My '02 Giant OCR3 has these plastic and nylon strap toe cups on the pedals...I know that nowadays they have the clip-ins and associated footwear but my whole bike prolly ain't worth a pair of those shoes and the receiver pedals besides...they'd present the same thing I'm looking to relieve myself of....that being?..."FEAR"...that I'm going to come to a stop (whether it be casual or emergency) and dork out, get a foot hung up and?...go down.

They took some getting used to (getting in and out of them) 12 years ago when I first bought the bike and I'm finding they're taking some getting used to all over again..I understand they are to aid and add upstroke power and keep the foot seated in position but I've been thinking about removing them...they're just the cheap plastic toe w/ adjustable nylon strap type...



what say you all?

T.I.A. Bill.

They do help and become a second nature thing the more you ride. On the other hand you have to confident and comfortable when you ride or you will not ride. Regardless of what others may do, it is your bike so do what ever you feel works for you.
an alternative my daughter, an occasional rider, did was to remove the straps and just leave the 'basket' part. She gets some increase in efficiency and has less fear.

mike

This is definitely a personal choice matter. Occasional recreational cyclists tend to eschew any restraints or to use just the clips, without straps. The disadvantages, to me, are the ease with which the foot can slip off the pedals and the total loss of any upstroke torque.

Most folks who regularly spend a fair amount of time in the saddle have migrated to the modern twist-release snap-in binder style pedal-and-shoe system. These take getting used to, and there are numerous stories of bruised egos and other injuries during the learning curve.

A minority of us dinosaurs, myself definitely included, use old school toeclips and straps such as yours, because they work well for us, keeping our feet securely on the pedals and facilitating some upstroke power transmission, while permitting an intuitive jerk-back to release. (Most of us keep the straps just loose enough to permit us to pull our feet back out of the clips -- hard core racers always strapped themselves in and had to loosen the straps to release. Anyone who does that really does need to convert to modern binder-style clipless, for obvious safety reasons.)

My 100% biased advice is to get reacquainted with your toeclip-and-strap system, keeping the straps loose (or absent) at first, then gradually tightening them to the point that you can still pull your foot out when necessary.

Getting used to foot retention is part of the process of re-adapting to cycling, using it becomes 2nd nature with seat time.
Road bikes have used some form of foot retention for well over a century because it is more efficient and actually safer to have feet firmly located on pedals when putting out an effort.
If you don't care about any of that and just want to plooter about remove your toe clips & straps and have at it, suit yourself and enjoy the ride.

Thanks!...You folks are making a lot of sense here so..."On They Stay"....and I already had them adjusted towards the loose side so?...I guess the only thing that needs to change is me...and getting used to them again...but while we're on the subject somewhat and so I don't clutter up your forum with threads here I have a follow up question involving safety gear...(since the toe clips are staying on)...as follows...

Outside of my shorts, t-shirt, ear buds (LOL) and nikes?...the only gear I wear is a pair of fingerless shock gloves and sunglasses...what's the general consensus on helmets and knee armor? T.I.A. Bill.

I was never comfortable with clips and straps, I much prefer clipless pedals for their consistency. If you are just puttering around, say 20 miles or less or you have to get off your bike frequently for errands I'd just stick with flat pedals, no retention. BTW, all discussion of helmet use goes to A&S. Leave that alone unless you want your thread moved. I've only seen knee protection on downhill mtn bikers.

Whoops...sorry...I'm new here...thanks for the heads-up.

I'm a fan of toeclips run loose or strapless. The "h+++++" may be a good idea, Bell makes some inexpensive ones. The earbuds on the other hand, some people aren't safe using them.

Lose the ear buds and sing along to whatever tunes pop into your head.
Your hearing of the surrounding environment provides vital cues to your safety whether on the MUP or the road.
Missing that dump truck rumble or bell "ding" is more important than listening to Funkadelic's Greatest Hits for the 373rd time.

-Bandera

I prefer the unstrapped clip or half-clip to bare platforms, for the slight aid in foot positioning and retention. Most of my rides are commutes, about 3600/2000 miles for commute/weekends respectively, so I suppose I'm in the class of "occasional recreation cyclists". Upstroke torque is not something that I'm concerned with, and my feet never slip accidentally. It seems to me that those are the keys to how much we'd value the secure connection with clips/straps or clipless.

Hmmmm...so no beats?....and yeah...I can see where sensory deprivation could pose a safety issue but...I'm sure going to miss my pandora + work out + alternative channel...it shuffles the new stuff and I can't recall hearing the same song twice yet and moreover?...it motivates me...but I'll try going without and just listen to the breeze and the sweet song of those michelins! LOL!

Besides...maybe it'll help me through one of my biggest fears here regarding the toe clip/straps with the primary fear being?..."hood dogs"...we have quite a few around here and most are pit bulls that seem to come out of nowhere...fast pit bulls...ones that can run faster than I can pedal...therefore?...I'd like to have the ability to get off that bike quick and clean should the need arise as I feel I'd fair a lot better off it than on it...but if I get shook up, hang a foot and go down in such a dilemma?....suddenly I'm purina.

But without the buds at least maybe I'll hear the claws hitting asphalt and a choker chain/tags...if they're wearing such.

I gotta come up with some sort of "anti-dog" device...I've got a stun *** but it's not a taser type and would require physical contact....does anybody have any suggestions?...I was thinking pepper spray maybe?...but some of the dogs I see around here would use that for a breath freshener! LOL!

So...looks like there's a mix of preferences and the prudent things for me to do is...

1. Lose the buds.

and?...

2. Keep the clips but go strapless.

Besides...I'm not a hard core enough yet to gain much (if any) upstroke power and after thinking about it?...upstroke power with loose straps is probably a joke...so I'll leave the toe cups (for foot positioning) but remove the straps should the need for rapid egress arise.

Thanks again folks and L8R, Bill.

Animal Control can be very effective.
Does your alderman know who you are and what is happening in your/his/her neighborhood?
If not it's time for old fashioned political action, you can bet that those who let large dogs roam don't vote.
Having an ineffective public service is a waste of your tax $ and a hazard to you and other road users, make it work.

-Bandera

Don't worry about it. The problem with helmet discussions is that there is no consensus and opinions are very strongly held. If you want some entertainment, and have a week or two to spare, have alook at the helmet thread in the Advocacy and Safety forum. It's a doozy.

Bandera...I tried to PM this too you but it wouldn't let me cause I don't have 50 posts but...here goes anyway I guess things are different in different places and here's how it is here...

Welcome too South Florida...the land of Aristocrats and Democrats and unfortunately?...I live in a liberal area....The last time I called animal control was about a month ago...headed up my street to work in the morning and there's this huge bull racoon...in broad morning light....stumbling around in circles in the middle of the road...it was obviously rabid....I carefully and slowly drove just past it and stopped....knowing the hood kids would soon be walking too the bus stop...as I contemplated if I should just grab my .357 and dust it...just then a neighbor pulled up behind me in his truck sandwiching the coon between the two trucks with his head hanging out the window asking me what's up?...I told him the coon was rabid and asked him if he thought I should shoot it before the kids come up the street...he said no...call animal control because someone would surely call the police on me for discharging a firearm...and in the middle of the street?...that time of the morning?...despite the situation?...I knew he was right...so I called AC...and after a 5 minute phone interrogation?...they said they'd send someone right out....30 minutes later?....the coon had stumbled into a wooded lot and I was late for work...nobody came...my wife drove up the street and stayed parked warning the kids to walk around the other side....8 years ago?...we had a serious rat infestation...they chewed the weather stripping off the bottom of my new wind load garage door and destroyed thousands on me...I called AC then as well...their answer?..catch and release/relocate....I adopted two cats...still have one left and haven't seen a rat in 7 1/2 years...and as far as the dogs go?...our Humane Societies in the entire Treasure Coast area are 3X's over capacity..I can't control the world....just my little piece of it.

Ahh...gotcha...and thanks...it seeems lots of folks are strongly opinionated on the net where it comes to sensitive issues/preferences.

anyways?....I think I got things figured out here...took me all of about a minute to unlace and remove the straps...but then I took a few minutes picking out a strategic spot to locate my faser for rapid deployment and set too stun so without further ado?...I present to you my "Hood Ready"...Strapless Stunning Giant! LOL!



There...I somehow feel better and safer now. Thanks Folks!

Animal control works no better here in inbred Rethuglican Tennessee. Spray them, lots!!

Watch the ear buds - I don't think they're legal in Florida.

Here's an alternate view on pedals, each to their own.

Learn About Bikes with Rivendell Bicycle Works

I used to have the spiky pedals and when I wore them out I went to rubber to rubber with good sneakers and platforms with rubber tops.

I had always ridden flat pedals since the time I started riding at 4. My first road bike as an adult had the straps and toe clips. I rode with those for about a month and then I went to Bontrager shoes and Wellgo SPD/flat combo (I commute to work pretty regular). In another thread, I relate how another cyclist was in the shop, taking a break from a ride. We started chatting and I told him what I was doing. He said, "I will tell you what my friend told me when I got my first pair of clipless...there are two types of cyclists...those who have fallen, and those who are about to fall." Needless to say, he was right. But I have only fallen once since I made the purchase. 0 MPH falls are embarrassing.

Ride the way you want (minus the earbuds...that is just plain dangerous and probably against the law in every country), but as other cyclists have told me and I am repeating it here...there is nothing quite like feeling you and the bike as one.

I like your ride, Jinkster! If your current clips are too floppy without the straps, they sell toe clips that are designed to run without straps for ~$5. I used to have them on both my hybrid and road bike. I migrated to clipless on my road bike; still have the strapless toe clips on my hybrid.

Good luck!

Having either clips or half clips with no straps helps ensure your for doesn't fly off the pedal.

If you really want music, a small speaker on your bike that is quiet enough so you can't hear the music as a car passes you works (although could annoy the crap out of those near by).

What makes you so sure the raccoon was rabid? He may have just been hit by a cyclist trying to pull out his .357 while trying to get him out of the road, and was still dazed. There is probably more danger to the neighborhood from a ricocheting bullet than a sick raccoon. However, it probably comes under the "stand your ground" law.

More commonly called toe clips. Can't argue the logic, it's just history.

I have yet to graduate from toeclips and straps. Perhaps when I wear my touring shoes out I'll finally try some Speedplay Frogs on my Trek 500 with my radical toeout.

I learned to ride with straps back in '74 and still use them. I have them on all vintage bikes. It is a preference thing for sure.

the other one.. https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/97...l#post17110463