Originally Posted by
Kaben
have you any opinion on the G-Star straps or are they much the same as the BLS?
NJS straps seems to run twice as much as either of these options but if they are really so much better maybe they are worth the investment.
how are the double buckles from an ease of use perspective? They look like they would be fiddly to operate by comparison.
I've never used, handled, or seen GStar outside of photos. My comments about BLS are based on experience.
The NJS straps are an investment. I have used them for 2 seasons of heavy torque work during sprint workouts and races. I only replace them because of aesthetics (e.g.: going from black to red).
On a related note: I firmly believe that mass start and enduro specialists will benefit from using straps as well. I've seen a few use them at World Cup and the Olympics. I wish I had time to setup some proper experiments.
One strap is enough. Double does feel better. You can buy doubles and cut them down the middle to have 2 sets. Maybe split them with a teammate (pun intended).
Do not waste your money on non-NJS straps that do not have 3-ply leather-laminate-leather plys. If they are just one ply of leather, they will simply stretch like a genuine leather belt and be rather useless. There are lots of those on the market to cater to the fixie kids that went for the "race-spec bike" look.