Some Retro things are better off left alone

Sure, we can all wax lyrical about the 1990 green/white/pink paint job or the coolness of a tube that's square - and who can blame us - we all love older bikes.

But some things are best left back there in the day I'm afraid.

I refer to the mt christof toeclips that nearly killed me this morning on the way to work.

Ok, it was mainly the bus that was at fault, but bloody hell - I forgot how lethal toeclips can be when it all goes North Korean.

Proper scary.

Survival of the fittest in nature and if she deems toeclips should die out to make way for clipless pedals as part of the evolutionary ladder - and who's to argue with her.

Strangely enough , I fell 2 weeks ago on my way back from work . I was slowing dwon at a junction on a wet and windy day , wehn the wind made me lose my balance , I unclipped my look pedals and my foot slipped on the wet tarmac . the van behind stopped in time , but that was close .

Bring back flat pedals I say.

Water bottles. Maybe for some go-juice and commuting but not for carrying water for a day, or even ease of drinking from. Camel-backs are so superior.

A good friend of mine is just getting in to biking and he refuses to get SPDs as he's afraid of being "attached" to the bike.

It's been 15 years since I've used straps and I do remember the odd occasion struggling to get my foot out when the straps were up really tight. I think if I used clips and straps now I'd really struggle to get my feet in them, let alone out again!

But then again sometimes those cleats just don't want to engage when there are four lorries around you in the centre of Brixton and that's pretty scary, too!

I did have real problems in the snow a few weeks ago when the clipless pedal mechanisms clogged and froze! But generally I find them way better.

I think in part it may be down to the fact I am riding in chunky rugged outdoor trail shoes and they are becoming 'one' with the beartraps under a tight strap, but doesn't get away from theat horrible fear factor I experienced this morning.

Just ask Hilts about SPD .

I've never known anyone fall off as much as Hilts!

I remember reading that the "average" person falls off 7 times when they start using spuds. I practised round the garden for a few hours and it still didn't help ... I gave up counting when I got to 10, so I guess this makes me above average!

Well, I remember my first crash with my good ol' Stumpjumper back in '93. I always used toe-clips and had just upgraded to SPD pedals for a few months.

Now back where I lived there was this way cool downhill trail in the forest, it was right next to a mine (or what is such an open thing called where they dig up minerals??). And I mean RIGHT next to it and you can easily go down there with approx 40mph... anyways, fact is also that sometimes the Dutch army uses that spot for "abseilen". And this time they were smart enough to tie a rope to a tree on the other side of the trail and have it go down into that mine on the other side of the trail (so the rope was across the road).

Well... and there I came downhill with 40mph Good thing the rope was at "head-tube" height and not at "head-height". I went on for about 3 meters but my Stumpie didn't And neither did the soles of my SPD shoes (really funny if you think about it, nit so funny when I was lying there in the bushes with about 5 of those army dudes around me).

Anyway, forgot what I wanted to say with this but when I read about SPD vs toe-clips here I had to think about this incident (the only one I ever had btw). I must say, since that day I really think steel MTB's are bomb-proof (and the Army got me those nice black/red Specialized Ground Control Team SPD shoes to make up for it) And all that my Stumpie has is that the purple "S" is faded away on the top tube.... pretty neat eh?

While we are on pedals...

I used onZa HO's for a couple of years (back when Shimano were busy killing people's knee cartlidge with their early spds with little no float, and I know some people love 'em (actually I don't think I do know that), but they were a bloody nightmare too. No clunk - never knew if you were in or out.

Looked good tho.

Hang on a minute !!!

Actually come to think of it, you're right