Equipment/Product Review (1989) Clipless Pedals
11-14-23, 10:31 AM
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Equipment/Product Review (1989) Clipless Pedals
New clipless pedal systems presented are AVANT Sport Talon, MKS Mapstage. PEDALMASTER II, and Vortechs.
Updates are provided for LOOK, CYCLEBINDING, KEYWIN, SHIMANO, and TIME clipless pedals.
Updates are provided for LOOK, CYCLEBINDING, KEYWIN, SHIMANO, and TIME clipless pedals.
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11-14-23, 10:59 AM
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This is really interesting. Some are pretty scary honestly. It is no surprise that the Look design won out. Simple, somewhat elegant.
Campy and Shimano were smart to hitch onto Look.
Campy and Shimano were smart to hitch onto Look.
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11-14-23, 11:20 AM
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the SGR was a concept that should have remained just that, a concept.
Tullio should have planned better. And I like Campagnolo.
11-14-23, 11:52 AM
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Clipless Pedals? Yeah, like that will ever catch on. Now where did I put my blasted buggy whip?
Full disclosure - I bought my first SPDs somewhere around 1994, and i haven't looked back. I rode clips and straps across the USA in the summer of 1980 because, well, they were state of the art then and I didn't know any better. (I was also a lot younger and a lot more flexible, so tightening and loosening them was much less of an issue.) I rode them again for several Eroica CAs and (C&V blasphemy warning - look away if you have a delicate C&V constitution) I think they suck. Even for EroicaCA and this year's Cino, I didn't use them (I used things called PowerGrips instead - 95% of clips-and-straps functionality, 0% of the hassle or foot numbness). Toe clip straps work great for cinching all kinds of things down (thanks again, Spaghetti Legs , for lending me one on Tourica '23 this past April to cinch down a bag flap), and clips and straps look great on C&V bikes. But as far as I am concerned, clipless in general and SPD in particular is the greatest cycling innovation in my years of riding. As usual, YMMV.
Full disclosure - I bought my first SPDs somewhere around 1994, and i haven't looked back. I rode clips and straps across the USA in the summer of 1980 because, well, they were state of the art then and I didn't know any better. (I was also a lot younger and a lot more flexible, so tightening and loosening them was much less of an issue.) I rode them again for several Eroica CAs and (C&V blasphemy warning - look away if you have a delicate C&V constitution) I think they suck. Even for EroicaCA and this year's Cino, I didn't use them (I used things called PowerGrips instead - 95% of clips-and-straps functionality, 0% of the hassle or foot numbness). Toe clip straps work great for cinching all kinds of things down (thanks again, Spaghetti Legs , for lending me one on Tourica '23 this past April to cinch down a bag flap), and clips and straps look great on C&V bikes. But as far as I am concerned, clipless in general and SPD in particular is the greatest cycling innovation in my years of riding. As usual, YMMV.
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11-14-23, 11:59 AM
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When clipless pedals arrived, a problem was most shoes were not up to the task and with no strap, they often failed.
I created a 1” wide strap with Velcro closure to help counteract this. Anchored under the sole.
a short lived solution as within 18 months the shoemakers got hip and improved construction.
akin to braze on Front derailleurs, they gave us SLX. A stamped braze-on on a SL frame just distorted under load way too much.
I created a 1” wide strap with Velcro closure to help counteract this. Anchored under the sole.
a short lived solution as within 18 months the shoemakers got hip and improved construction.
akin to braze on Front derailleurs, they gave us SLX. A stamped braze-on on a SL frame just distorted under load way too much.
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11-14-23, 12:05 PM
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Just a passing fad. In a couple of years nobody will remember clipless pedals. The name is silly too since you have to clip in to a clipless pedal.
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11-14-23, 02:45 PM
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I am still using look pedals with the delta clips not fan of the look keos
11-14-23, 02:53 PM
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All of this pre-Speedplay, and most importantly pre-SPD.
As for me, I'll keep using my PowerGrips, which first came out in the same time window as this article.
As for me, I'll keep using my PowerGrips, which first came out in the same time window as this article.
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11-15-23, 07:55 PM
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I had slotted cleats for use with toe clips. They were scary, and I almost always left one strap loose. I didn't use my cleats often anyway.
In about 1987, my friend told that Look cleats are better than toe clips. He was right, and I adjusted them very quickly. I never fell over.
I think SPD is one of Shimano's best inventions. It's a refinement of the idea, but a lot of shoes can have the cleats recessed.
In about 1987, my friend told that Look cleats are better than toe clips. He was right, and I adjusted them very quickly. I never fell over.
I think SPD is one of Shimano's best inventions. It's a refinement of the idea, but a lot of shoes can have the cleats recessed.
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11-15-23, 08:13 PM
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A pair of these just showed up at the shop, though missing 1 cleat. A new one to me. I guess the cleat just slides on from the side.
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11-16-23, 05:18 AM
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From what I remember, the release mode was angling your leg outward to peel the cleat off. Step straight down to snap the cleat onto the pedal; peel up the inside of the cleat to snap the cleat off.
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11-16-23, 05:54 AM
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In the 80s, I was too poor to own proper cycling shoes with cleats. But I rode with toe clips and straps and my friends thought I was a maniac for tying myself to a bike. I thought people that essentially bolted their shoes to their pedals were maniacs.
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11-17-23, 11:08 AM
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I had a pair of those BITD. Pressed down from on top, like LOOK and SPD, but harder, since one had to center the opening over the cylinder. Exit was done by rolling out. Damn hard to walk in, dangerous even, but they were super light and I was a weight weenie at the time.
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