Some Uses for Toe-Straps.
 

In BICYCLE MECHANICS under HINTS AND TRICKS I started a thread: Some Uses for Toe-Straps. I hope some here find those hints useful. I included images of the toe-strap in use.

Cheers

Appropriately, attaching toe tags in the morgue! No pics cuz it didn't happen.
Happy thought, I know...:eek:

Here's how I do not use them - in toe clips, but I love to have them on hand for lots of things- stabilizing the front wheel while the bike is in the work stand, stabilizing the front wheel when the bike is in the bike rack, I have one that connects my Carradice bag to the bagman support for more stability. And not long ago I used some to immobilize a crank so I could get a stubborn rusty pedal off. LOVE toe straps!!

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e052737471.jpg

I use a toe strap to keep track of the pump hose.

https://i571.photobucket.com/albums/...104_134953.jpg

: Mike

Handy to secure front wheel to frame on the stand of course

Or a display/storage stand:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7669f82f02.jpg

DD

I use them to secure the spare sew up under the saddle.

They've got lots of uses outside of bicycles too. I use some toe straps on a pair of motorcycle gloves that had a crappy leather strap "secured" with a small bit of velcro. I also keep some in my box 'o stuff for off road motorcycling. I once lent them to a guy who had broken one of the buckles on his boots. It kept the boots secure around his ankle.

I take toe straps seriously. Still ride them on more than half my bikes. I will not go down big hills on a fix gear on anything but traditional pedals, clips and straps because I never, ever want one foot to detach when my RPM is 200+. (And at that RPM, I have no idea how straight I am keeping my foot.)

Now, I steer clear of the braided straps like ryansu is showing, They slip reliably when you pull hard going uphill. If they slip enough, your foot pulls out and you are walking to the top of the hill. (Try starting on a fix gear on a steep pitch. And that first pedal stroke after you get your foot in is one of the really big pulls you will do, If that strap let you down once, it is near certain it will again here.) Drillium dude shows a very respectable strap. (Give Alfredo my best.) And Mad Honk's use is one of the approved ones.

I've stopped chasing the good straps like Alfredo and his cousins. I now go the local leather shop and buy 1/2" strips of quality leather. Fixed price. Length is what the hide is, usually ~6'. Pop rivet that to a quality buckle. These don't last as long as the really good straps but they are far easier to deal with and I spend a lot more time on new, good straps.

Haven't strapped a sewup to my seat or toolbag for quite a while but it is going to happen again in the not too distant future. Most or all of my wheels will be rebuilt sewup when the rims die. (And this being lava dust Oregon and all my wheels rim braked, they will.) I also strap the chain whip to the TT of my fix gears with straps that I make up to length for the job. Completely secure and the whole stop to change out a cog is about 5 minutes.

Ben

I use them secure bikes to my truck rack, rear wheel to my Thule, keep my jumper cables under control, strapping small objects to the roof rack, bundling my cross country skis, carrying spare pairs of wheels, I am sure lots of other things I can't think of now.

okay, this is a bit redundant, but it seemed like someone needed to mention/show it...

https://live.staticflickr.com/8377/2...459824_c_d.jpg

but I've also treasured toe straps for all of the other potential uses too! They are sort of like the original zip tie or velcro strap.

Steve in Peoria

Nice shoes!!!!

This also useful for securing your bike when you are leaning it against something. Works like the classic flic-stand for fendered bikes! I also use toestraps as third hand tool, a "parking brake" (wrapping it around depressed brake lever) and as an auxiliary tie down on my rear rack.
They also are great for securing otherwise free spinning wheels when transporting a bike on a car rack. I have a couple attached to my bike stand for other previously mentioned purposes.

Tool roll

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0933e9e538.jpg
yeah, I fixed the seat angle.

Good, because that saddle looks like it was infused with Cialis :)

DD

I will never discard another old toe strap as long as I live.

They're the perfect third-hand tool for adjusting brake pad positions, I use a toe strap to pull the brake lever to the handlebars and hold it there.

Also good as a pant leg strap.

I have a red one from my lost and lamented late-80s Le Mans RS. I wrap it around my stem like a REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT aircraft tag to remind me that the helmet light batteries are in the charger.

I had some alloy buckled Christophe straps (from back in the "Weight Weenie" days) that I dipped in Lexol Leather preservative that are still flexible and supple after 35 years! I intended to re-rivet the buckles to new straps when they became worn out. Still waiting....

Here are the images I posted in the Hints and Tricks thread. It seems this is where the thread on toe-strap uses will live.

Some Uses for Toe-Straps.

Toe-straps are very useful items to have. Besides using then as toe-straps on pedals they can be used to:

Hold a spare item of clothing under your saddle.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...504b06ed4e.jpg

Hold a spare bottle of water under your saddle.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dc3757d3cc.jpg

Hold a spare water bottle or take-out coffee on your handlebar.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7b77f7db5f.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7ac43e4e0e.jpg

Used as a parking brake on the front brake lever to stop the bicycle from rolling when stopped/parked. That really saves the paint on the top-tube
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e991fe1365.jpg

A toe-strap can also be use to hold the front wheel to the down-tube to stop the wheel from flopping around when the bike is on a workstand or hitch-mounted bicycle rack.

Cheers

Yes. And only a leather strap is allowed by the rules. I run tubulars on my modern bikes as well. You can't see it but I keep a Crank Bros multi tool under the saddle. It sits right on top of the rails and the strap keeps it secured tight. It's kind of heavy so I don't like to keep it in my jersey pocket because it sags down low.

https://i.postimg.cc/TPwcYsSP/20190722-075010.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/JzTbgqnC/20181110-074618.jpg

I uses them for all kinds of stuff - both bicycle and non bicycle related.

For one, they are great for holding long extension cords and air hoses in a roll.

Also, I have some tools which come in rolled pouches, and use toe straps just keep them that way

I really like the idea of strapping a spare tube under the saddle. However I slink around on clinchers so no spare tubular. Years ago I made a canvas 'stuff sack' that holds my spare tube, tools, nitrile gloves and pump. As I have 10 (oops, 11 now with the Fuji) bicycles in rotation, I just use the same tool bag and toe strap on each. About a minute to lash it on and less to remove. Just part of my normal pre-flight.

Toe straps are fine for wrapping your right pant leg to keep it off the big ring.

Good for further securing your bike to a car rack, like lashing the wheels to keep them from pin wheeling in the wind and wearing off the paint on the bumper cover. Here though, I mostly use "Velcro" straps as I have dozens of those.

I was going to say, finally someone who knows how to ride a Brooks saddle.

Yeah, tip up is the way. This one was a bit too much for me - it was comfortable riding this way, but I was always back in the saddle and couldn't slide forward. I like to move around on my saddle on long rides to use different muscle groups.