Confession: Fixie maiming

[clarion]

I'm sorry.

I took the pedals off my Carlton & put them on our new tandem. 

Should I try to make recompense by putting toeclipped pedals on it & cover myself with roadrash when I fall off? 

[rogerzilla]

For one horrible moment I though you'd fitted a...I can't bring myself to say the word, but it's a sprocket that spins backwards with a clicky noise.

[clarion]

For one horrible moment I though you'd fitted a...I can't bring myself to say the word, but it's a sprocket that spins backwards with a clicky noise.

Nah mate - dunno what you're talking about, but I can guarantee that nothing like that is going near my Carlton

[Phil]

Fit toeclips, and be liberated! Mine let me go places without the need for a change of shoes. 

[clarion]

OK - that decides it!  I will take my life in my hands, and go for the toeclips.  I shall need to change the clips for slightly longer ones, and swap leather for fabric toestraps, but here I go...

[border-rider]

Fit toeclips, and be liberated! Mine let me go places without the need for a change of shoes. 

Harder on hills, though.  I did all my early fixed riding on toeclips, and I never had any problems getting my feet in and out on the fly (though a hardened clipless user might), but the difference in climbing ability when I changed to clipless was profound.

[Ian H]

Fit toeclips, and be liberated! Mine let me go places without the need for a change of shoes. 

Harder on hills, though.  I did all my early fixed riding on toeclips, and I never had any problems getting my feet in and out on the fly (though a hardened clipless user might), but the difference in climbing ability when I changed to clipless was profound.

Do what I did and use shoe-plates as well. With the straps tight your feet will be more secure than clipless...and...


...WHOOPS! (it only happened a couple of times.)

[clarion]

OK, so I did it.  I rode around Tooting with my left leg flailing to turn the pedal over.

Take 2:  Removed reflectors - went a lot better, but still taking a couple of attempts to get foot in

Take 3:  Set off without either foot clipped in.    When I finally got a chance to stop, I got it sorted, but I still can't get my left foot in without looking.  The SPD cleat on my shoe helps to catch the lip of the pedal, but stops me sliding it smoothly in.  But it works very well.  Felt so natural that, when I stopped outside my house, I tried to release my right foot with a twist

Now - how do I tighten the straps while riding along?

[border-rider]

Now - how do I tighten the straps while riding along?

Carefully.

[red marley]

Now - how do I tighten the straps while riding along?

Assuming the straps are threaded correctly so they hang like spaniels' ears (it surprises me how many straps are threaded upside down), tightening should be easy. Just pull on the end as your leg comes round. Release is only slightly trickier - a quick thumb down and out on the top of the buckle.

At least that's how I remember it...It's been about 3 years since I last used clips and straps on my fixie.

[Charlotte]

I've never tried it, but I'd imagine that clips and straps onna street fixie^* is a recipe for some quite extensive dentistry bills.


_{^*as opposed to the track where someone holds you up as you tighten/untighten the straps.}

[scott]

Can you get the MKS half-clips over there? I've been meaning to try then (translation: I have been trying to find the money)--they're just small clips that would keep your foot from sliding off the front, but don't have the straps to fuss with. No idea if they're OK on a fixie, though.

[clarion]

I've never tried it, but I'd imagine that clips and straps onna street fixie^* is a recipe for some quite extensive dentistry bills.


_{^*as opposed to the track where someone holds you up as you tighten/untighten the straps.}

That's the kind of comment that makes me look across at the Carlton with a 'You're in for some riding tomorrow' sort of look in my eye...

[border-rider]

I've never tried it, but I'd imagine that clips and straps onna street fixie^* is a recipe for some quite extensive dentistry bills.

Shouldn't be unless you use plates.  If you have an old-fashioned cycling shoe with a smooth sole, they slip in and out of the clip easily even when it's reasonably tight.  I'd argue that I can get my feet in/out of toeclips faster than clipless in fact, and I still prefer them offroad for that reason.

I used to use them on my London commuter; the only time I had a problem was when a pedal bearing seized coming out of Paddington (actually it disintegrated) and the pedal suddenly stopped rotating even though the cranks continued to do so.  Luckily they were plastic toeclips, so it destroyed the clip and not my ankle, though it was pretty scary for a moment.