BismarckII

Hey everyone.

I recently bought a De Rosa Vintage bike bike and it still has the original pedals. They are still having a strap. I am kind of scared riding with them as I may not be able to free myself of the pedal during a crash. Does anyone have experience with this type of pedals? Or tips on how to train using them?

Thanks for your help!

steelbikeguy

there was a rather recent thread discussing the perils of toe clips and straps.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...much-pita.html

basically, just avoid tightening the straps and the risk is quite minimal (imho, etc).

Steve in Peoria

SurferRosa

I have them on every bike. It's not difficult.

Salamandrine 

It really isn't that hard. It took me about 15 minutes BITD to get used to them. Leave them loose at first. Tighten them when you get to a quiet empty road. It takes a few rides to develop a pedaling style that can fully take advantage.

Oh, don't tuck the ends into the buckle.

IMHO if you leave straps loose all the time, there isn't a point, and you may as well ride platform pedals.

FWIW I've never had my feet not come out in a crash, and there have been many... Try not to crash, obv.

ShannonM

As others have said, getting out is not hard, assuming your straps aren't tight enough to make your toes tingle. Actually, getting into the pedals is what takes a bit of practice. There's a "flip and stick" maneuver that becomes second nature pretty quickly, but everybody fumbles with it at first. The only time I've ever fallen over because I couldn't get my foot out when I stopped was on a track bike, with tight double straps and slotted cleats, and seeing stars after a full-effort individual pursuit race.

--Shannon

smontanaro 

BITD, when I switched from toe clips & straps to clipped pedals, I fell several times, roughly like Arte Johnson on a tricycle. When I switched back from clipped to toe clips & straps a few years ago, I minimized problems by eschewing cleats. I recently got a couple pair of shoes with cleats and have very nearly tipped over at lights (but not quite, knock on wood).

Long story short, there is a learning curve. At most, your ego might get bruised, nothing more.

repechage

adapt. I think clips and straps are safer 99% of the time.

One world champion sprinter bolted his shoes to the pedals he had fabricated.

conspiratemus1

Pop conventional-wisdom quiz:

Shimano markets its SPD system as intended to
A) prevent injury from the shoe failing to release from the pedal while crashing?
or
B) prevent the shoe from unintended disengagement from the pedal while riding?

The answer can be found in the instruction leaflet (now a substantial booklet in like 83 languages) packed with SPD pedals and cleats.

BismarckII

Thank you very much for your help! I will train to use them and I am confident I will manage it!

steve sumner

in the unfortunate case of a crash you WANT to be strapped to your bike ( clips or clipless)
it minimizes the distance you slide (less rash on your thigh) legs free introduces the chance
of a broken leg

scarlson 

You just have to train yourself to pull your foot back instead of twisting it to the side. I personally prefer to release from the bike in a crash, but that's my personal experience. When I've crashed with toe clips, I've always released with more ease than with cleats and clipless pedals. The only time this isn't advisable is when you crash on a tandem and kick back like a mule to release, you risk hitting your stoker with your heels. I do not recommending crashing on a tandem anyhow.

Road Fan

I think you will do fine. I've been using clipped, strapped pedals since about 1969 and I ahve never had any insecurity about them. I watch two things:

> Do not use cleats or shoes that might get caught up while extracting my foot, and

> Do not tighten the straps.

With those two points, my feet will come back out of the pedals anytime I need them. There is no risk or PITA relative to old rubber block kids pedals or any other platform-style pedal.

madpogue 

True, but that's a separate circumstance. That's WHEN you crash. Quick, _intentional_ release (of either retention type) is important to _avoid_ a crash by stopping and putting a foot down. Two different situations. If there's no chance to stop, or it's just too late to stop and you crash, then indeed, staying in the pedals is probably a safer option.

conspiratemus1

The important thing is to get stopped (or at least slowed to where the chance of serious injury is less.) Then worry about getting a foot out. If you are going slowly enough the worst that happens is you tip over sideways, which isn’t really a crash. (Except on a tandem. Everything bad is worse on a tandem.)

Vintage Schwinn

My opinion is that since you have doubts and are unsure and are not confident about using this type of pedal, I would REMOVE THESE PEDALS and install a pair that you are comfortable using.

It won't hurt the value of your vintage bicycle because you will be saving and safely storing the original pedals, so you could at any point in time, re-install the original pedals within thirty minutes.

Yes, perhaps some folks might be disappointed upon seeing such a beautiful classic vintage bicycle without the vintage pedals that were original equipment but my advice is do not make the mistake of riding with something that you dislike and aren't comfortable with. It won't harm the bike. You absolutely do not want to ride something you are not confident with because although it is a long-shot, but you could get hurt by by flubbing up and tripping/tangling/generally uncoordinated flubbing your foot or feet while trying to get in or out. It seems so simple to some who find managing clips/straps on vintage pedals instinctively second nature but many people find that it would be easier to learn to speak and become fluent in a new language like Chinese in just one week's time. You do not want to flubb up and get hurt because you're riding with those pedals because you think folks will roll their eyes because your bicycle isn't dressed-out in proper accepted attire. This isn't a black tie bash at Thurston Howell III 's estate. It is all about riding the bike! Install a pair of pedals that you are comfortable riding. Enjoy the bike. Don't make it a pain in the a--. That goes for the personal comfort preference of whatever seat you find comfortable if for example you dislike the current or original seat on any of your bicycles. Hell, an uncomfortable seat might only give you P.I.T.A. but Toe Clips , Straps on vintage pedals that you find uncomfortable and unsure about can have you flubb up and trippin the light fandango right off the bike and on to the pavement, and hopefully you'll only be a whiter shade of pale with only at the worst only minor bruises............they said there is no reason for toe clips and tangle-lee stuff is what the miller told in his tale.....

Salamandrine 

It's really bizarre to me how afraid people can be of toe clips and straps. And I thought DT shifter fear was a little crazy.

John E

The only time I went down with both feet still in the toeclips and straps was when I snapped a crank at the pedal eye. It was pretty weird to be suddenly on the ground with my left foot still strapped to the pedal, but nowhere near the left crank.

Road Fan

That’s all true and practical, but the thread was started based on the desire to ride an Eroica event, which requires vintage equipment to enter.

I really am amazed about the level of fear, both of toe clips with straps and of DT shifters. OTOH, I get concerned about adding slotted cleats, and with the idea of attaching my feet to pedals with a snapping contraption!

Trakhak

You can also ride using the clips without the straps. If you're not a bike racer who does a lot of sprinting, you'll never need to tighten the straps anyway. Lots of people ride platform pedals without any form of foot retention and are perfectly happy to do so. Myself, I'm happier with some form of foot retention: Look or Shimano clipless pedals on most of my bikes, toe clips without straps on my errand bike.

The Golden Boy 

I was terrified of the clips and straps that came on my mountain bike- I wanted to remove them- but in conversation someone said something to the effect of 'you'll fall down once or twice- and then you'll get it.'

I don't tighten my straps- or, at least I haven't in years. The clips and straps keep my feet where they need to be, they allow for easy entry and exit, they allow me to move pedals to a good position from a stop... Then again, I'm a casual rider- and the last time I tried riding platforms without clips, I HATED not having any sort of pedal retention.

It sounds like you've decided to give it a good shot. There are benefits to them- not just "racing." Millions and millions of people have learned it and found them useful... but give 'em a good faith attempt to get used to them- when you get more comfortable with them, tighten them up and see how it affects you. If it doesn't work out, you can always remove them.