I enjoyed Jamie Swan's story about the cleats. Those little nails that came with my Detto Pietros were pretty much useless. I do think the fact that we used friction shifters, sew-ups and toe clips, attracted only a certain individual. And once we were on bikes, in groups, we had to adhere to a different set of standards than what I see today.
Just the fact that it takes a few seconds to release one's foot (as opposed to Look, Speedplay, etc), makes the rider think a few steps ahead, as he/she must anticipate what may or may not happen. I believe this kept most of us extremely focused on staying upright, as we could not save ourselves if we stopped or slowed.
Toe clips and straps were still the system of choice for sprinters at the recent World Cup and World Championships at ADT. There seems to be a revival of sorts, among messenger types, and new track riders, as they seem to be buying a lot of $100 toe straps from Japan.
Wes Oishi
Los Angeles