Toe strap buttons

what are toe strap buttons actually for? presumably just to give something to grab onto? anyone here use them? do you have to make a hole in the end of the strap to allow the screw to pass through? please humour my current pedal fetish...

I too have always wondered that.

I think they stop the strap from coming out of the clip when you loosen them in order to dismount. Great if you have a freewheel and can pause pedalling at the beginnings / ends of rides to tighten / loosen them. I think with a fixed-wheel-fixie-slavebike its hard to adjust them once you're in, so I don't really see much point. Unless the clip isn't really keeping them where you want them and getting looser as you move around.

One of the sometime-roadie people here will surely tell us.

2p

They make it easier to grab the strap, especially in the wet. You just make an indent in the strap with a bradawl or similar for the screw to go in.
I used to use them BITD, but I'm all about clipless pedals these days. IMO they've been superseded now, but they do have a retro appeal I guess.

Well? Anyone know the reason? Whenever I used toe straps I didn't tighten them on the bike. I just had them at a tightness that worked for cycling and getting in and out. I think that if you tighten them down when your riding it'd be a good idea to have the buttons but I'm not sure if that's their sole intended purpose. Leather doesn't fray or anything but i suppose they could stop nylon straps from fraying.

bumping this as i'm on the look out for some toe strap buttons.
can't find them anywhere, ideally want some black cinelli or red.. but nothing on the bay.

anyone got any uk web links for any type of toe strap buttons please?

brixton cycles have toshi ones in all the colours they come in but they've gone up to £5 a pair! i think Teenslain on here had a red pair for sale a while. might be worth PMing him.

cheers bud.

think i might ride up to brixton cycles.
would have preferred to order it from the comfort of home but no big deal.

Planet x sell quite a few
http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Clips_and_Straps.html

what are toe strap buttons actually for? presumably just to give something to grab onto? anyone here use them? do you have to make a hole in the end of the strap to allow the screw to pass through? please humour my current pedal fetish...

I use them - means I can get my feet nice and tight - important if you run without brakes

Anyone know if Brixton has Black ones??