[CR]Unusual Early Clipless Cyclebinding Pedals

(Example: Events:Cirque du Cyclisme:2004)

From: "Paul C" <neves77@sbcglobal.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 12:05:29 -0500
Subject: [CR]Unusual Early Clipless Cyclebinding Pedals

I recently aquired a set of these unusual pedals that came with a vintage 77 Centurion Pro Tour I bought. Pics of my unusal pedal aquistion here at link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10058089@N05/sets/72157605960564577/

Anyone know anything more about these type pedals in addition to the info I found on a brief search listed below? Anyone ever try them. To me they looks like something ready for a cycling museum but I might give them a go on eBay.

Safe Travels, Paul Cunningham Dallas,TX area

Some info I found on web below: on Cyclebinding Pedals ---------------------------------------------------- http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_cn-z.html Cyclebinding ® "The first successful clipless pedal system, introduced in 1984. Unlike other systems, the Cyclebinding system used a recessed shoe into which the pedal's mechanism fitted. Cyclebinding was also the first "walkable" clipless pedal system. It was very well received by consumers, but delays in production of the special shoes required caused the company to fail. This left the market open to domination by Look, and later Shimano's SPD system. "

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http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080617/ NEWS/80617015

"Rick Howell spent eight years with Geze, a German ski binding company. Then a chance incident at a traffic light when a biker tipped over because he couldn't get his foot out of the pedal's toe basket gave Howell the inspiration for a kind of clipless pedal.

Howell left Geze in 1986 to develop CycleBinding, which he claims was the first hands-free clipless bike pedal. Clipless pedals now dominate cycling. Howell's business flopped, however, when the manufacturer he picked failed to deliver.

"It was a great idea for its time," said Mark Snelling, president of The Shelburne Corp., which acquired Howell's struggling company, but couldn't revive it. "Had it gotten into the marketplace and been delivered," Snelling said, Howell's design could have been successful. "But the world moves on pretty fast.""