in my opinion, clipless pedals don't save me much, if any, time on my commutes, they just make me feel safer and more in control of my bike. having a physical, locked-in connection to the bike makes it feel like the bike is just an extension of myself, rather than a vehicle i'm riding on. it allows me to become "one" with the bike. it's a transcendental thing.

that said, i do ride with combo SPD/platform pedals so that if i want to hop on one of my bikes without needing to put my bike shoes on, i can. i also like to clip out and ride the platforms when i'm riding across the large sheets of ice that form in winter along chicago's lakefront path. combo pedals give me maximum flexibility, and i like that.