Review: YNOT straps
Ahh the YNOT straps. What can I say, I really like these and can't imagine how I'd be riding right now if these never came around.Since the first set of YNOT's I've been on, there has been many revisions to get to what they have right now. What I love about YNOT is that the guys are ALWAYS looking for ways to improve the design and/or durability. It may seem like a rip off to feel like you're on the older/inferior model, but don't sweat it. Just because they found a way to make them last longer for us, doesn't mean that the previous versions will just disintegrate. I believe the previous two models were reinforced, and even before those models, Tony used some heavy duty material to last as long as possible without any reinforcement. What I'm trying to say is, the previous versions were super solid as well.
There are two pieces: top and bottom. Top piece folds halfway through, and sandwiches itself around the bottom piece. It velcros on the top AND the bottom, so it's really secure. I never have problems with my straps slipping even after months of riding through harsh weather. This sandwiching effect really keeps the straps secure. Without this design, having just one contact patch of velcro, is pretty sketchy in my personal opinion. When you're skidding through traffic, last thing you want failing on you is your foot retention system.
You can see here that the strap gets velcro'd on both the top and the bottom, meaning twice as much security than certain other straps ;)
Another great thing about these straps is that, even though they don't come pre-slanted, you can adjust the amount of slant you want by inserting the two pieces of the bottom piece as much as you want. Putting the front one further in and the back one less, you can let it get formed to your shoe shape and have it be super comfortable :)
Okay, so the current version as of right now, is pretty beefy. The bottom layer is what gets torn from pedal strikes, falling and sliding on straps. The bottom piece of the YNOT straps are composed of THREE layers of the already beefy material. My first ever pair with a single layer even lasted way long, and my buddy is STILL running them on his bike. That's over 8 months of abuse. The current straps? have three layers. I already took a nasty spill down a bank and I don't even have to worry about my straps. Seriously, these are some heavy duty straps.
Basically, I recommend these straps to everyone: trick dudes, commuters, messengers. I honestly believe that these straps are superior to other straps on the market right now. I was doubtful until I actually got to see the other designs in person just a few months ago, but since then I've come to a conclusion that these are the straps to roll with. I'm not saying that these will be the best straps EVER and this is where it stops and blah blah blah. Who knows, someone could come up with a brilliant idea tomorrow and blow our minds away. But for the time being, my honest and unbiased opinion is that the YNOT straps rule.
You can find more information and/or purchase them over at YNOT Pedal Straps page.
Keep up with news from YNOT regarding products/events/etc over at their blog!
Props to the YNOT boys for always finding ways to improve the straps and provide the scene with something that's as tough as the frames these days ;)
Oh, and Tom made me those custom straps to match the bike colour scheme ;) cool eh?
the straps are great, i have stuck with the same bottoms for quite some time and when i want a change the only part i switch up is the top. love it.
ReplyDeleteThose straps look like my Reloads except your's are much beefier.
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