When a kick tab is not a kick tab
 

I am often baffled by wholesale ignorance. I good example is the so called Campagnolo pedal kick tab (see below); the reason I say so called is it's not a kick tab at all, yet that is how it is always refereed. A kick tab is the triangular tab the extends out of the bottom of the pedal so you can line up the pedal with your foot; there is no reason for Campagnolo to create a bolt on kick plate because most pedals of the day already had them. What these tabs are designed to do is aid the front of the shoe into a toe clip and non-Campy toe clips did not have these tabs. The tab, part# 7283021 is referred to in the English 1985 catalog as a "fix shoe plate", but better described in Italian as a "Invito scarpetta", or "shoe inviter". While this tab or plate may look similar to a kick plate, it is simply a way to to give non-Campy pedals with a toe clips, the same shoe inviter technology as with the Campagnolo square pedal toe clips.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=337639

Yeah.

That's cuz kick tabs sell better the shoe inviters or fix shoe plates. We also drive on Parkways and park on Driveways.

Jumbo Shrimp.

Shoe inviters. My wife would take up that invitation.

"Shoe inviters" :lol:

....and a saddle is a "butt receiver". Good grief.

Seatpost Blunting Device!!! DON'T go cycling without one!

"Faceplant preventers".....handlebars.

Brakes = velocity inhibitors.
Brake pads = velocity inhibitor contact interfaces.

Chain: power transmitter

I bought a pair of these assuming the Campi pedal cages would accept these? Its not obvious to me how these are secured to the pedal?

Wheel: road interface rotating device.

Eponymous.

That can be a head-scratcher. Camera would be easier but I'll try a verbal. Assuming Record pedals here. They go on the back side of the "forward" section of the pedal cage. Forward meaning the cage the toe clip attaches to. These go on the other side. The inside. Between the forward pedal cage and the center barrel. There is a square boss built on to these gizmos that fits in the "square" hole between the two toe clip bolt holes. Held in by a short 5 mm bolt. Same as a toe clip bolt. Hope that makes sense. I have a pair of them, which languish in the parts box.

Like so, Avhed….
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4ztvppeq.jpg

As onespeedbiker mentioned above, Campy toe clips came with this feature built in. These are Christophe clips shown.

Huh. Looks like a solution to a non-existant problem to me. All those times I put my feet in toe clips and I never even knew these existed. I never had any trouble whatsoever. Where else is your toe going to go but into the clip?

Good point, Due Ruote. That's why these went on for the pic only, and now reside back in the box.
I suppose it's possible to get the sole of your shoe caught on the inside of the cage, but not a big deal, I've found.

Agree, it's a solution in search of a problem, unless there's a problem I don't know about.

Well, a set of these provides two more places to have Patent Campagnolo written on your bike. Let's not overlook that.

I thought that was steel rims with side-pulls ...

I am excited because for once I can disagree!

I purchased a pair of pedals from DD that did not have the inviters installed. I was having difficulty getting my shoe into the clip. I then purchased some on the bay and installed. Huge difference for me inserting my shoe in the clip. I would not ride without them. HA!

That's good, SJX! I may just have to stick these on and see how they really work. Never had a problem without them, but I might be pleasantly surprised. After all, the bikes I usually ride have had Campy clips on them, with inviters en place'.

You know, there are not many things Campagnolo made that were useless or superfluous.
I'm having a hard time thinking of any right now….

Portacena (sp?)? My McLean has the dropout made for it, but no thanks.

Portacatena. I kind of like mine. On a "gentleman's" bike where you don't want to get your hands dirty fixing a rear flat, it's sort of fun.

As to rootboy's question, I always found the Delta brakes kind of useless, at least when trying to slow down. :p

<edit> Which got me to thinking, and realizing that the little blue plastic doohickie in the Cobalto brakeset was truly "useless or superfluous".

Never heard of any of 'em, so yeah, ignorance reigns here. They look like fishing sinkers in the picture.

So here is my analysis of the process, FWIW. I "Kick" the pedal to get the toe to go into the strap (back of the pedal) and as I slide my shoe in, the cleat pushes down on the rear part of the cage (due to the ramp of the cleat) forcing the front of the pedal up with a result of the toe of the shoe hitting the rear edge of the front cage. Without the "inviter" it gets hung up on the vertical rear surface of the front cage. With it, the toe slides on in while the cleat moves over the edge with the final movement being the rear cage sliding into the cleat slot. How well this works is a function of how tight the strap is and/or how much the clip is open. Both cases represent pressure on the top of the shoe impacting the level of ease of the shoe insertion.

Different shoes can result in different ease of insertion. Mine are old Avia's with Velcro flap on top making them a little thick.