WorldWind

Ours is a sport that is literally steeped in tradition but is always changing and growing.
Those of us who have been in it for a while, understand that there are oddities about how things are named, but we honor the riders that have gone before and use the terminologies that have evolved around them as a way of keeping the old traditions alive.
You may not know, or care who Alice B Toeclips is but many of us do, and we will continue to hold her in a place of honor, as will we continue to use the terms platform, clips and clipless.

It might be easier to pull Santa out of his fir lined suite and reindeer powered slay and get him into Thinsulate and a hydrogen powered Hummer.

roccobike

Great post. One question. Who are clipless named after?

WorldWind

I hope no one gets the idea that I am implying that toe-clips are named after Jacky, because it’s quite the reverse. But when I think of those that were clipless back in the day, Joe Breeze comes to mind, but he was named after the passing wind. Does that muddy the water even more?

JupiterGuy

The problem started when toe clips were given that name. I could never understand why the metal part (later it was plastic or other materials) was called a clip. The strap part made sense, but clips?

Even though the terminology is already used in other sports like snow skiing, I kind of like the sound of pedal bindings. I think that describes their function better than clipless pedals.

WorldWind

A Clip is a device that attaches; it also implies alignment and a supporting framework.

How could that term not be more perfect to describe what a toe clip is? And clipless would then be attachment w/out the cage.

Are you now going to want to change the moniker of the paper clip?

centexwoody 

When I bought my German bike in Bonn this fall, I looked for toe clips to add to the pedals. Was informed by the salesman that those were no longer available since 'everyone' used clipless pedals & shoes now. So I suggested that they sell me a pair of Size 51 cycling shoes. This was not possible since hardly anyone makes that size (only SIDI).

So I had to go to 3 other shops and finally found one where the owner went into the back storeroom, rummaged through boxes & found the last set of toe clips. He didn't even have them out in the showroom...

Have not had similar problems at my LBS here in the states.

Am considering have my feet shortened so I can wear those cool clipless shoes...how much difference do toes make anyway on a bike?

greywolf

WHAT ! A clip made out of paper ??? what will they think of next !

brianmcg123

For the same reason I call my Titanium driver a wood.

ranger5oh

Every time I explain clipless pedals to someone, I have to say.. they are actually clipped in.. but we call them clipless. Kinda ridic.

Abn1SG50S

It why we park in the driveway and drive on the parkway!!

CrossChain

We don't "clip" in, we "click" in. I like "click pedals", and would consider calling platforms and clip&straps with the name "clickless" pedals.

Why clipless? Because of glorious Tradition. Same reason we English speakers didn't much adopt metrics. (By Heaven, the length of jolly King George's "foot" be good enough for any of you buggers.)

Cycling does have a Glorious Tradition that reaches down through us....excepting maybe you carbonfiber types. It's nice to keep a few namesakes around...including "clipless pedals". Certainly, we don't want to keep all traditions.....like those horrible tasting plastic bottles and baggy butt wool/real chamois shorts I recall from my newbie days.

Let's not give in totally to the "metric minded" !

Pretty rousing stuff actually.

dbmcclus

to quote "A Clip is a device that attaches"....

If this is true, does that mean that a clipless is a device that does not attach?

webist

Staple = A clipless paperclip? I like it.

Pat

Or clipped pedals 1.0 vs clipped pedals 2.0 ??

Pat

The great thing about toe clips and cleats is that it served a number of purposes. You could spot a serious cyclist pretty quickly. A new cyclist would have toe clips but not the cleats. The serious cyclist had both.

Also, toe clips signaled intent. I recall being with a guy who was really strong. He said that I was riding well that day and why not "pick up the pace" for the end of the ride. Whilst saying this, he was leaning over and tightening his clips for a firmer contact with the pedal during an all out sprint. It was intimidating.

JanMM

Yeah. Keep people wondering just exactly what the heck you're talking about.
By the way......what's a "road bike"? I ride my hybrids, recumbent and tandem on the road, but they're not "road bikes". Last time I bought a skinny-tired, dropped bar bike (1979) it was a "sport-touring bike" as opposed to a "touring bike" or "racing bike", etc. And, that bike had toe clips (and straps, but no cleats on my feet.)
One last thing: If all my bikes use tubes with their tires, why aren't they "tubular tires"? As opposed to "tubeless"?

bigbossman 

Yeah - but tossing a WHOLE INCH of perfectly good ham away for no good reason?

What are you guys - nuts?

monk

Instead of "toe clips" I think the old-style "clips" should have been "toe straps." With the old straps nothing "clipped."

dbmcclus

I do not know what toe clips are, but I do have a pair of Shimano R098 road shoes that I clip into my Look A5.1 pedals. Thus, I use clip pedals.

nycphotography

you could just call them "cage less".