipless.

Toe Clips...No Straps needed. 40,000 miles

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Toe%20Clips%20no%20Straps/toeclipstwo001.jpg

Nice in a common sense NON-clipless way!

These power grips look pretty neat, but I think you have to pull up on the band to get your foot in.

No, the band is fixed in place.

To get your foot into the strap, you point your toe toward the frame, stick it under the strap, then rotate your heel toward the bike to complete the process. Getting out is the reverse: rotate your heel away from the bike, then pull your toe out from under the strap, much like you would for a clipless pedal. There's an animation on the Power Grips website (http://www.mountainracingproducts.com/power-grips/) that illustrates this process.

For those with large feet (or bulky shoes) you can also buy PowerGrips with extra-long straps.

These pedals look to be a fine way to get some extra energy into each pedal stroke without the imaginary unsafe aspects of clipless pedals.

Like your toe clips hitting the ground when you don't use them, causing a hell of a surprise when you lean into a turn ... or like having to cinch the things down and then hoping not to be stuck in them. :rolleyes:

Clipless pedals are safer than toe clips, but neither one is very dangerous.

Unless you are having problems with your present pedals don't waste your money on clipless pedals and bike shoes. This equipment only comes into play when you are riding very rough trails or when you are riding very tough hills and long distance. For a beginning rider this equipment is not going to help very much at all.

For casual rides under 10 miles just platform pedals and sport shoes will work just great. I used to ride 20 miles with platform pedals and sneakers. Sometimes the bottom of my foot would get hot but all that I had to do was to start lifting my foot off the pedal on the up stroke and the feet would cool back down.

I now have clipless pedals and bike shoes and they may be more efficient and I can use my ham strings to pull the pedals up on the up stroke but you know I only have one heart and if I put out power on both my quads and ham strings my heart and lungs just get over loaded and become the limiting factor as far as performance. Just because you can deliver more power does not mean that you have more power to deliver.

Here's an idea for you Allen. Do you have metal pedals already with holes to attach clips and thread straps? If so, try posting here or road biking or bike mech or something, to the effect of "Hey, I'm an unemployed Clyde, so I can't afford clipless+shoes -- does anybody have a spare pare of clips/straps they could mail me?" I'm sure somebody would be willing to drop $2 postage to clear a little junk out of their garage. Given all the "I finally went clipless and I'm never looking back!" posts around here, there must be thousands of guys with unused cages/straps!

(If you have black plastic platform pedals, you could try the same approach asking for pedals+cages+straps; I bet you'd get lucky if you offered $5 to cover heavier postage. Note also you'll need probably a 15mm box-wrench (or a pricey "pedal wrench") to change your pedals out; and the Right pedal works Right (regular threading, righty-tighty, lefty-loosey) and the Left pedal is wrong (reverse threading))

These pedals look to be a fine way to get some extra energy into each pedal stroke without the unsafe aspects of clipless pedals.

...
Au contraire. These are far more dangerous than clipless pedals. They are ineffective unless cinched down tight, and then you can't escape them without releasing them by hand. An outdated and hazardous device.

O.K. I have to ask, who actually cinches the straps tight on pedals with toe clips?

I never have and I never will, Maybe using them the way I do doesn't take full advantage of the clips but it's 100 times better than with no toe clips.

O.K. I have to ask, who actually cinches the straps tight on pedals with toe clips?

I never have and I never will, Maybe using them the way I do doesn't take full advantage of the clips but it's 100 times better than with no toe clips.

When I raced in the 70s we not only cinched them down, we practiced grabbing the straps and yanking them tight and practiced loosening them for when we stopped.

For riding on the street today, I leave them pretty loose.

Au contraire. These are far more dangerous than clipless pedals. They are ineffective unless cinched down tight, and then you can't escape them without releasing them by hand. An outdated and hazardous device.


Allen, keep in mind that he is talking about pedal clips where there are straps to cinch down. The powergrips and the cages that 10Wheels showed are different types of products and do not require cinching down or releasing by hand. They are very easy to use.

When I raced in the 70s we not only cinched them down, we practiced grabbing the straps and yanking them tight and practiced loosening them for when we stopped.

For riding on the street today, I leave them pretty loose.

You made my point entirely, for normal use they don't need to be cinched down.

Racing is another thing all together.

Also, we had straight cleats like these on our shoes:

http://www.yellowjersey.org/tocleat.html

Some track racers still prefer straight cleats, toe clips and straps and some use toe clips made for double straps for greater security.

My wife still has a pair of shoes with straight cleats.

O.K. I have to ask, who actually cinches the straps tight on pedals with toe clips?

I never have and I never will, Maybe using them the way I do doesn't take full advantage of the clips but it's 100 times better than with no toe clips.

Before I switched to Looks in the '80s, I used cleated shoes with clips and straps, and I *always* cinched the straps tight. Always.

In fact, one of the reasons I was so interested in going with the then-brand-new "clipless" pedals when they came out was because the straps cut right across a spot on the outside edge of my foot where I was prone to getting plantar's warts, and the pain was almost unbearable. Anything I could do to stay connected to the pedals, but eliminate the straps, was something I wanted badly.

Coming from the SS/FG world where toe clips and straps are the norm, the first ones the OP linked are crap. The Nylon straps will fall a part, and so will the plastic toe clip.

Do it right the first time and go clipless.

The only reason my fixed gear has clips/straps is because I try too hard to be fashionable with different pairs of shoes ;)

O.K. I have to ask, who actually cinches the straps tight on pedals with toe clips?

I never have and I never will, Maybe using them the way I do doesn't take full advantage of the clips but it's 100 times better than with no toe clips.

I always did when I used toe clips. There wasn't much point in having them and not cinching them down...

Au contraire. These are far more dangerous than clipless pedals. They are ineffective unless cinched down tight, and then you can't escape them without releasing them by hand. An outdated and hazardous device.Wow. When I use them with sneakers, my feet slip right into them. Yet, because the metal pedals have some "bite", my shoes are held pretty well when I'm fully jammed into them. I can use the upstroke of the back leg to get a smoother pedal stroke and get more power. Not as well as with clipless pedals, but a lot better than with flat pedals and no clips.

As far as getting out of them is concerned, my feet slip out of them instantly when I want them to. I have NEVER gotten stuck, and NEVER slipped out when I didn't want to. And getting into and out of them is second nature once you get used to it - I don't even think about it.

I use them for casual and street riding because I like to be able to walk around, do my shopping, etc without having to wear special bicycle shoes and cleats. Maybe you could make the argument that plain flat pedals would be fine for that, and you'd be right. But these seem to be better than flat pedals, without the drawbacks of clipless pedals for that type of riding.