Jerry, I totally agree. At least in the 70's and 80's we all, or many at any rate, rode track pedals because most of the races were crits with 90 degree turns. Maybe we could make it pedaling through the turn. Of course not always :-) Certainly there was great variability in how one did up the toe straps, but the through the back method was not uncommon as I remember. Further, lots of old (20's - 40's) path/track/road (whatever) fixed gear bikes have their pedal quills cut off. This was for a reason. Edward Albert Chappaqua, New York, U.S.A.
On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 10:18 AM, Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <
jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Lots of riders In The Day, including some top pros, used track pedals on
> the road. IRCC, Bicycling magazine published photos of Lucien an Impe's
> TdF-winning Gitane with Campy pista pedals (even though most of his career
> was spend at LeJeune). I believe I've seen photos of Anquetil using track
> pedals on the road as well. Unless a bike is all original, including the
> pedals, I almost always use track pedals.
>
> And my size 8 1/2 (Euro 42) feet aren't even large by US standards.
> Besides more room, the track pedals give better ground clearance. The one
> quilled road pedal I've found comfortable is TA. It is significantly wider
> than most road pedals. Of course that aggravates the ground clearance, but
> the TAs were made for touring, not racing. I frankly don't even know why
> the quilled road pedal developed, although I suspect it was before toestraps
> were common, so the quill would have helped keep the foot positioned on the
> pedal. But with toeclips and straps, the quill is pretty useless IMHO.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
> Big Spring, Texas, USA
>
> --- On Thu, 12/10/09, grm1067@aol.com <grm1067@aol.com> wrote:
>
> > From: grm1067@aol.com <grm1067@aol.com>
> > Subject: Re: [CR] Toestrap detail on Leggerissimo Cinelli
> > To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> > Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 3:10 AM
> > I'm intrigued as to why the owner is
> > using Campag track pedals instead of proper road pedals.
> > The way the toe-strap is placed, together with pedals
> > without the road pedal "hook", suggests a rider with very
> > wide feet!
> >
> > Best regards
> >
> > Geoff Margetts,
> > Dreieich,
> > Nr. Frankfurt,
> > Germany