Product Review: Pedal Straps

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There are many pedal solutions out there on the market. Platform pedals, clips, clipless, and straps. There are plenty of good overviews of these various solutions so I will not go into detail.

The problem is that most were designed with racing, not transportation, in mind. The solution? Allow me to waste $100s on various pedal solutions so you don't have to.

My optimal pedal setup is a wide, flat BMX pedal and a nylon pedal strap with velcro.

Almost as efficient as clipless pedals, but you don't have to trade in your crocodile leather for plastic and nylon.

Almost as efficient as clipless pedals, but you don't have to trade in your crocodile leather for plastic and nylon.

Why are BMX pedals + straps the best choice for transportation bikers?

  1. They work regardless of what pair of shoes you're wearing. No need to carry an extra pair of shoes with you. No need to make compromises with your street shoes.
  2. Wide BMX pedals are just the durable and safe platform that a transportation biker is looking for. They're built for doing backflips and shit!
  3. No need to worry about scratching up your nice crocodile leather shoes. They look great. Let's keep 'em that way.
  4. They don't slip and they're easy to adjust. Standard toe clips tend to include straps that slip over time, reducing their effectiveness and wasting your time adjusting them.
  5. They don't interfere with your front wheel. Toe clips are designed to fit the largest possible foot they may encounter. This means your foot ends up too far forward on the pedal and often causes interference when turning at low speed.
  6. Easy entry and exit. No need to think about what way you have to twist your foot in case of an emergency exit. Just pull out.

Why attach my feet to my bike? You will be amazed at how much difference it makes to pull up with one leg while pushing down with the other. It makes hills feel easier and accelerating from a standstill faster.

Who should think about getting straps? If you've been a transportation biker for a while and you're comfortable on the roads. While straps are relatively easy to use, they are not appropriate for a beginner transportation biker. They still require more cognitive overhead than a simple platform pedal.