Pedals With Toe Clips: Who Uses Them? How Tight?
06-30-12 | 10:31 AM
#27
Full Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 311
Likes: 128
From: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Bikes: '23 Devinci Hatchet Carbon Apex1 '19 Norco Bigfoot 6.1 ,'12 Motobecane Turino (killed by dog crash), '12 Trek 3700 Disc
Never tried clipless. I ride with running shoes and clips loose enough to slide my shoes in and out effortlessly. Works great and is cheap. 
Last edited by Bearhawker; 06-30-12 at 10:32 AM. Reason: grammar tardation
06-30-12 | 11:03 AM
#28
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 239
Likes: 0
I've seen enough bicyclists fall over at stops when they couldn't remember the motion to unclip their shoes that I'm not interested. I've also ridden a lot with platform pedals that have pins. I prefer wide MKS touring pedals with toe clips, and I have the straps just tight enough to keep my feet in place but still allow easy retraction. The clips keep my feet in place very well.
06-30-12 | 11:58 AM
#29
Dirty Schwinn-Lover
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 370
Likes: 1
From: Lexington, SC
Bikes: '11 & '13 Schwinn Racers, Takara (Kent) Kabuto, '11 Gary Fisher (Trek) Marlin SS 29er, Schwinn Sanctuary Cruiser, '11 Schwinn Sid, Firmstrong Chief 3-spd, '10 Schwinn Corvette
+5...I just added Power Grips on my SS today, and the difference between half-clips (no straps), full-clips, and this is phenomenal! They stay tighter than regular clips, but getting your feet out is a snap! And, of course, I don't have to buy a specific shoe type/cleats to go with it. 
06-30-12 | 12:18 PM
#30
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 572
Likes: 8
I commute ~30 miles round trip and use pedals with toe clips. I like riding with the clips tight, to the point where I need to reach down and loosen the clip to get my foot out. That's obviously extremely unsafe, but I've found that I pedal faster and more comfortably with the clips tight.
06-30-12 | 12:36 PM
#31
nashcommguy
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,499
Likes: 0
From: nashville, tn
Bikes: Commuters: Fuji Delray road, Fuji Discovery mtb...Touring: Softride Traveler...Road: C-dale SR300
I tork mine down to the point that I got to loosen one when I approach a stop or an unsure situation where I might need to put a foot down in a hurry. Over the years the motion of reaching down and loosening the strap has become second nature to me. In an all-out emergency I could get my foot out if I had to but nowhere near as gracefully.
I am riding on a 22 year old pair of Nike cycling shoes with integrated cleats that have been worn down to nothing; the end is in sight. I do ride pretty hard and fall under what a previous poster referred to as a good candidate for clipless. I'm leaning in that direction, my thoughts are to Mtn shoes with recessed cleats as opposed to road as I will want to be able to walk a few steps in them here and there.
I am riding on a 22 year old pair of Nike cycling shoes with integrated cleats that have been worn down to nothing; the end is in sight. I do ride pretty hard and fall under what a previous poster referred to as a good candidate for clipless. I'm leaning in that direction, my thoughts are to Mtn shoes with recessed cleats as opposed to road as I will want to be able to walk a few steps in them here and there.
Also, make sure to get cleats than are more thin than normal from shoe to ground/street surface. That will help to avoid ground strike in your shoes as well. Just a mm or 2 makes a big difference.
06-30-12 | 05:05 PM
#32
Motorcycle RoadRacer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,826
Likes: 4
I've seen enough bicyclists fall over at stops when they couldn't remember the motion to unclip their shoes that I'm not interested. I've also ridden a lot with platform pedals that have pins. I prefer wide MKS touring pedals with toe clips, and I have the straps just tight enough to keep my feet in place but still allow easy retraction. The clips keep my feet in place very well.
I commute on all my vintage bikes, and they all have toe clips. However, one day I took my Litespeed Classic on my commute because I wanted to hit the bike trail when I got off from work. Low and behold, I am downtown in traffic, and I come up what I thoght was smooth pavement, but it was a curb. I am clipped in, and over I go!! 
Speaking only for myself, on commuting, I am using toe clips. On bike rides, then I go with my clipless. I need to have my feet ready in traffic..
