You're right, of course, and I'm advised the CLEARLY ON-TOPIC (at least if Dale doesn't issue a papal edict to excommunicate them) M71 was introduced in 1971. I first saw them at the 1974 Worlds in Montreal (ridden by spectators, don't recall if any pros were using them). My point, though, was that it wouldn't surprise me if the French tourists had some sort of clipless pedals in the 30's.
While I'm on the (on-topic) subject, I have a couple of pairs of M71's, and I need to have the cleats mounted on some shoes. I have some retro leather soled shoes for this purpose. Are these simply nailed on like the old steel cleats? Did they use the same nails? Also, I haven't had a pair of cleats nailed to shoes in a couple of decades. Will shoe shops still do this, or will they look at you as if you are crazy? Would they have the proper nails these days?
Regards,
Jerry Moos Houston, TX
Martin Appel <martin@camelot.de> wrote:
Jerome & Elizabeth Moos schrieb:
>Neither of those quotes would prove Julian wrong. The fact that these
>were the world's first clipless pedals (and knowing how much
>innovation was made in France in the 20's and 30's and virtually
>unknown today, I wouldn't even bet they were the first) and that the
>first shipment arrived in CA in 1985, doesn't prove these weren't on
>sale in Europe or even the US East Coast in 1984. I didn't use
>clipless until some years later, so I have no personal recollection of
>the date.
Pardon my ignorance, but didn't Cinelli have Clipless pedals in the 70ies? the infamous M71 suicide-things you had to flip a lever to release?
Martin Appel having just returned from a nice spring ride on an OT (ouch!) bike in Munich, Germany - Sorry, weather forecast was too uncertain to risk getting dirt on my KOF Mike Appel; maiden ride postponed...