Does Anyone Prefer Toe-Clips to SPD?

Thargor · 27-03-2015 12:45pm #1

Im collecting my new Defy on Saturday and it comes with toe-clips, I really reallly dislike SPD but I am trying to become a better cyclist so I do want some kind of assistance. Im wondering why new bikes come fitted with toe clips when nobody seems to use them? Do they help with climbing/speed as much as other cyclists seem to get out of SPD? Are they easy to get in and out of?

My main reasons for not liking SPD is the constant shocks you get from thinking drivers are pulling out in front of you when they stop their car half way over the white line instead of before the white line. I always hit the ground when that happens and of the 3 shoes and 3 pedals Ive tried I can never get my feet out when something unexpected happens, it always takes 3 or 4 attempts.

MugMugs · 27-03-2015 12:49pm

I used Toe Clips for the first 3 weeks of serious riding and couldn't wait to get rid of them. In fact, I removed them from the pedals whilst waiting on my keo's to arrive.

I've also never had an issue removing my foot from the pedals during an emergency.

In fact, it's somewhat easier by all accounts.

07Lapierre · 27-03-2015 12:51pm

Thargor wrote: »

My main reasons for not liking SPD is the constant shocks you get from thinking drivers are pulling out in front of you when they stop their car half way over the white line instead of before the white line. I always hit the ground when that happens and of the 3 shoes and 3 pedals Ive tried I can never get my feet out when something unexpected happens, it always takes 3 or 4 attempts.

If that's the case, you'd be better off with platform pedals and no Clips. If you use toe clips correctly, then every time you want to put your foot down, you'd have to reach down and loosen the toe strap manually. With SPD's you just twist your foot...much easier.

smacl · 27-03-2015 12:56pm

On your SPDs you can set a very low tension, if you use this with sh56 cleats (release turning foot in any direction) rather than the default sh51, getting out quickly is very easy. Much easier than toe straps IMHO.

petethedrummer · 27-03-2015 1:03pm

You can be led to believe toe straps are an intermediate step between flats and clipless. I'd argue that they're not. They are a total pain in the a55. And any tiny gain in efficiency over flats is lost in the hassle of getting your foot in, getting your foot out, tightening them, loosening them, worrying over whether your foot will come out in time, you crash your feet are locked in.

Just use flats. You won't miss the 0.001 watt.

lissard · 27-03-2015 1:03pm

Second what smacl is saying about sh56 cleats - they make a simply massive difference when clipping in and out. They are rounded at the back when compared to the standard SPD cleats that come with the pedals. I guess this gives them a lot of float but I've never found this a problem. To my mind they are way safer than toe clips.

27-03-2015 1:06pm

Never had a problem getting out of SPDs quickly (apart from the first inevitable time).

On the other hand, had a minor crash when my feet slipped off on normal pedals when I went from putting the power down to emergency stop quickly.

Thargor · 27-03-2015 1:51pm

petethedrummer wrote: »

Just use flats. You won't miss the 0.001 watt.

Thanks, is the difference between SPD/Clips and Flats really that insignificant?

Brian? · 27-03-2015 1:58pm

I used tor clips for years in the 80s and 90s. Clip less pedals are the greatest invention in cycling since the derailleur was invented.

outfox · 27-03-2015 2:22pm

Another option is to get one sided SPD pedals, which have a platform on the other side. You can switch to the platform in situations where you expect a lot of traffic, and change over to the clips when the road clears. I'm not sure how much grip you'd get with SPD shoes on the platform side - I've only used the platform side with runners. But it might be worth looking at.

Alek · 27-03-2015 2:28pm

Thanks, is the difference between SPD/Clips and Flats really that insignificant?

I've learned to pull the opposite pedal at the same time as pushing the other - this gives me an advantage in short sprints/climbs with high cadence as I'm using some extra muscles that are not tired at this stage. Works well for me in fast segments of a cyclocross race, when everybody is already more or less evenly fooked

I wouldn't be able to do it with flats.

Thargor · 27-03-2015 2:31pm

Does anyone avoid SPD altogether and just use normal flats on their roadbike?

Brian? · 27-03-2015 2:33pm

Thargor wrote: »

Does anyone avoid SPD altogether and just use normal flats on their roadbike?

Are you referring to all clipless pedals as "SPD"?

Oryx · 27-03-2015 2:34pm

Thargor wrote: »

Does anyone avoid SPD altogether and just use normal flats on their roadbike?

I used flats for 18 months when I started. The minute I changed to cleats, I knew I would never, ever go back. I hate riding flat pedals now, it feels a lot less safe.

Darkglasses · 27-03-2015 2:35pm

Thargor wrote: »

Does anyone avoid SPD altogether and just use normal flats on their roadbike?

Such people would be pretty rare - once people get used to clipless pedals, they rarely go back to flats.

cdaly_ · 27-03-2015 2:41pm

Oryx wrote: »

I used flats for 18 months when I started. The minute I changed to cleats, I knew I would never, ever go back. I hate riding flat pedals now, it feels a lot less safe.

This.

When clipped in, I'm more in control of the bike. I can descend at speed and know that my foot won't bounce off the pedal on a bump.

Thargor · 27-03-2015 2:44pm

Brian? wrote: »

Are you referring to all clipless pedals as "SPD"?

Yeah sorry I thought they were all called SPD pedals, is there another name I can research?

Oryx wrote: »

I used flats for 18 months when I started. The minute I changed to cleats, I knew I would never, ever go back. I hate riding flat pedals now, it feels a lot less safe.

Im not worried about safety and I dont even understand that, Ive never been on the ground with traffic all around me in flats and its happened 4-5 times with SPDs. Im not interested in races or group rides either, Im mainly interested in the difference it makes to long rides up to the Sally Gap and getting up hills etc. I see a few articles like this that say the claim that it lets you pull up as well as push down is BS. Im just trying to find out how much of a difference it makes, if its purely about safety then Im definitely not bothered.

Darkglasses · 27-03-2015 2:48pm

Thargor wrote: »

Yeah sorry I thought they were all called SPD pedals, is there another name I can research?

Here's a crash-course on nomenclature -

Clipless - refers to all pedals where you clip into a pedal with a cleat on your shoe. SPD, SPD-SL, Look Keo and Speedplay are all different types of clipless pedals.

Flats/platforms - normal pedals without any kind of foot retention systems

Clips - the type of pedal you are using, with a cage and strap.

Thargor · 27-03-2015 2:50pm

Darkglasses wrote: »

Here's a crash-course on nomenclature -

Clipless - refers to all pedals where you clip into a pedal with a cleat on your shoe. SPD, SPD-SL, Look Keo and Speedplay are all different types of clipless pedals.

Flats/platforms - normal pedals without any kind of foot retention systems

Clips - the type of pedal you are using, with a cage and strap.

Okay thanks, I wont be using clips though, I didn't realise you had to constantly loosen and tighten them as you went.

Oryx · 27-03-2015 2:50pm

Has anyone ever shown you how to clip out?

Thargor · 27-03-2015 2:59pm

I can do it 99% of the time its just too dangerous the other 1% especially anywhere theres traffic and I have tried multiple shoe and pedal combinations.

Alek · 27-03-2015 3:02pm

I see a few articles like this that say the claim that it lets you pull up as well as push down is BS.

I also find it beneficial to switch to pull going up a steep hill, when muscles get tired. Works for me!

nc19 · 27-03-2015 3:03pm

Thargor wrote:

My main reasons for not liking SPD is the constant shocks you get from thinking drivers are pulling out in front of you when they stop their car half way over the white line instead of before the white line. I always hit the ground when that happens and of the 3 shoes and 3 pedals Ive tried I can never get my feet out when something unexpected happens, it always takes 3 or 4 attempts.

they need to be adjusted in terms of tightness so as to facilitate quick removal

07Lapierre · 27-03-2015 3:06pm

Thargor wrote: »

Yeah sorry I thought they were all called SPD pedals, is there another name I can research?

Im not worried about safety and I dont even understand that, Ive never been on the ground with traffic all around me in flats and its happened 4-5 times with SPDs. Im not interested in races or group rides either, Im mainly interested in the difference it makes to long rides up to the Sally Gap and getting up hills etc. I see a few articles like this that say the claim that it lets you pull up as well as push down is BS. Im just trying to find out how much of a difference it makes, if its purely about safety then Im definitely not bothered.

The Pedals work in conjunction with the Shoes...cycling shoes have a very stiff sole which is a lot more efficient than say a pair of trainers/runners.

Try them...you won't regret it..

Fian · 27-03-2015 3:15pm

Practice - don't just unclip when you want to , deliberately go out and practice clipping in and out a hundred times. soon it will happen without conscious thought.

The purpose of the straps and the clip are the same - to connect your foot to eh pedal. The difference is that one is much much easier than the other to disconnect. To secure your foot with straps you put your foot on the pedal and then tighten the strap to hold it in place. To remove you reach down and loosen the strap. This is absolutely not suitable for traffic.

Once you have practiced disconnecting from clipless you will do it without thinking about it. Much safer.

Having said all that I use flats on my commuter bike - where I am going to be stopped and junctions and traffic lights frequently on my commute it is just easier not to worry about clipping in and out. Plus it means i can use trainers and anyway it is a short spin so really clipless are not required.

Oryx · 27-03-2015 3:22pm

Thargor wrote: »

I can do it 99% of the time its just too dangerous the other 1% especially anywhere theres traffic and I have tried multiple shoe and pedal combinations.

How long have you tried for? It takes a few rides before you can do it without thinking about it. And always push the heel down and out, not up.

Thargor · 27-03-2015 3:37pm

Alek wrote: »

Having said all that I use flats on my commuter bike - where I am going to be stopped and junctions and traffic lights frequently on my commute it is just easier not to worry about clipping in and out. Plus it means i can use trainers and anyway it is a short spin so really clipless are not required.

Thats what Im trying to figure out though, are they really necessary if people can do away with them like that? What do they actually do?

Alek · 27-03-2015 3:42pm

Originally Posted by Alek View Post
Having said all that I use flats on my commuter bike

I didn't say that!

Thargor · 27-03-2015 3:52pm

Oh sorry, that was weird, I only pressed the quote button, it was Fian:

Fian wrote: »

Having said all that I use flats on my commuter bike - where I am going to be stopped and junctions and traffic lights frequently on my commute it is just easier not to worry about clipping in and out. Plus it means i can use trainers and anyway it is a short spin so really clipless are not required.

Buchaill_Mor · 27-03-2015 4:03pm

I use SPD on my commuter bike. I do about 40k a day. Once you get used to the clipping/unclipping it is second nature, but there are a lot of times you know you are going to need to unclip so I tend to do it before I get to that point, like coasting to lights, or you think someone is going to be an idiot. I am not saying that things just don't happen, but I find they are once in a blue moon as opposed to every trip out.

petethedrummer · 27-03-2015 4:32pm

Thargor wrote: »

Thanks, is the difference between SPD/Clips and Flats really that insignificant?

Well I don't know exactly but I have read articles that say the pulling up effect on the pedals is pretty insignificant except maybe if you're sprinting. But that's besides the point. I'm not arguing against clipless. If you're racing you'll be using proper clipless. If you're commuting, touring or sportive riding, either go clipless or use flats. Fixed gear riding aside, toe-straps have no advantages in any scenario.

Toe clips in this day and age are a fudge for people who are (undertandably) scared of proper clipless pedals and instead of being gentle introduction they mispresent the sheer nirvana of clipless pedalling.

Does Anyone Prefer Toe-Clips to SPD?

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