"Bla bla, slotted cleats, you're doing it wrong, bla."

And track bikes are designed to be ridden on the track.

fixedgear80, you can easily get a basic SPD setup for less than $100. I got my carbon soled Exustars and Eggbeaters for around $80. Be patient/hit up eBay.

Though I will say that my carbon soled MTB shoes are very bad for walking.

I don't think I've ever had a strap run through that extra slot. That area is strictly for use as a release lever in my usage.

I'd rather someone be running their straps upside down then routing them like this:

http://www.wabicycles.com/images/PT12C_w_straps2.gif

Yeah, that's just stupid.

What the?

Did I jump to the BDSM forum?

I would never ride that type of pedal with sneakers or any other type of soft-soled shoe because it would be extremely uncomfortable, regardless of the weather conditions. Those pedals are designed to work with stiff-soled cycling shoes with slotted cleats and clips / straps pulled tight so your foot remains attached to the pedal. Instead, I use a combination of broad-platform or bmx pedals and wide soft straps, such as the Retrogression setup that Scrod sells, which distributes the loading on the foot.

We're getting further off-topic here but there's only a very slight difference between Sylvan Track pedals and these:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5PAf404x7S...3_17540077.jpg

but it's supposedly perfectly okay to use Sylvan Touring pedals with regular shoes.

I'm not trying to start fights here but how would these be any more comfortable?

Surely in the name of science your tootsies can handle the pain for a couple of weeks. I'm not asking you to spin a couple centuries on them just like 10-20 miles a day in the rain. If you wear thick running shoes you'll be fine on those pedals, won't feel a thing.

If you must avoid the MKS, you can run my totally worn out GT platforms with non-replaceable pins for the test. No clips/straps allowed for the first rainy week. They take clips and straps just fine so you can run those for the second rainy week.

Next excuse to completely avoid the point?

has anyone actually ran their straps like that picture posted above? and if so how did it work?

It depends what you mean by "regular shoes." Those would be quite uncomfortable IMO with sneakers for any extended distance, especially riding fixed with clips / straps. They're fine if you wear work or dress shoes with a non-slip sole, since the serrated teeth on the pedal will grip the sole of the shoe w/o digging through and pressing on your foot. I have that style pedal on my 2 SS bikes w/o clips / straps, and they are fine for short distances with sneakers, but start to hurt after a while.

I can't imagine trying to get my feet in there. Maybe with ballerina shoes...

Just say no.

Ask Leukybear. :lol:

What point am I avoiding ? You just agreed with me. I said it was ok to use platform pedals. Read my post again.

You're avoiding the point that clips and straps with regular non-cleated shoes serve a purpose.

Cuz...

I wasn't agreeing with you when I offered to allow you to use some wasted BMX pedals for the riding in the rain without clips and straps test I was just being flexible so that you could do the test without incurring foot discomfort.

You can run some of these if you want. The cages don't rise above the bodies as much as the MKS and the bodies are flatter and more supportive...

http://www.bukalapak.com/system/data...jpg?1302440365

OK, man. Your awesome logic has defeated me. I'm going to replace all my clipless pedals and bmx pedals / wide straps with some sweet narrow track pedals with double Toshis and put some cool Vans slip-ons on my tootsies. Then I'm going to move to the pacific nw so's I can ride in rain all the time to prove the point that some foot retention is indeed better than no foot retention. You win.

Well... I'll just leave this here...

http://bmx.transworld.net/files/2009...kygb_22009.jpg

^

/thread

@xavier853 - Since we've totally derailled this thread anyways, are you a student at OSU in Columbus Ohio ? Reason I ask is there's a 2 day 210mile round trip tour held every year there around memorial day IIRC called TOSRV that would be great to ride fixed, since its mostly flat with just a few minor rolling hills. I used to do it every year geared when I lived in the midwest, before moving to Texas. The tour has complete sag support so you can ride light.

WTF Sandal pedals.

I bought my first clipless set-up off craigslist for $50. It included Shimano RD-76 road shoes, Shimano mtb pedals & cleats, all in good condition. Eventually I bought a road bike that came with 105 pedals. So I bought some road cleats and switched them to the Rd-76 shoes and bought some mtb casual type shoes for $20 from nashbar to switch over to the fixed gear.

What I'm getting at is that I got 2 bikes worth of clipless setups for <$100. If you search ebay and craigslist you can find used stuff for pretty cheap.

I prefer clipless over clips/straps just because it's so much more efficient. But for beginners I think a clips/straps setup with track pedals is the way to go, especially on conversions. My brother for instance just got his first fixed gear and it's a conversion with 175mm cranks, due to potential pedal strike it's best to have a narrow pedal.

Plus BMX pedals look so ****ing stupid.

Also, I would regularly tighten down my straps while riding when I still rode clips/straps, though I admit, I did it a lot more when I used nylon straps because it's so much easier with them.

Guys, TT is old and grumpy. Get off his lawn or he won't give back the baseball.

:lol:

These are my favorites for pedal strike fighting:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1018/...a17f6a9a79.jpg

Yeah, if he had any money, he'd probably just get some new cheap cranks, but he just moved out and is looking for a job/starting school so he doesn't have much spending money. I gave him my old pedal setup which was just some cheap wellgo's with plastic double clips and some cheap straps.

I have a conversion with track pedals and straps. LBS reccomended it. I wear Nike free running shoes and the pedals dont bother my feet at all. I also notice a difference when I am strapped in personally. Much more of a connection to the bike. Since I have a conversion, I don't really want BMX pedals.

I have to say those narrow ones Lester posted look pretty interesting. I just simply slow down at turns for now so I avoid pedal strike.

I honestly hate not being having the straps on my feet so I have slowly mastered flipping the pedal and sliding my left foot in fast.

Also,I should learn to freaking trackstand.

Ha TT, Yes! As a matter of fact, I am a student at OSU and I have done TOSRV once in the past, but not fixed. I have considered doing it on my fixed gear last year, but chickened out. Perhaps I will go ahead and do it! (and now I am more proficient if not always efficient on my fixed gear)