Originally Posted by
Sixty Fiver
Develop a smooth pedaling stroke and you will be nearly as efficient on a platform as you are with clipless pedals... maintaining traction on the pedal is key here.
Absolutely not. If you have a horrible stroke with either clipless or clips & (snug) straps, you can be as inefficient as platforms. But you can not get any real pull up on platforms. The smidgeon of "pull" back at the bottom of the stroke even with good "traction" is a pale shadow of a real round-the-clock stroke.
Originally Posted by
electrik
So don't... all these cyclist/shop guys are going to pressure you into it for what? Are you in a race?
Just rock your platforms, and if you ever feel like it some other day try a clipless shoe.
True. Efficiency may not be the objective.
Originally Posted by
slcbob
We all like what we are comfortable with. That doesn't mean it is best. But it may require some discomfort to move over the absorption hump into the new / better (?) zone.
Sixty Fiver loves his clips and straps. For many folks, if the strap is tight enough to be doing a darn thing, it is harder to get out of than most clipless pedals. Not for him. But for many. And it took some getting used to, even for Sixty Fiver, at least at some point (way back). He is in a good spot for him now.
Everyone falls down once, or a few times, in making the transition to clipless. But the fact that most mountain bikers use clipless is proof that they are, in the net, better for efficiency and still allow you to put a foot down before you dab. The hybrid or platform pedals do have places here and there (DH, some trials), but mountain bikers (XC) have far more need for a quick release than commuters, and they overwhelmingly use clipless.
If you are unwilling to burn through the uncomfortable period of getting used to clipless, then platform pedals are your happy place (at least for now). But do NOT make the mistake of thinking they are inherently inferior or dangerous for commuting. They just take some getting used to before you get to that better place. It is a better place.
I should add that "better" presumes a few things.
a) That you have or will have a shoe that will take a cleat. If you want to ride without a bike-specific shoe, stay away from clipless (and probably clips, too). Don't overlook that there are many bike-specific shoes that will take clips and don't have you clogging away funnily off the bike, but there are plenty of folks who want to ride with their street shoes all or at least some of the time. The two-sided pedals were invented for the latter, not for those mid-transition to clipless.
b) That you care enough about pedaling efficiency that you are willing to invest in teaching an old dog a new trick.
BTW, I don't claim to have a great pull on the stroke and be super efficient, although I notice plenty of difference. I like clipless now for the pedaling "security" as much as the efficiency -- I know my feet are solidly in there, they aren't going anywhere, I'm not going to hit a pothole and bump off and get a pedal in the shin or a cog in the calf, I can bunny hop things better, etc. And after some getting used to, I can get out whenever I want to.
You need to be sure your cleats are attached correctly, particularly wrt the rotation angle to release. On those pedals that have an adjustable release angle or tension, be sure to ratchet it way down. No need to make getting out any harder on you as a newbie.