I agree that is isn't necessary. I've often had to rely on a pair of needle-nose pliers to pull straps through the cage slots. With or without a twist, I haven't met a traditional leather strap that'll budge, at least on Campy Record pedals. And from an aesthetic point of view, I like the non-twisted look better.
Anyway, how did they do it at Carlsbad? Straight or twisted? (BTW, I'm still referring to toestraps.)
Ray Dobbins Miami Florida
Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net> wrote:
John Thompson wrote:
> John Betmanis wrote:
>
>> I never found that a single twist in the strap made much difference.
>> This is how I've been threading my straps for years (see link
>> below) and
>> find they never move. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get
>> leather
>> straps long enough anymore (you need 17" or 18"), but these nylon
>> straps
>> for MTB use work great.
>>
>> http://img520.imageshack.us/
>
> It probably wouldn't work with the laminated Alfredo Binda straps
> either. I can't even get a single twist on some of my pedals (i.e.
> SunTour Superbe).
I have twisted Binda Extras (they are the laminated ones) many times.
Incidentally, I don't believe it is a necessary thing to do to keep the strap from moving other than the fact that "that's how they did it" and that's the way I did it back in the 70s. A traditional thing but also a a matter of choice whether you want to do it or say the hell with it. I think it is fun to have an answer as to why the strap is twisted; like the person asking thinks you did it by mistake.
Chuck "hell yea" Schmidt
South Pasadena, Southern California