Originally Posted by
T-Mar
While you want a close fit, you don't want the shoe pressed up against the clip. That can cause discomfort. Ideally, you're looking at about a millimetre of clearance. This is small enough that it won't show up in pictures, yet sufficient to correctly position the foot for the cleat to engage the rear pedal plate.
Toe clips with leather coverings were, in my opinion, for people who rode in running shoes and not proper cycling shoes with cleats. In this case, the length of the clip was the primary tool for positioning the foot, unlike proper cycling shoes, which utilizes the cleat for positioning...
Very interesting details, T-Mar. I'm mostly interested in prewar and immediate postwar cycling, which was an era when I believe even the most professional shoes did not have cleats on them. Also, as far as I'm aware, Christophe remained among the most popular clips for athletes of all levels (throughout that period), and they were always made from spring steel for increased durability.
I do not know much about later cycling techniques and many of you guys are actually old enough to have lived it, so I defer to your understanding of the topic. I'm sorry I was not more clear about when or why I suspected toe clips were used as I stated. I even come across old photos and images such as these, where the fellows do not even have straps and is merely using the clip to position the feet. In fact, I'm under the impression that the clip outdates the strap, but I have not confirmed this.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...6dbf460340.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...7df5546fd6.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...d4c7de4b2b.jpg