Originally Posted by
ellenman
Thanks for the spirited debate gentlemen; So are clipless pedals worth it in the end? I mean are the benefits of safety and control really that great?
Absolutely.
Old style toe clips are way better than nothing, and clipless are way better than toe clips & straps.
Originally Posted by
bikerjp
There are times, especially when climbing, that if I wasn't attached to the pedal I'd probably fall. I can't be bothered to try focus on keeping my feet on a pedal. I'm just telling myself to keep moving. I can't imagine how much it would suck to ride platforms in these types of situations. Well, basically, I wouldn't be able to.
Yes, any sort of climbing will benefit greatly from "attached shoes".
If I were to putter around town casually on a bike for a few miles, then I can see riding in street shoes.
But doing 55 miles of hills yesterday would have been miserable and slower without clipless pedals. Being able to pull up while climbing makes a big difference.