Thread: Toe Clips
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Old 10-24-08 | 10:47 AM
  #35  
RogerB
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Snohomish, WA

Bikes: Ridley Fenix Disc '15, Centurion Ironman '86, Raleigh Team '90, Bianchi Nyala '93

[quote=Doohickie;7722585]I use toe clips and I have NO idea what you're talking about. I go in and out effortlessly. Once in a while I miss coming back in, usually when pulling away from a light in traffic, and as soon as I get a chance to ease up I flip the pedal around and BINGO, I'm in.
QUOTE]

Yeah, I never tighten my straps, either.

The advantages of clipless are that the pedal/shoe connection is firm, and that getting in and out of them is a hands-free exercise. For a roadie to get a good firm connection, they had to slip their foot in, and then reach down and tighten the strap. Getting out in a hurry? No way.

For more casual riding or commuting, I leave the straps loose enough to slip my feet in and out of, so it's still hands free, and most of the time I don't even have to look down. I avoid scraping as much as possible by careful crank positioning through turns (when coasting is an option.) I still think it's better than plain platforms because I can use proper pedaling technique without my foot slipping. It works out for me that my foot position is perfect with the clips, whereas without them I'm always hunting for it.

Even without the need for special shoes, I still have shoes pretty much dedicated to the task, and I keep a spare pair of business shoes at work. On the bike I wear some low-cut day hikers. They have a somewhat stiffer sole than most of my other shoes, but they are also very comfortable to walk in.

I have clipless on my road bike, and I love them for that (in principle) although I presently have issues with my toes going numb after a while. Need to fiddle around and spend money trying to fix that with new parts, as I've tried everything with this pedal/shoe combo and cannot alleviate the problem. It's also difficult to walk, as it's an older style Sampson/Sakae system with a very tall shoe cleat. I've commuted with this, before, but then I could practically bike to my office, whereas now I work in a large building and need to be able to walk.

Last edited by RogerB; 10-24-08 at 10:54 AM.
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