Power Grips.
 

I just installed Power Grips on my fixie. Has anyone used these? So far they are quite a bit better than my cages (I could never get them adjusted well), and make it so I can ride fixie in my sandals if I'd like.

Any comments or suggestions regarding these things?

I've used them for years and love them. In fact I just ordered two more sets today.

You might want to use them a little loose until you are comfortable getting quickly in and out of them. After a week or so of serious riding they become second nature.

Used 'em, liked 'em. Might be a bit tough to get into on a fixie.

How do they work for you?

I have them on my SS road bike commuter. Couldn't get up the big hill without them. Ok, maybe I could do it with toe clips or clipless pedals too. Anyway, I like the Power Grips. Only thing I can say against them is that you pretty much have to adjust them for one size of shoes. If you adjust them for your big fat skateboard shoes, then they are too loose when used with skinnier shoes.

I had some trouble at first getting my feet into the straps when starting from a stoplight. I'm pretty good at it now.

They are easy to get out of in an emergency. I still don't think I'll use them this winter. If my bike goes down fast on ice, I don't want to be attached. In late fall, I'll put on a smaller chainring and take off the power grips.

I have them on my fixie and they are great - much better than the toe clips that the bike came with. For one thing, even if I am not strapped in, there is no chance of the straps scraping the ground. I agree about the sizing, although it is pretty easy to adjust them if you consistently use different shoes. I find myself just dealing with having my feet in slightly different positions on the pedal.

I use them on my SWB recumbent to commute. Whoever invented these things knows the genius of simplicity. They are so comfortable and work so well that I'm totally sold on them. Keep my feet snugly on the pedals for spinning, but quick and easy to get into and out of.

:beer:

Thanks guys, I'm getting the same feeling. I'm just wondering why you don't hear more about them when people talk about going clipless.

David, have you bombed any super steep, eyeballs-popping-out downhills
with them on the fixie, yet ? If so, are you confident about them holding
your feet in ??

I started using Power Grips after a crash where I broke my big toe. It was great, no more numb feet, no clicky-clack when i walked etc. Been on long rides.. 30 miles or more with them and they work great. Won't trade them for anything.

Best thing since sliced bread for my 9-year-old daughter when she rides stoker on our tandem. Regular toe clips never worked well for her, and her feet are still a little too small for cycling shoes (and, therefore, clipless pedals).

For those unfamiliar with tandems, the stoker (rear rider) *most defintely* must be clipped in.

I must be in the minority here, tried them last year....could not list them on ebay fast enough.

nowheels,

Were yours maladjusted? I have all faith that they will hold on a downhill with the fixie. So far I'm still amazed that more people don't talk about them. After I twist in they pull down nice and tight...tighter than my mountain bike shoes in clips. Strange. I also enjoy the flexibility of being able to wear whatever footwear I want. Though, for maximum efficiency you want to use the shoes you fit them with but they still work pretty well with my other shoes.

Has anyone tried the power grips that Nashbar sells?
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...ype=&estoreid=

Are these the official version? What type of pedal do you need with these?

I used power grips for years...I can see why lots of folks like them on fixies. I went to clipless on my non-fixed bikes for one reason - climbing, which I got to do a lot of around here. I see a noticable difference in my ease of climbing with clipless vs power grips. As a 235lb guy who likes to carry everything but the kitchen sink on my bike, I need all the help I can get on them hills. :eek:

I didn't get mine from nashbar, but those sure look like the same thing.

I just got mine, after reading this thread. I love them. My toe clips and straps were falling apart. I asked at REI once about the powergrips, but the store guy told me he did not think they were so good, and tried to get me to go clipless. go figure. I did not go clipless, because I don't want to pay for it right now. So today I put the powergrips on and rode only a few miles, but they were great. They held my feet tight, and they were easy to get out of. No more clips and straps for me. I had some problems getting my feet in after stoplights, but I had problems when I first used toe clips too. I know I will get better in a few days. I still plan on going clipless one day, but I'm going to hold off until a birthday or something, and then I will still have the powergrips on this bike.

Well, on a previous thread on Power Grips, I was assured that "real cyclists" only use clipless. I suppose that if you did hear more, you'd be hallucinating. Power Grips users are all figments of your imagination. In fact, since you are hearing from some cyclists who use Power Grips, looks like you're a wee bit psychotic already... :D

I'm not being critical of people who prefer clipless over Power Grips here, but I have to wonder if the REI salesguy's dislike of Power Grips is related to the fact that they only cost $18-25, depending on where you buy them.

Does anyone know of a LBS in the Vancouver BC, Canada area that sells power grips?

I ride with some ancient Powergrips that are floppy and hard to get into. I've loved them, but I'm considering a switch now that I have a lot of traffic lights to unclip/clip at. Is clipless significantly easier to clip into during accelaration when a light turns green? At the moment, I can't clip into the Powergrips until I'm cruising and not accelerating--it just takes a bit too long and too much concentration to do it.

:( I really had trouble getting my left foot in a good position on med-long rides. As a result I developed some knee problems. When I switched back to cleats where I could fix my foot position, the pain gradually went away. There a nice concept......but I had trouble dialing in the right spot......believe me I tried them for about 300 miles, before I realized that they were causing my knee pain.

I got Power Grips about two weeks ago. I went clipless this spring and they slowly destroyed my feet. Maybe the shoes were too small, but I can't afford to put out $100 here and there until I find the right shoe. So I went back to my old platform pedals.

Then I figured I could do better with clips or Power Grips. First tried clips, but they mash my toes and are too hard to get in and out of. They probably would work better if I had thinner soled shoes, but then I'm back to getting new shoes. And a type they don't seem to make any more. So I've had the Power Grips for two weeks and my feet don't hurt so much anymore.

nowheels, I'm guessing your pedals had a serrated edge that doesn't allow much float. They don't seem to help keep your foot from sliding off, but then they probably got a good write up so that's what they got to manufacture. I switched to a smooth pedal and my knee pain went away.