Advice from one who has ridden toeclips, cleats and high quality leather straps pulled tight for 40 years ...

Get good aluminum slotted cleats. The Exustar $20 track cleats are probably the best ever made and fit on any LOOK compatible (3-bolt) shoe. Google them. (The plastic slotted cleats. popular 10-20 years ago slip, slip incredibly on slippery floors, wear out fast from being walked on and don't last long just riding hard Also require you to pull your straps far tighter to prevent pull out. I've had issues with the bones in my foot from the straps riding those cleats uphill on fix gears.)

Good, easy to reach "tabs" on the ends of the straps are nice. (I sew on either a loop of toestrap or clothsline with the hand sewing awls that use coarse waxed nylon thread. There are also small plastic tabs you can buy.) This will both ensure the end doesn't slip out if yo open the strap to much and make it much easier to grab and pull tight first try.

As for riding: getting into the toeclips can be a challenge. I've been known to make much bigger tabs for the pedals out of 1/2" x 1/8" steel bar stock, then bolt on heavy fender washers to the toeclip bolts the offset the weight and get them to hang properly but this was inspired by riding toeclips and fix gears where you get one shot at flipping up the pedal and getting in on steep hilly starts.

And of course, you have to remember to loosen the strap. You will forget at least once. When that happens, don't panic! Accept that you just made a fool of yourself, relax, keep your hands on the bars, rotate your elbow and knee out a little, but not tensed up and just flop on to the road. If you hit at enough places, you will be just fine. A little dirty, a couple of small bruises and you will be good to go (and a little wiser). Best if you roll slightly so the bike ends up off the ground.

Good advice I have heard but never done is practice on grass, especially the falls. (I learned the hard way long before I heard about practicing on soft surfaces!)

Clips and straps work really well. They went a full century plus as the racing standard because they worked. Enjoy them!

Ben (with two toeclip bikes that get more than half the miles.)


jyl, did we cross paths this weekend at Velo Cirque? If so, I never put your face on your forum id. I was the bearded guy wearing the very bright Mavic jerseys both days, yellow Saturday and orange yesterday (with the plain painted black Raleigh Competition Sat and the ti TiCycles fix gear yesterday. If we did cross paths, describe yourself or what we talked about.