Originally Posted by
FrenchFit
"you are wasting your time". That is simply an amazing conclusion applied to a rider's choice of footwear. I guess that's racer's mindset as you say, and in that context where every little thing counts I guess that's the right conclusion. Well, I appreciate your opinion has moderated since ..since I'm a rider who went from clipless to straps on all my bikes. Hate to think I wasted hundreds of hours just biking, when I could have been...Cycling?
The racer's POV is that racing is everything and that anything not race-related - or at least borrowed from racing - indicates that you are not "serious".
Today, it seems to me that almost all "serious" cyclists are of that same mindset, even if they are never going to get anywhere near a race. So I see lots of advice along the lines of "you have to have clipless or you are a fred" even directed toward people like the OP, who appears to be getting along just fine with what he's got. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all to learn that the OP's question stems at least partially from the advice of other SoCal cyclists, who would not be seen on anything less than the latest 15 pound carbon bikes, even for a quick trip to the market.
So that's the thinking behind my post: despite what folks may see and hear from the "serious" cyclist, there are all sorts of perfectly workable solutions, up to and including platform pedals and sneakers, if that suits him.