Some cyclists can’t imagine riding their bikes without pedal straps, while these accessories get in the way of other riders. However, if you are still undecided about them and wondering, “do pedal straps work?” Continue reading.
Pedal straps work by securing your feet to the bike pedals for the ultimate stroke efficiency. These accessories let you pull the pedals in upstroke and downstroke, translating to a more efficient, powerful, and controlled stroke. Moreover, they increase your overall speed.
You can decide to remove your bike’s pedal straps. However, consider leaving them attached, especially if you use your bicycle to commute or want to get to your destination faster.
Do Pedal Straps Work? (The Benefits)
Pedal straps are made to keep your feet on the pedals whether you are riding uphill, downhill, or on smooth or rough terrain. Fastening your feet with the straps offers the following benefits.
1. Foot Safety
Pedal straps secure your feet in place, preventing them from slipping off, thus keeping them safe throughout your journey. Additionally, you can easily catch the pedal and strap your feet back on if they slip if you are using pedal straps.
2. Pedaling Leverage
These accessories give you better pedal control and significantly improve your pedaling efficiency. This is possible because the straps provide an exceedingly secure foothold and center your football’s position over the bike pedals.
The leverage you get from the convenient positioning of your feet helps you move your legs more effortlessly and, in turn, engage your hamstrings. Your quadriceps will experience less strain if your hamstring muscles are engaged, allowing you to pedal more efficiently and faster.
4. Foot Comfort
Pedal straps are naturally comfortable and let you place your feet anywhere on the bicycle’s pedals when cycling.
5. Foot Grip
With these accessories, you don’t have to worry about losing your grip, especially when riding on challenging terrains where you can lose your stability easily. You will enjoy maximum grip, leading to better pedaling and a more enjoyable and efficient ride.
6. Allow You To Ride With Any Footwear
Pedal straps eliminate the need to wear cycling shoes whenever you go riding, as you can strap on any shoe type. However, make sure your shoes aren’t too wide to prevent the straps from coming loose.
How Do You Attach Pedal Straps?
It’s easy to attach pedal straps to your bike pedals, and it won’t take much of your time. However, before getting any work done, get yourself some high-quality pedal straps, such as Outgeek 1 Pair Bike Pedal Straps (View on Amazon).
These nylon, long-lasting, and lightweight straps are ideal for adult BMX, road bikes, mountain bikes, and fixed gear. They come in black, yellow, blue, and red.
With that sorted, here’s what you need to do to secure them on the pedals.
- Unpack them and identify the left and right pedal strap. Put the left strap on the left pedal and the right strap on the right pedal or far from each other to avoid confusing them.
- Open up the bike strap separating the logo/clasping piece from the strappy part.
- With the soft side up, feed the straps through the bike pedals from the frame out. Pinch and fold the straps’ ends, then push it through if it’s a tight squeeze. It needs to be soft-side up still once it comes out of the other side, so untwist them while inside the pedal if they get tangled.
- Slide the clasping piece through the metal bracket with the logo facing up, and don’t close it.
- Create your foot opening by bending the clasp bottom until it hits the pedal/strap at an angle of 90-degree at the pedal end. Land the clasp on the straps just past the pedals or just at the end of the pedal.
- Fold one strap up and also across the clasp to seal it down with Velcro, then do the same with the remaining strap.
- Close the clasp’s top portion, ensuring that you squeeze the Velcro tightly
- Repeat the process with the other pedal.
How Do You Use Bike Pedal Straps?
It’s vital to learn how to use pedal straps to avoid accidents and ride safely. Consequently, follow the steps below:
1. Secure Your Bike On A Stable Surface
Before getting on your bike, place it on a stable area like a cement floor or sidewalk.
2. Strap Your Feet
Slide one of your feet into the bike pedal under the pedal strap. Grab and pull the strap’s end piece upward to fasten it around your footwear.
Make sure it’s tight enough but leave room to slide the foot backward. Repeat the process with the other foot.
3. Set Your Bike In A Doorway
Doing so supports you while getting accustomed to the straps. Push one pedal up to the 6 o’clock position, and the other pedal will move to the 12 o’clock position.
Practice sliding your feet back and forth from the strap.
4. Ride In An Area With Minimal Traffic
Once you feel confident enough to ride your bike with pedal straps, move to an open place with little traffic to practice pedaling in a relatively safer, controlled environment. Practice moving your feet back then forward to flip around the pedals.
Begin your practice with one foot, then transition to the other.
Once you master it, you can embark on cycling with straps regularly.
How Do You Remove Bike Pedal Straps?
Some riders prefer to ride without straps because they make them feel constricted by the little room for leg movement. The removal method varies depending on whether the straps are bolted or threaded.
a) Removing Bolted Pedal Straps
- Flip over the bicycle pedals to reveal the bolts located under.
- Use a wrench or screwdriver to loosen the bolts.
- Pull out the straps.
b) Removing Threaded Pedal Straps
- Unbuckle the thread holding together the two ends of the straps.
- Pull the end of the buckle gently, then remove the straps from the bike pedals.
FAQs
1. What are Pedal Straps For?
Pedal straps are bike accessories designed to keep your feet in place and help you pedal more efficiently, leading to raised overall speed.
2. Are Pedal Straps Safe?
Pedal straps are safe if you know how to ride with them. However, they can be dangerous if your foot gets stuck in the bike pedal.
3. Are Pedal Straps Useful?
Pedal straps are useful accessories, particularly for riders looking to cycle to their intended destination within the shortest time. The straps help them pedal more efficiently by transferring their leg power to the bicycle’s pedals.
They also prevent your feet from slipping off the pedal, increasing your safety.
4. Are Bike Pedal Straps Worth It?
Pedal straps are worth having if you ride on challenging terrains, thus looking to prevent your feet from coming off the bike pedal. These accessories give you more pedaling leverage.
5. Do All Bike Pedals Have The Same Thread?
Bike pedals don’t have similar threads. While the majority have 9/16” x 20 TPI threads, others feature 14 x 1.125mm and ½ x 20” TPI threads.
6. Does Pedal Straps Really Help?
Pedal straps help keep your feet in their rightful place while cycling and give you more control over your bicycle. They allow you to pedal more efficiently, leading to higher speeds.
7. Are Pedal Straps Good?
Pedal straps are good and valuable if you can ride with them. They come in handy while tackling challenging terrains and when you want to cycle fast.
In Conclusion, Do Pedal Straps Work?
You can ride confidently with pedal straps, knowing your feet won’t slip off the pedals. Therefore, you can focus on controlling your bike and pedaling downhill or uphill more efficiently on paved and rugged grounds.
The choice to use straps or not is a matter of preference. Hence, it’s your prerogative to attach them to your bike pedals or ride without them.
Also Read:
