That all seems very obvious until you think about the number of people today who have ridden bikes for years, but never used toe clips. In the old days, a new rider routing toe straps incorrectly would be corrected by the experienced riders on his first couple of group rides. Today I do a weekly club ride which routinely draws 100 riders or more, and I am often the only one using toeclips.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Houston, TX
> I am continually amazed at the small number of people who actually
understand the reason behind toe clips and how to properly route toe straps.
To get full benefit from the toe clips and straps, the straps should be
snugged up when riding. The idea behind the buckles on the straps is to
permit a quick tightening when taking off or loosening of the straps when
stopping. It should therefore allow for fast and simple one-handed use. I
have always been told that there is therefore only one single 'correct'
position for the buckle and subsequently how to route the straps.
>
> On road pedals, the non-buckle end of the straps should be threaded in
such a way that it first goes between or under the outlying part of the
cage. It then should pass through (where possible) the outermost rear pedal
body arm. I have been taught to then twist the strap 360° (many think this
is not needed, but habits are hard to get over) and then pass through the
innermost rear pedal body arm. For those pedals with the innerlying tab, I
have always been told to thread the strap between it and the pedal body arm
(I have narrow feet so this doesn't create any problems but I have heard
from others with wide feet that they must go on the outside of the tab). You
then go through the loop in the toe clip. From there, the strap goes into
the buckle. To insert properly, squeeze the buckle and thread the strap
between the roller and the teeth. DO NOT thread the strap anywhere else! You
do not need to thread it through the lower loop! To do so, makes it
virtually impossible to tighten and loosen the straps. If you try, you will
note that by simply pulling on the end of the strap, you can tighten the
straps to your heart's content. By pushing in a downwards motion with your
thumb or finger on the top tip of the buckle (you will see that it is
generally upturned and smoothly rounded) you can immediately and easily
loosen the strap. I suppose that toe clips and straps have become so much a
thing of the past that nobody teaches the new users the ropes.
>
> --
> Steven Maasland
> Moorestown, NJ