Whether you believe it or not, today, February 14th, is Valentine's Day. I imagine many of you have been so nervous with anticipation since last night that you didn't get much sleep.
While Valentine's Day has become established in Japanese culture as a day for women to confess their love by giving chocolate to someone they have their eye on, it is actually also a day to express daily gratitude to those around you.
I think everyone has experienced things they took for granted turning out to be a little different. Sweet and delicious chocolate was once considered food for the gods and was more valuable than money. Before it became solid, it was a drink that included things like chili peppers.
The same goes for bicycles, right? There are ways other than clipless shoes to fix your feet to the pedals for more comfortable and efficient pedaling. And what's more, these are fantastic items that might show you a whole new way to enjoy cycling.
I've kept you waiting, but this is the secret weapon from RESISTANT that Shiga-kun introduced in yesterday's blog.
The biggest advantage of a pedal strap is that "you don't need clipless shoes to have your feet fixed to the pedals." Unlike clipless, because it's just a matter of sliding your shoe into the strap, it's also easy to remove your foot from the pedal.
If you've wanted to try clipless but are still afraid of being locked in... or you want to use the upstroke with your favorite pair of shoes! These are perfect for those who use flat pedals and trail running shoes for mountain rides—they are the perfect item that sits somewhere between a flat pedal and a clipless setup, scratching exactly where you itch.
With a full-black finish that tightens up the look of your feet without clashing with the identity of your bike. The subtle detail of putting only the logo mark on the back of the tag with the white-outlined letters is a masterstroke.
At first glance, they look rugged, but the fabric itself is supple and fits snugly against the instep of your foot where the pedal strap makes contact. I immediately replaced the pedal strap I'd been using for about five years, and I was surprised by the level of hold—it was like, "Are you serious?!"
The frame side uses metal hardware, and the outer side features triple-layered Velcro, making it sturdy enough to withstand strong tension. Moreover, one of the three layers of Velcro faces from front to back, acting as a stabilizer to prevent the strap from flipping up at the pinky toe area when you insert your foot.
The reason I replaced my strap this time was that the edges of my old one had started to tear. It's unavoidable since they scrape against the ground when you ride casually or do tricks, but if I could, I'd rather they didn't tear.
To make that wish come true, they've introduced this bumper flap. It makes contact with the ground first, reducing damage to the edges caused by friction.
If you only seek durability, the straps tend to get stiff, and if you only seek suppleness, they end up flopping around. RESISTANT has navigated this difficult balance by having messengers and trick riders test prototypes, refining them over and over to ensure both durability and flexibility. It's a great item that has also been lightened. It works for fixed gear bikes, of course, but it’s also great for freewheel bikes, especially for touring.
For those greedy folks who want an even tighter hold on their pedals, even with a pedal strap, check this out.
These are flat pedals from Mikashima Seisakusho, familiar for their ticklish-inspiring phrase, STILL IN JAPAN 100%.
With spike pins that won't damage your soles and a slightly concave center to keep your shoes from slipping, these are versatile pedals that can handle anything from city riding to touring and off-roading—and you can even attach pedal straps to them! You can install them as long as there is a gap on the side of the pedal to thread the strap through.
On my way home today, I'm going to install these new pedal straps and have a blast skidding! Of course, it also serves as a warm-up for *that* event... That's right! This Friday the 17th is the night orienteering event "CHILL!!"!
The theme for February is, of course, Valentine's Day. We begged PFM to prepare the ultimate prize: "Chill Chocolate"—not "Chi-ru" chocolate!
Whether you received chocolate today or didn't get any at all, come on out and compete for it!!
February CHILL!!
[Valentine Alley Cat]
Start: 21:00
Meeting point: Hikari no Hiroba
(The area with the broad stairs across from the Parco East building)
Entry fee: ¥500
Items to bring: Light, pen
(Just between us, I tried the prototype Chill Chocolate, and it was seriously delicious.)