Rat Traps or Clipless?

markdavidhill

I tour (fast) but don't race.

I have tried different styles of clipless but they still make me anxious and so I am considering rat traps.

what are the advantages of one over the other?

Thank you.

Herbsman

If you want to catch rats, use rat traps. However if you want some way of connecting your feet to your cranks, I'd choose the pedals.

Pseudonym

by 'rat traps' - do you mean toe cages & straps..?

If clipless make you anxious, then I'd love to see you on rat traps.....

ShutUpLegs

^
whs

roger_merriman

The advantages of clip less is a secure connection, something road flats lack.

MTB flats do offer a secure connection but tend to be big and heavy, and tend not to look right on road bikes bar SS/FG stuff.

Monty Dog

Ask anyone who started riding in the days of toeclips and straps "which are the most dangerous type of pedals?" and expect all will confirm that clipless are more secure and yet safer. It takes a while to get used to them but few look back.

mikeyboy12345

Rat traps are just bog-standard pedals basically, to which you can attach clips/straps if you want, but I honestly don't see the point! Straps are a nightmare to lean down and undo at every set of lights, and if they're not tight you can't pedal properly anyway. You've also got to master the flipping of the pedal every time you start, because the weight of the clips will cause the pedal to "present" the wrong way and they keep dragging on the floor.

Shimano M324s are great pedals that offer the best of all 3 worlds - flat on on side, SPD on the other, and you can attach clips if you absolutely must. Relatively heavy and pricey (look daft on a road bike) but they're ideal for bike holidays and touring. I rode across Cambodia last year and used SPDs on the road, and just switched to riding in normal sandals or trainers for sightseeing round temples, etc, when I didn't round to click-clack round on foot in my MTB shoes.

sumosprintstar

Agreed. Stick with the clipless. Much more efficient pedal stroke in my opinion. Surely a crucial factor for touring fast.

markos1963

30 years ago I had to give up riding competitvaly after crashing in a race. I was wearing toe clips and straps, being a fast crit they were done up tight. Result. two ruptured achillies tendons, indescribable pain and the reluctance to ride again( I took up something far safer, motorcycle racing)
Clipless for me, from now on and forever.

T-Rekster

markos1963 wrote:

30 years ago I had to give up riding competitvaly after crashing in a race. I was wearing toe clips and straps, being a fast crit they were done up tight. Result. two ruptured achillies tendons, indescribable pain and the reluctance to ride again( I took up something far safer, motorcycle racing)
Clipless for me, from now on and forever.

Now that pretty much sums the subject up for, tried clips & straps once nearly killed myself, clipless are definitely the way to, you would be surprised how quickly your foot detaches in an emergency once your used to them.

.

nickyhoward55

3 weeks riding clipless........and i would never go back. Keep them slack and as soon as your used to the sideways movement to get out of them it becomes very easy.

markdavidhill

After a week of trying this and trying that, including toe clips, I was very happy to go back to my Looks.

Using the toe clips for a few days made me realise that the issue here was only psychological and also, how good it is to 'click in'.

Personally, I much prefer the Looks to the Crank Brother egg beaters.

Thebigbee

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

Rat traps are just bog-standard pedals basically, to which you can attach clips/straps if you want, but I honestly don't see the point! Straps are a nightmare to lean down and undo at every set of lights, and if they're not tight you can't pedal properly anyway. You've also got to master the flipping of the pedal every time you start, because the weight of the clips will cause the pedal to "present" the wrong way and they keep dragging on the floor.

I have used toe clips for years. Not once have I ever had to "lean down and undo at every set of lights". I simply slide my foot back and it's out!

I have no experience of spds but I imagine they are more difficult to get into than " mastering the flipping of the pedal every time you start, because the weight of the clips will cause the pedal to "present" the wrong way and they keep dragging on the floor."

Yes - that is really hard! People do talk crap on this board - but everyone is entitled to their opinion.

The other downside with spds IMO is that you have to wear special shoes which are completely impractical for actually walking in and make you look a bit "special needs" - I think it is the velcro.

Having said that I will probably be getting some but will ensure that I only cycle when wearing them.

If you want to ride to get somewhere, then walk around and not look like a moron, just stay with the clips.

alfablue

I use both. SPD's on all my bikes except the pub bike. SPD's are far superior, if you get double-sided there is no flipping issue. On the pedals with toe clips and straps I have to flip every time because they hang upside down, I frequently don't get in the pedal at the first attempt, and my nearest thing to a "clipless moment" in the last decade was last week having trouble getting out of my toeclips! Of course, for everyday use it isn't viable to tighten the straps as intended, but then of course they don't function very well if the foot is loose.

You can get a whole variety of shoes for spd pedals that will suit every occasion, even sandals!

andyjr

Started riding with SPD's about 6 weeks ago and wouldn't go back. Thinking of getting some for my mountain bike aswell. Yes it's unnerving but once you get used to clipping in & out it becomes 2nd nature & you just do it naturally

Monkeypump

Thebigbee wrote:

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

Rat traps are just bog-standard pedals basically, to which you can attach clips/straps if you want, but I honestly don't see the point! Straps are a nightmare to lean down and undo at every set of lights, and if they're not tight you can't pedal properly anyway. You've also got to master the flipping of the pedal every time you start, because the weight of the clips will cause the pedal to "present" the wrong way and they keep dragging on the floor.

I have used toe clips for years. Not once have I ever had to "lean down and undo at every set of lights". I simply slide my foot back and it's out!

I have no experience of spds but I imagine they are more difficult to get into than " mastering the flipping of the pedal every time you start, because the weight of the clips will cause the pedal to "present" the wrong way and they keep dragging on the floor."

Yes - that is really hard! People do talk crap on this board - but everyone is entitled to their opinion.

The other downside with spds IMO is that you have to wear special shoes which are completely impractical for actually walking in and make you look a bit "special needs" - I think it is the velcro.

Having said that I will probably be getting some but will ensure that I only cycle when wearing them.

If you want to ride to get somewhere, then walk around and not look like a moron, just stay with the clips.

Whatever you end up getting, I'm sure they'll go well with the blinkers you're obviously wearing.

bompington

Thebigbee wrote:

I have no experience of spds

Doesn't stop you from slagging them off does it?

To answer some of your points individually:
- SPDs are incredibly quick and easy to get in and out of. Once you are used to them they are effectively as quick as flats: I've used them for years on my MTB and whenever I have to do an emergency dab I find the foot is out and down before I really think about it.
- I would defy anyone to identify my shoes as SPD without looking at the soles. With recessed cleats they hardly even make a noise on hard surfaces, and certainly aren't hard to walk in - I've walked miles at a time in mine. Now you couldn't say the same of my road shoes (SPD-SL), true, but to describe them as "special needs" or "like a moron" is nothing but juvenile playground name-calling.
- as has been noted in previous posts, if you can just slide your feet out of toe straps then they're not tight enough to be that useful.

As a whole your post looks like one of those "everyone's wrong but me" ones that liven up the internet so much. Of course you are welcome to your opinion, and to use whatever type of pedals you like, but I think that if 95% of people use system A, and 5%* system B, you have to allow at least the possibility that it's because system A is better.

*This is an intenet forum so stats are plucked out of thin air. Actually I'd be surprised if as many as 5% of roadies used straps

secretsam

I use both; oddly enough, I use clips and straps in traffic - I grew up with them and am totally comfortable with getting my foot out. The guy who ruptured his achilles' forgot to mention that he would also have been using cleats - and in the old days, that meant you pretty much could not get your foot out.

I have clipless on two bikes, and bar some hilarious 'clipless moments', I get on fine with them, although they pretty much require you to use bike shoes to gain the full benefit - with clips and straps you can use any old shoe, no problem.

Flats I use occasionally, when I borrow my missus' bike. This is the most unsafe system, IMHO, 'cos your foot easily slips off.

If I was starting from scratch, I'd probably go clipless. Frankly, all those numpties in London riding round on their "trendy retro steelies" with clips and straps are nobs and most of them don't ride with the straps done up that tightly.

CyclingBantam

Thebigbee wrote:

mikeyboy12345 wrote:

Rat traps are just bog-standard pedals basically, to which you can attach clips/straps if you want, but I honestly don't see the point! Straps are a nightmare to lean down and undo at every set of lights, and if they're not tight you can't pedal properly anyway. You've also got to master the flipping of the pedal every time you start, because the weight of the clips will cause the pedal to "present" the wrong way and they keep dragging on the floor.

I have used toe clips for years. Not once have I ever had to "lean down and undo at every set of lights". I simply slide my foot back and it's out!

I have no experience of spds but I imagine they are more difficult to get into than " mastering the flipping of the pedal every time you start, because the weight of the clips will cause the pedal to "present" the wrong way and they keep dragging on the floor."

Yes - that is really hard! People do talk crap on this board - but everyone is entitled to their opinion.

The other downside with spds IMO is that you have to wear special shoes which are completely impractical for actually walking in and make you look a bit "special needs" - I think it is the velcro.

Having said that I will probably be getting some but will ensure that I only cycle when wearing them.

If you want to ride to get somewhere, then walk around and not look like a moron, just stay with the clips.

We have had Bhima, Speedking, Freehub and then a lull. I really hope you stay around...

father_jack

If you want to ride to get somewhere, then walk around and not look like a moron, just stay with the clips.

Ever heard of SPD shoes? :roll: