Curious about how CR riders decide/d whether to use toe strap buttons, either now if you still ride clips and straps as I do, or back in the day when we all did.
The real reason I choose against buttons is that they bugged me to look in the pace line. Toe strap buttons bounce up and down while a rider pedals in a way that used to mesmerize me, distract me, and annoy me when riding in the bunch. Reminded me of that bouncing ball in the Mitch Miller show. I'm not really old enough for Mitch Miller but that was the only other Mitch people had heard of when I was in grade school so I got told to "follow the bouncing ball" by grown ups who thought that was funny. Follow the bouncing toe strap button.
But back then (and today) I also decided against toe strap buttons because I never found I needed them--it always works fine to just pull on the end of the strap. I never tuck my straps into the buckle but let them stick straight up. Binda Extras were a little too stiff and thick to tuck in anyway. I dind't/don't pull on them much; they stay a certain just-right tightness that keeps my feet in without squeezing them. I only yanks on straps for end-of-race sprints, for track races (mostly short anyway so feet don't suffer from prolonged squeezing), and when I ride my bikes in other shoes that require re-adjustment.
Did anyone really pull hard enough on toe straps to need the buttons? Ouch.
Mitch Harris
Little Rock Canyon, Utah, USA