Urban Velo

After a long absence from my stable of parts, traditional toe-clips and straps have seen more and more use over the past few years and not just from me. There is absolutely a resurgence afoot from both the urban and touring communities. For the past few weeks I’ve been giving the Pake Space Straps and Soma Oppy X Double Gate Clips a go.

Straps first, as the vibrant color tends to call attention and at least functionally straps leave the least room for personal preference. They either hold tight without stretching or not, last through the rain or turn to dust. Typically made of leather or nylon, the Pake Space Straps are made from woven nylon coated with urethane and are available in a number of colors, some gaudier than others. The relatively soft urethane material allows the teeth of the buckle to really dig in for a secure hold, much like leather with none of the slipping that nylon straps are plagued with. But unlike cheap leather, these straps don’t seem to stretch… Only time will tell if the teeth eventually force the urethane away from the nylon, or if there are any longterm effects of water. As it is, the only visible wear are some tiny tears along the edge from pulling the strap through the pedals and marks where the teeth dig in.

While the neon color of the straps draws attention, the ample polish of the double gate clips is nothing to sneeze at. Double gate? It refers to the two slots that the strap passes through on the clip. All personal preference on if you prefer a single gate, double (as seen) or even the quad gate versions of the Oppy X design as offered by Soma. Practically, this spreads out the strap and the pressure across the top of your foot rather than concentrating it on a single point. I like how it feels, combined with the secure hold of the Space Strap the double gates give a similar feel across the top of my foot as my doublers. It doesn’t hurt that the L/XL clips actually fit my feet - they are as deep as my MKS XL clips.

While I absolutely like the double gate design of these clips, I’m officially undecided on the concave shape on the inside of top ribs. The outside edge can dig into my toe just a bit. They don’t bother me unless I’m thinking about them, but I’ve also yet to do any more than 10 miles or so at a time. I’d also venture to say that I prefer the locking nut and allen head on the clip mounting hardware of the competing brands, but a dab of locktight solves that problem.

So far, so good. Color me impressed with the Space Straps, and I’d say the Oppy X clips are treating me just as well. Give it some time and some more rides and I’ll give a follow up review. Available for abut $22 each, the Space Straps are available in a multitude of changing colors, with the Oppy X clips coming in with a few powdercoat hues in addition to the polished versions shown here.

And yes, I know I’m missing a dustcap. I live on the edge.