IPMBA Product Review

Hold Fast or Die

Hold Fast or Die

by David Millican, PCI #1006
Denton (TX) Police Department

The 2011 IPMBA Conference in Richmond, Virginia, was a great success.   Each year the conference provides members with a vendor show, during which many new and inventive items are placed on display for the cycling law enforcement/EMS/security community.  This year was no different.  A new foot restraint system, called Hold Fast FRS (foot restraint system), was on display.  Hold Fast FRS is one of those simple little designs that make you wonder why it didn’t come out earlier.  The pedal restraint is a heavy duty Velcro® strap placed on a standard platform pedal.  The straps are available in many different colors and designs, including custom EMS and POLICE logos. 

Shortly after we returned from the conference, a pair of these new pedals appeared on our bike room work bench. They sat there for about a week before I decided to put them on my bike.  From the moment I started using them, I enjoyed using them.  I had to stop and adjust the strap tension a couple of times to get it just right, but once that was accomplished, it wasn’t really necessary to touch them again.  They secure my foot to the pedal much more securely than the clips with straps that I formerly used, and it is much easier for me to exit from them.  With toe clips, it always seemed that I had to strike a compromise between how secure I wanted the straps and how easily I wanted to be able to exit from the cages. 

With the new Hold Fast FRS design, neither is a concern.  Also, the BMX-style pedal provides for a larger contact area between the foot and the pedal.  As an added benefit, there are no screws or bolts to loosen from the cages and no small straps around the cages that tend to break during every IPMBA Police Cyclist course.  Finally, they are instantly adjustable to different types of foot wear, and there is no learning curve to getting out of them if you are already used to toe clips.  All and all, the Hold Fast pedal is a really nice alternative to straps and cages.   

I checked out several internet sites to see what others were saying about the product and found the reviews and comments to be very favorable.  Remarks such as, “Fashioned from thick nylon webbing, all metal hardware and heavy Velcro®, the Hold Fast FRS is meant for abuse” and  “I’ve been riding with Hold Fast FRS for about eight months now, and I can’t say better things about them.” were not uncommon. 

Hold Fast straps can be purchased directly from www.holdfastordie.com.  They have fifteen different colors and designs to choose from and offer custom versions of “Police” or “EMS” for a few dollars more.  Hold Fast FRS sell on the internet for $59.95 and a good pair of platform pedals will go for about $20.  These pedals are also available from www.4Bike-Police.com, where they are stocking limited quantities of the “Police” and “EMS” versions. 

David has been a patrol officer with the Denton Police Dept. for 12 years.  He has served as an FTO and has been on the bike team for the past eight years.  He has a master peace officers license, a TCLEOSE instructor certificate, and has completed the IPMBA Police Cyclist Course, Public Safety Cyclist II Course, Bicycle Maintenance Officers Course, Night Ops/Firearms and Tactics, and  MMR-IPMBA Core Skills & Scenarios Clinic.  He can be reached at david.millican@cityofdenton.com

© 2011 IPMBA.  This review appeared in the Fall 2011 issue of IPMBA News.

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