Toe Clips/Straps
 

I've been a very comitted rider for many years,and a former cat.2 racer many years ago. Because I have several bikes all with Campy quill type pedals,I never made the switch to clipless. For a while,I took comfort that Sean Kelley also held off switching for many years. My newest bike is a 2005 Cannondale R5000,Dura Ace with Campy track pedals and Binda straps.
It's a little unnerving when i join a large group for A pace spirited riding,and I'm the only one without clipless pedals.

Am I crazy?

No, just retro. Seriously though.. you have a nice bike, I think you should get a look style clipless system and shoes, you'll wonder why you went without for so long.

My choice for clipless pedals is/was SpeedPlay Light Action. My knees have thanked me ever since I ended my love-hate relationship with toe clips and straps.

stan

speedplay are the best for aging knees. I rode with toeclips and straps until last summer, no shame in it.

Everyone I know who switched wondered why they hadn't done it before, and all feel it's not only easier on the knees, but are getting more power to the pedal.

I only know one guy using clips now, and he uses 3 straps on each foot.

I train/recreate on Looks with some float, no problems. I tri on Looks locked in. My knees ache the next day, but it's worth it to maintain a relentless pace for 15m or so.

I really like toe clips.
A lot.

I've been thinking about getting some cleats for the toe clips, yellow jersey has them, they really lock your feet into the pedals nicely. But do what you like, don't let what others do-

I know!

"What is popular is not always right, what is right is not always popular."

A teacher at my junior high had a sign hanging that said that.

Do what you like.

I have an entire box of everything from the original Looks, Time, Speed Play, lots of SPD's, and something else which I have forgotten. I have 18 bikes, 15 with clips/strps, 2 with Powergrips, and one with nothing. I should have an e-bay-aromma.

Someday I might figure out this new-fangled electricity thing too.

I ride both. Don't hesitate. Get some ebay delta/arch pedals. Cleats are readily avaliable.

I switched to clipless some years ago, then switched back to toe clips after a year or two. Didn't find clipless any better.

I have some misc brands of cleats you can have. what type do you need ?

Dyed-in-the-wool toe-clip man here. If the Buddha wanted us to clip in, we'd have cleats on our feets.

Same here. I particularly dread the prospect of having toeclips on some of my bikes and snap-in retention systems on others, so I keep clips on all of them. I might feel differently if I were taking up cycling today, but this old dog feels no strong urge to switch.

I vote for clipless. I don't miss the toe pain, the tightness over the top of my foot, the adusting the straps, the loosening, the tightening, the slipping, the reaching down to release them at every red light. No thanks, I'm done with that. ;)

I believe in having both, and not have any. So, it depends on which bike and for what riding situation I'm contemplating. None for when I'm trotting with the misses and the kids. Where numerous stops and walking is part of the day's ride.
Clips for that era 'look', or spirited ride, but still have the flexibility to ride w/o the cleats.
After finally trying clipless, it was superior to toe clips in every aspect except the one above.
And even that has been solved with platform SPD pedals.
If you're a toe clip user and love performance biking, you owe yourself to at least try them. There aren't any more reasons not to....as cost was my major detractor back in the late 80s.
Look or SPD compatible pedals can be found for $20 new. And if you have a modern shoe, they can use both types.
You don't even have to walk like a duck anymore with SPD shoes.

I keep an old pair of shoes with traditional cleats, a pair for Look, and another pair for SPD.

Clips In Or Clips Out
 

I've got three sets of pedals.

Campy track w/titanium spindles

Campy SL road w/titanium spindles

Candy C clipless.

Got the Candy's about a month ago and put them on a mountain bike. I actually like them a lot. They are easy to get out of (its easier to get out of them than get in!) No doubt-I feel more attached to the pedal on the upstroke.

The track pedals are on my road bike and I'll probably leave them.

I've got a cyclocross bike that has the road pedals on it. The Candy's will get a tryout on them real soon.

I STRONGLY resisted clipless up until I got the Candy's-they MIGHT have converted me.

Tried the Speedlights when the first came out-long time ago. It seems like I didn't care for them because they had too much float.

I liked toe clips, too, but I did not like the shoes I had to wear to use them. Those narrow shoes caused permanent nerve damage (Morton's neuroma) that once raised doubts that I'd ever ride longer than 35 miles again. Specialized insoles, and now a new pair of Pro Carbons, have allowed me to raise the bar.

I still keep a few sets of quills with clips, Campy and Lyotard, but the shoes are too painful.

Why did you keep using narrow shoes?
Walking shoes come in many sizes.

I just put on my normal walking shoes/sneakers, hop on, flip the pedals - and ride. Talk about painful shoes - try walking down the street wearing cleats! :eek:

Nope.

I ride with a certified Cat 3 on a 34 year old steel road bike with clips and straps while he has an uberlight Al bike, is of course clipless, and rides in full kit.

My shoes and setup are great and I don't give up a thing to a guy who is only as old as my bike.

I was planning on racing Masters until my back threw in the towel and was planning on going old school because I know that it is always about the engine and being happy and comfortable with your setup.

I only use clipless on my mtb and even then I sometimes swap in the half steps.

I have not ruled out racing but think I would like to establish a vintage class here for us luddites who like dt shifters, straps, and clips.

:D

Because I was racing and I needed light shoes that stuck my foot to the pedal in a sprint, because wider shoes would not fit on the pedals, and because I was not aware that the damage was permanent until years later. Also, as in rock climbing, painful feet, at least while you were breaking the shoes in, was part of the experience of being a racer, unless you were fortunate enough to have pencil-shaped feet.

Had I become a tourist I probably would have used LL Bean camp moccasins.

Modern shoes are a boon. Before the mid '90s it was assumed that you had to sacrifice comfort if you wanted performance. I know that sounds stupid to those who never raced, but the idea that comfortable feet could help you perform better is a recent devleopment.

I ride with Shimano SPD clipless. I started out with a set of SPDs because I could use them for mountain biking and road biking. I tried toe cages and straps a few times, darn near killed myself. I could never get my foot out of the darn things, looked like someone who didn't unclip as I fell over. I tried clipless with very good results and just kept going. I've got a box full of pedals with cages and straps from road bikes I flipped. I think I've got two or three sets of Shimano 600 vintage setups.

I use both but prefer SPDs for the convenience and toeclips for the vintage look. I think the SPDs are a little more efficient, but not enough for me to switch all my bikes to it.

Well said.

Still on clips & straps w/Adidas Sambas here, including for the fast modern club rides. I've heard enough to suggest that switching might be good science. But I'm hooked on the retro thing (my 70s Weyless pedals :love: get compliments) and the convenience of hopping off the bike and being in sneakers.

Plus I'm cheap.

I concur on all counts, particularly your bottom line, which is the bottom line in today's economy.

Indeed.

Switched to Crank Bros. Candy C's on both my road & mountain bike. Not much to look at, but a big improvement.