Kirke and all,
I use XXL toeclips and straps on my around-town 1973-ish Peugeot mixte (UO-18), as I'm in and out of the pedals all the time. I extended the toeclip length with spacers so I can pedal in work boots or other longer-than-cycling-shoe footwear. The Peugeot may have SIS shifting, but she is mostly CR-legal otherwise.
For longer rides, I can no longer tolerate toe clips and straps like I once did. (I used all-leather shoes like Detto Pietros with hand- set nailed cleats for a long time, back when the "ballet slipper" fitting method was in vogue. I nearly ruined my feet that way.)
I have had chronic problems with my right knee (the leg was weakened by muscle mass lost following a 1970 climbing accident), and using LOOK clipless pedals (with the black, non-floating cleats) has helped my cycling by stabilizing the knee. In my pre-clipless days, cinching down on my toestraps so I could pull up effectively yielded numb feet and toes after about 40-50 miles. Switching to the LOOKs and using bigger shoes--with CF-stiffened soles, BTW--with room for thicker padded sox have both significantly improved this. Because the LOOKs substantially reduced the numbness in my feet and stabilize my knee, I have to stay with clipless for long rides, no matter what the "aesthetics" may look like. (I'd rather be able to ride longer distances than be a purist of any sort.)
FWIW, I have been using the same Shimano Look pedals for almost 20 years, which certainly makes them "antiques" by current technological and stylistic standards. (Do I get CR brownie points for having old- but-not-CR gear like that? :-)
Yours for being able to pedal long, no matter on what platform,
Jon Spangler Alameda, CA USA
On Feb 11, 2009, at 8:07 AM, <classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org>
wrote:
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:54:59 -0800
> From: Kirke Campbell <passionateyouththing@yahoo.com>
> Subject: [CR] Touring Shoes and Clipless
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Message-ID: <707007.62024.qm@web53303.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hey list! (sorry if this went through twice, I dont know if the
> email cleared the first time!)
>
> I was wondering if anyone knows of a company that still makes non-
> clipless cycling-specific shoes in the style of old Avocet touring
> shoes? Things like this show up on ebay occasionally, but they are
> rarely in my size and I dont really want to buy used shoes.
> If you have any tips please share!
>
> Also, I currently have clips and straps on all my bikes and
> (believe it or not) have never used a clipless system! Now,
> everyone likes to tell me that going clipless is the best way to
> improve your pedaling. I was wondering if anyone has decided to use
> clipless pedals on their otherwise "period correct," on-topic bikes
> for the sake of improving technique and efficiency?
>
> Kirke Campbell
> Houston, Tx USA
>
>
>
>
Jon Spangler
Writer/Editor
Linda Hudson Writing
510-864-0370/FAX 864-2144
MOBILE 510-846-5356
hudsonspangler@earthlink.net