Originally Posted by
Kimmo
It seems I'm a freak; I've never come across anyone else who shares my philosophy of cycling...
The closest I've seen folks get is the minimalist courier-inspired fixie peeps; and after that craze died down it sadly appears they were mostly just bandwagoners without any deep appreciation for what they were doing. I'd hoped some subset of them would be bitten by the speed bug and come around to my way of thinking, that the ultimate expression of cycling is embodied by Shimano's toeclip pedals from the 80s:
The idea is to get a no-compromise race bike, and compromise it just enough so you can just hop on it and go, with no mucking around with shoes and lycra. But since the advent of clipless pedals, it's quite apparent that virtually nobody shares this idea with me... I've been a mechanic for five years, and in that time I've seen exactly one high-end race bike rocking toeclips that wasn't mine.
Here's my weapon of choice, BTW:
[...]
This thing obviously depends on a destination that doesn't require locking up outside, not to mention trips short enough that I don't need a drink, and reasonable proximity to train lines in the event I get a flat, but those parameters suit my purposes just fine. This bad boy weighs 6.68kg, and as far I'm concerned, is the only way to fly.
So anyway, having had my pedals dissed in the Hot r Not thread over in the Road forum, it reminded me of something I've pondered from time to time - if I want to go one better, do I have to make my own pedals?
Did every company in the world just completely give up on making toeclip pedals sexy once clipless was a thing?
Funny, I just put those very same Shimano 600 tricolor pedals/clips back on my 1989 Trek. And I’m glad I did. I use them with regular sneakers, a sort of gum sole Adidas model, and other than some occasional trouble sliding my foot in (note, not trouble flipping up and aiming foot in, just sliding forward as the surface of the pedal is obviously not flat) I’m happier than with the modern aluminum flats (BMX type) I was using. I use them with the straps VERY loose, so getting my foot out is never a concern, even while riding with my kids (lots of varied speeds, less predictability), but I get a litttle extra security on foot placement and angle and it’s a period-correct, waaaay sleeker look, and they’re lighter. I think.
On my more modern road bike I’ve gone with clipless, SPDs and I like having the option. Anyway, I agree: they’re a cooler design than they probably had to be, which I appreciate, and yet nicely built.
(Edit: And count me in on your philosophy! I see nothing wrong with wanting a specific compromise only for useability in one way, but use that setup on an otherwise serious ride.
Some people see a change like this and they’re like “Oh, now you’ve ruined it.” That’s small-minded. Screw ‘em if they don’t get it.
