What's a clipless pedal?

[Eatmorepies]

I've seen several references to them in recent posts. They're deemed illegal by one poster and not
wanted if you want to bunny hop.

John

[Just Zis Guy]

On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 20:47:15 -0000, "Eatmorepies"
<wigglestopPLUG@lineone.net> wrote:

>I've seen several references to them in recent posts. They're deemed illegal by one poster and not
>wanted if you want to bunny hop.

A pedal system where there is a cleat on the bottom of the shoe which engages in a clip system on
the pedal. They are called clipless because in the Olden Days you had platform pedals with toeclips.

Best known brand is Shimano SPD; also you can get them from Look, Time, Crank Brothers, and UTC&A.

There's a picture, and a description of when they are illegal, on this page:
<http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/Web/public.nsf/Documents/rvlr> (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/Web/public.nsf/Documents/rvlr) (just over halfway down).

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/)

[Simon Brooke]

"Eatmorepies" <wigglestopPLUG@lineone.net> writes:

> I've seen several references to them in recent posts. They're deemed illegal by one poster and not
> wanted if you want to bunny hop.

Bizarre, isn't it?

A pedal which any ordinary english speaking person could see has a fancy patent clip on it is called
'clipless', whereas a pedal which doesn't is called variously a flat, a rat trap, or whatever...

Once upon a very long time ago, there were things called toeclips. Actually you can still get them,
but they're uncommon. A toe clip is a thin strap of (usually) metal which ran from the front of your
pedal forward under the toe of your shoe and then back up over your shoe to terminate in a loop
above your instep. A leather strap ran through the pedal body and through the loop on the top of the
toe clip, with a spring loaded buckle on the side away from the bike.

Riding a bike with toeclips, if riding a short distance you would not normally tighten the straps
but if riding further you would - once up to cruising speed you would reach down to one pedal, and
then the other, and pull the straps tight. This of course meant, particularly if you were wearing
cleated shoes, that you could not take your feet off the pedals without first reaching down and
releasing the straps. As you can appreciate this meant that you could not get your foot out of the
toeclip in an accident, and this was sometimes bad news.

Hence new pedals were introduced which firmly located the shoe on the pedal with a quick release
mechanism like a ski binding. The best known of these ski-binding-like pedal mechanisms is Shimano's
SPD. Because these pedals don't have toeclips, they were called 'clipless' - another of those
bizarre bits of perverse language for which English is known and loved.

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

I shall continue to be an impossible person so long as those who are now possible remain
possible -- Michael Bakunin

[Just Zis Guy]

"Simon Brooke" <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
news:87brp0njs4.fsf@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk...

> Once upon a very long time ago,

About last Friday (c) AA Milne

> there were things called toeclips. Actually you can still get them, but they're uncommon.

<raises hand>

Please Sir, we have seven bikes in regular use, with nine pairs of pedals between them. Of these,
four pairs have toeclips, two pairs have no clips (being clipless but not clipless) and three are
clipless (2 x SPD, 1 x Look).

--
Guy
===

WARNING: may contain traces of irony. Contents may settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/)

[jhuskey]

Originally posted by Eatmorepies
I've seen several references to them in recent posts. They're deemed illegal by one poster and not
wanted if you want to bunny hop.

John

If you have ever skied imagine a similar system on a bike.You clip in and out. The same only different. Truly clipless? No.Tension loaded? Yes.

[Rabs]

>there were things called toeclips. Actually you can still get them, >but they're uncommon.


My 2003 Dawes Discovery 501 came with toe cages as standard!

If anyone knows of a system where I can use both (single sided?) that is highly recommended, I would be interested. I would like to go "clipless" but I need the ability to ride in normal shoes as well.

[davebee]

Originally posted by Rabs
>there were things called toeclips. Actually you can still get them, >but they're uncommon.


My 2003 Dawes Discovery 501 came with toe cages as standard!

If anyone knows of a system where I can use both (single sided?) that is highly recommended, I would be interested. I would like to go "clipless" but I need the ability to ride in normal shoes as well.

on my commuting bike I use dual function pedals, where one side has an spd binding but the other just has the body of a normal flat pedal. Quite useful because I can then ride in trainers or bike shoes.

[davebee]

try these

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=10570

[Eatmorepies]

"Simon Brooke" <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
news:87brp0njs4.fsf@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk...
> "Eatmorepies" <wigglestopPLUG@lineone.net> writes:
>
> > I've seen several references to them in recent posts. They're deemed
illegal
> > by one poster and not wanted if you want to bunny hop.
>
> Bizarre, isn't it?
>
> A pedal which any ordinary english speaking person could see has a fancy patent clip on it is
> called 'clipless', whereas a pedal which doesn't is called variously a flat, a rat trap, or
> whatever...

I had a funny feeling that someone would tell me that SPDs are also called clipless pedals. Are they
truly illegal as someone suggested in a previous post?

John

[Just Zis Guy]

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:06:51 -0000, "Eatmorepies"
<wigglestopPLUG@lineone.net> wrote:

>I had a funny feeling that someone would tell me that SPDs are also called clipless pedals. Are
>they truly illegal as someone suggested in a previous post?

Only at night if not fitted with reflectors and fitted to a bike made after about 1985.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/)

[Simon Brooke]

"Eatmorepies" <wigglestopPLUG@lineone.net> writes:

> "Simon Brooke" <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
> news:87brp0njs4.fsf@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk...
> > "Eatmorepies" <wigglestopPLUG@lineone.net> writes:
> >
> > > I've seen several references to them in recent posts. They're deemed
> illegal
> > > by one poster and not wanted if you want to bunny hop.
> >
> > Bizarre, isn't it?
> >
> > A pedal which any ordinary english speaking person could see has a fancy patent clip on it is
> > called 'clipless', whereas a pedal which doesn't is called variously a flat, a rat trap, or
> > whatever...
>
> I had a funny feeling that someone would tell me that SPDs are also called clipless pedals. Are
> they truly illegal as someone suggested in a previous post?

Pedals are required by law to have a reflector on the front and a reflector on the back. Whether
this is only if used at night or not I don't know. Most SPD pedals cannot have such reflectors, and
most of those that can do not.

--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

X-no-archive: No, I'm not *that* naive.

[David Martin]

Rabs wrote:

> If anyone knows of a system where I can use both (single sided?) that is highly recommended, I
> would be interested. I would like to go "clipless" but I need the ability to ride in normal shoes
> as well.

Shimano do a pair of pedals that are rattrap on side and spd the other. I have them on my
MTB/commuter and they work just fine.

There are a couple of pairs on http://www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk/catalogue/item.cfm?ID=372 the FPD
duo and the shimano M324.

Is it just me ordoes anyone else who started off with Look pedals find the springs on SPD ones to be
a bit feeble? Then again I use mine mostly on road..

..d

[Just Zis Guy]

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 21:05:06 GMT, Simon Brooke <simon@jasmine.org.uk>
wrote:

>Pedals are required by law to have a reflector on the front and a reflector on the back.

1. Number- Two reflectors on each pedal

2. Position- (a) Longitudinal: On the leading edge and the trailing edge of each pedal

3. Angles of visibility: Such that the reflector on the leading edge of each pedal is plainly
visible to the front and the reflector on the trailing edge of each pedal is plainly visible
to the rear

Try that on a 'bent!

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/)

[Vince]

Simon Brooke <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote:
>
> Pedals are required by law to have a reflector on the front and a reflector on the back.

I may be wrong (unlikely but possible) but my understanding is that the law only says that new bikes
must be sold with these reflectors, and that it says nothing about keeping these refectors in place
afterwards.

Vince.

[Just Zis Guy]

On 20 Jan 2004 14:23:23 -0800, vjosullivan@hotmail.com (Vince) wrote:

>the law only says that new bikes must be sold with these reflectors, and that it says nothing about
>keeping these refectors in place afterwards.

My recollection agrees with yours.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/)

[Jack Ouzzi]

On 20 Jan 2004 14:23:23 -0800, vjosullivan@hotmail.com (Vince) wrote:

>Simon Brooke <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>> Pedals are required by law to have a reflector on the front and a reflector on the back.
>
>I may be wrong (unlikely but possible) but my understanding is that the law only says that new
>bikes must be sold with these reflectors, and that it says nothing about keeping these refectors in
>place afterwards.

Correct ..............

Clipless, Clipon, cleated, call then you like I hate the bloody things ........

I can't 'clip on' when I want to go training, or once I do get 'clipped on' after about 10 miles I
can't clip off again .............. Bloody things .......... Toe strap pull tight, flick loose
........... easy

Mind you I am an old fart, and of the view that these things ARE a bit of a rip off as you need to
buy the shoes to go with the pedals ...........

[Zog The Undenia]

Jack Ouzzi wrote:

> Mind you I am an old fart, and of the view that these things ARE a bit of a rip off as you need to
> buy the shoes to go with the pedals ...........
>
>
Can be as little as £50 the lot these days (£30 for shoes and £20 for SPDs).

[Just Zis Guy]

On 20 Jan 2004 14:23:23 -0800, vjosullivan@hotmail.com (Vince) wrote:

>> Pedals are required by law to have a reflector on the front and a reflector on the back.

>I may be wrong (unlikely but possible) but my understanding is that the law only says that new
>bikes must be sold with these reflectors, and that it says nothing about keeping these refectors in
>place afterwards.

Doh! Actually the law requires that you have these reflectors on any bike made after ?October 1985,
if used on the road after dark. You are allowed to remove spoke reflectors and white front
reflectors, but not pedal reflectors (unless you only ride during the day).

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/)

[Just Zis Guy]

On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 12:16:53 +0000, Jack Ouzzi
<nospam@nowayhose.co.au> wrote:

>I can't 'clip on' when I want to go training, or once I do get 'clipped on' after about 10 miles I
>can't clip off again

Eh? Straps require manually fastening and unfastening. Clipless, you put your foot on the pedal and
you're clipped in, twist the foot gently and you're out.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk (http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk/)

[Pete Biggs]

Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
> On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 12:16:53 +0000, Jack Ouzzi wrote:
>
>> I can't 'clip on' when I want to go training, or once I do get 'clipped on' after about 10 miles
>> I can't clip off again
>
> Eh? Straps require manually fastening and unfastening.

Not necessarily. They're still useful when left loose enough to just to get in and out of without
adjusting straps.

Still, I don't know what Jack is on about.

~PB