xiaoman1 

Been there, done that....practice makes perfect...
Ben

bfuser284953024

Great idea! I'm in the middle of a training program from Sufferfest, so I'll practice on the trainer before hitting the road.

Makes loads of sense! I've always struggled with pedal changes, but this will make it tons easier. Thank you.

speedevil 

I always thought the simplest way to remove difficult-to-remove pedals was to use a block of wood, roughly the same height as the BB. Start on the DS by turning the crank until the arm is level and towards the rear. Set the block of wood under the crankarm at the pedal hole, engage the pedal wrench (or the 8mm allen), and push down. On the NDS, turn the crank to the rear and put the block under the crankarm at the pedal hole. Again, engage the wrench or the allen, and push down.

To tighten, just rotate the crankarms to the front, engage the wrench, and push down again. No need to try and hold the opposite crankarm this way - let leverage help.

I prefer not to remove pedals using the workstand - I'm leery of applying excessive torque to the frame tubes. By leaving the bike on the floor, it's really no different than a hard acceleration.

Pompiere

I like to set the wrench handle toward the bottom bracket and squeeze the handle and crank together.

As far as pedals, I like the SPD style because the cleats are recessed into the shoe. All of my pedals are double sided. The OP mentioned a scar on his foot, so clipless would probably be more comfortable.

Soody

I just want to say that when you switch to clipless you're probably going to forget you're clipped in at some lights and fall over and feel like a dork but we've all been there so don't beat yourself up about it chris froomes probably fallen over at some lights before.

dmp

Get a pair of vintage clipless pedals to make it hang together esthetically (Shameless plug for my post in the C&V sales section). The first Look pedals came out in 1984- certainly fits well with a mid 80's bike.
As far as difficulty walking, just get a set of cleat covers and any cleats will be walkable without slipping. If you want to hike, get a pair of hiking shoes, but you're out there to ride, not to walk, right?

canklecat

I went clipless a little over a year ago after another BF C&V member sent me a pair of older Look pedals, contemporaneous for my '89 Centurion Ironman. Worked out well, wouldn't go back to free-footing it for road biking. The main advantage is it relieved my chronic spasms in the arches of my feet, a lifelong problem. Better foot support, better distribution of muscle effort. That alone makes it ideal for hard workout rides.

I used toe clips with straps and cleated shoes back in the 1970s, but between the 1980s and 2015 I hadn't ridden a bike at all. Clipless seemed to solve some of the problems with toe clips: cranking down too tight on the straps could cut off circulation; no float, so a fixed position could be uncomfortable on a long ride, or unsuitable as my conditioning changed; awkward to release quickly so in traffic we usually rode with one foot not strapped down.

I got my first road bike after a 30+ year hiatus in summer 2017 and rode platform pedals and casual shoes for that year. But I was experiencing more painful foot spasms. I've always had foot problems -- long, skinny, bony feet with high arches. Hard to fit, always messing with orthotics to prevent spasms in the arches.

After getting the Look pedals I knew I wouldn't be shopping for walk-friendly shoes. So I went with the most rigid soled road shoes I could find that were also affordable, and lucked into a closeout on Scott Road Pro shoes for around $40. Perfect. Scott rates them around a 7 or 8 on a rigidity scale of 10, but they feel more rigid than that to me, certainly more rigid than my old 1970s Detto Pietros.

The cleats with float took some getting used to. At first it felt like simultaneously trying to ice skate while riding a bike. And I had a few panicky moments trying to unclip for stops -- it felt like I'd twist my heel and twist and twist and the shoe never unclipped... but it did. I got the hang of it within a few rides. Now it feels completely natural. I wouldn't want to go back to zero float foot retention, even though it's available for Look pedals.

Cured my foot spasms on the first ride. Even seemed to reduce the cramps in my thighs that I'd occasionally get from standing to pedal up hills or for sprints. When I feel the quads begin to cramp I can shift the load to pulling up on the pedals, balancing between the quads and hamstrings, just long enough to finish the climb, sit and shift to an easier gear until the cramp subsides.

I'm not any faster. Some of my fastest times on the road bike were still from my first year, 2017, with platform pedals and casual lightweight walking shoes (Merrell, Montrail, others). I'm pretty consistently a 16 mph average over distances of 15-50 miles on the road bike. No big change there due to clipless.

The main difference is foot retention keeps my feet on the pedals over rough pavement so I don't need to consciously reposition my feet. That helps when I'm trying to improve my personal best times on rough rural roads.

My pedaling style is a bit smoother, just like the old days with toe clips. Any foot retention will generally encourage a smoother pedaling style, although many of us continue to stomp the pedals downward and just let our feet take a trip around the cranks until it's time to stomp downward again. Trying to consciously change that usually leads to sore knees, so I don't consciously try to sweep back from the 6 o' clock position, or pull up from the 3 o' clock position. I can do it briefly for climbs and to relieve quad cramps, but any attempt at prolonged effort thwarts the way knees were designed, and 60+ year old knees don't like to be thwarted.

I still use platforms and casual shoes on my hybrids. I might consider SPDs and walkable shoes. But for now I'm satisfied with the old Delta cleat style Look pedals and cleats and rigid soled road shoes for the road bike.

As far as I can recall my only tombé was on the grassy area between the gravel and paved trails on the MUP a year ago. I was crossing from the gravel to the pavement, noticed a couple of slower cyclists and jogger approaching from different directions, so I slowed to let them pass. The grass was just irregular enough to mess up my clumsy attempt at a track stand. I toppled over about as gracefully as possible since I knew it was inevitable -- I just went with it laughing out loud as I fell. No harm done.

I rarely ride the road bike clipped in on casual group rides. I'm not comfortable with foot retention in traffic, or any situation with lots of unpredictable stops. Never have been, probably never will be. I still prefer free-footing it for casual group rides so I take my hybrid. I even avoid some faster roadie oriented group rides that route through the city where there may be unpredictable stops.

I don't mind riding clipped in solo, even in traffic, but if I'm gonna be in a fast group ride I prefer the rural routes or lower traffic city/suburb routes. I'd rather ride with just one or two trusted cyclists than a fast but erratic group of folks half-wheeling or accelerating and slowing like a rolling accordion. Last group I rode with a couple of weeks ago were all new to me, although it was a regular group ride I'd participated in many times before. Just none of the regulars showed up. Since I didn't know these folks I hung a couple of bike lengths off the back when I noticed the ride leader accelerating and slowing erratically, stopping when it would be safer to go, going when it would be safer to stop, etc. And too many people were half-wheeling, riding not quite side by side but with overlapping wheels. It just gave me bad vibes and sure enough a pair of folks ahead of me about three bike lengths tangled and crashed. Fortunately I was far back enough to avoid getting caught. I dropped out and went my own way. One reason I'm not comfortable with foot retention in groups.

I'm a bit more gunshy about falling after a shoulder injury last spring. Had nothing to do with being clipped in. I was on my hybrid, free-footing it, when I was hit by a car. Broke and dislocated my shoulder and it was much more painful than I'd expected, with a long recovery time. So I'm a lot more cautious about falls now.

crank_addict

If you're not into fancy branding shoes and perhaps want to try clipless on a budget, consider Gavin.

They offer a few different road shoes compatible for both SPD or Look cleats. There's a retailer in Fl who sells on ebay, incredible deals $14-18 incl. Shipping. Posted sizes are accurate.

Bona fide user here and I know a few others with the same.

ExPatTyke

I've got Look Delta / Arc pedals on all my road bikes
They're available on eBay at very low prices (although I've noticed prices are starting to go up over the last few months), and aftermarket cleats are cheap and easy to get hold of too.
Also if authenticity is a concern, the earlier Look pedals are "right" for a mid 1980s bike.
I prefer the red cleats, plenty of float, and they're reasonably robust.
As to fit, your bike should be fine with modern pedal threads and even if it isn't a decent bike shop will retap the crank arms for not a lot of money.

easyupbug 

Good advise on SPD pedals, I have many but also Crankbrothers Eggbeaters on my town bikes and gravel/mud bike. They are lighter per $, the 4 sided retention (as opposed to 1 or 2) lets you clip in anywhere on the pedal, better float, no spring preload adjustments but are consistent feel pedal to pedal, and in mud they clear much easier, but I think guys here do not like the esthetics.

Mr. Spadoni 

randyjawa 

I can honestly say that I will never use straps and traps again, as long as I live...


I have even rethreaded French pedal threads to Imperial, allowing me to run SPDs on all of my bikes and, yes, I do ride them all. The first candidate for that modification was on my 1973 PX10, when I tapped a set of Stronglight cranks. And for me, altering those cranks was a traumatic experience.

20grit

I'm in the minority on this. I use Crank Brother's Candy 3 pedals with MTB shoes for walking purposes. There is just enough platform around the egg beater that it's comfortable in street shoes (for short rides). Otherwise, they work just like eggbeaters. They're a heck of a lot lighter than any of the hybrid pedals out there.

Salamandrine 

Good point.

But for historical reference, there used to be shoe covers before clipless. They would fit into a pedal with toe clips and straps no problem. There were also toe covers that went over the outside of the clip. I had both of these BITD. The toe covers were usually enough unless it was below about 40f. Since they became essentially part of the pedal, they were more convenient than my modern clipless toe covers, which tend to slip and get in the way of the cleat.

I tried to find an image of old school toe warmers, but could not. Anyone still have some?

fietsbob

Opposite land , defying broad generalizations toured Wet West coast of Ireland warm shoe covers toe clip pedals, no problems..

clip;less pedals with shimano's steel shoe plate heat sinks your foot wit only yje thin insole foe insulation

platform pedals you can even wear snowmobile boots..

crank_addict

There was a short lived product that made traditional pedals and toe clips work rather well, called Super Strap. Well, yes... that's what marketing came up with but anyways I think its demise was because of its launch right when clipless pedals became mainstream... 1989 -1990, though clipless was essentially intro'd in '85.

I still have a pair of the Super Strap. Very well made and should last another couple decades. Retrofits to any toe clip, its a heavy duty nylon strap with teeth for ratchet action buckle - visually like on a ski boot. A simple flick up on the buckle allows a large opening for foot removal. The -non webbed- nylon is rigid enough to hold shape vs. leather. Fine tuning tension is simple.

Trinity Pratt

I wonder if any of my spectacular busy-intersection unclip fails are on YouTube.

Mr. Spadoni 

rjhammett

I have SPD pedals (all Shimano) on all my bikes. All are vintage bikes except one. It nice to be able to walk in bike shoes without feeling like you are wearing skates.

Cycle Tourist

I too went back. I never felt comfortable locked to the pedals plus the feeling of a "no look" quick flip and tuck into the cage at busy intersections makes me laugh especially if I catch a clipless rider struggling to snap in while I'm powering away. Yes, he or she will probably catch me down the road with their superior power transferring pedal attachment.

Salamandrine 

Wool socks over the shoes? I think I did that once. Doesn't work great. There was also the stuff the front of your jersey with newspaper thing. Sounds ridiculous in retrospect, but everyone did it on cold mornings.

It seems that no one remembers the toe clip covers. They were some sort of nylon cloth, and went over the top of your toe clips. Maybe they had some sort of velcro. Maybe they were red?? At one time these were very common. Same era as when people had those Sergal wool winter jackets with nylon front panels. I tried to find a picture, but can't.

There were also full shoe covers - virtually the same as modern shoe covers.

Perhaps it's time and timely to start a C&V winter clothing thread. I got no pics, just the memories.

Salamandrine 

If the OP's Torpado wasn't converted to Looks BITD, it would have been ridden with slot cleat cycling shoes. Either way you're locked in, and frankly the clips/straps/cleats system is more locked in. It sounds a little strange to me when people say they went back to cages because they are less locked in, but I guess I can see that from a modern perspective.

People didn't generally buy fancy bikes and then ride them in sneakers. It'd have been considered a waste. The general wisdom was the shoes made as much difference as the bike.

rumrunn6

I got these last summer so I can take off w/o connecting & have a nice platform for my recessed cleated mtb shoes. then I connect when I am ready. it's as easy for me to flip this pedal as it is to flip a pedal w/ my favorite mini clips (which I keep on my mtb)

bfuser284953024

Oh no, I'm in New England! They over treat the roads here - bottoms of cars rust out in just a few years from all the salt and road treatment. I refuse to take my Torpado out once they start laying the junk down. Winters are for my Trek FX. That poor bike, I wash it twice a week and it still gets caked on a daily!

Nope, the old girl is safely inside, in my trainer for evening sessions. Once they do the first round of road clearing in the Spring, I'll have her back on the road.