Originally Posted by
grindr82
I recently purchased a cyclocross bike for commuting and leisure riding, it came with no pedals (weird). So, I am just wondering if anyone that is a daily commuter can tell me if there is a difference between clipless (my spelling can be atrocious hope its accurate) and platform pedals? I know there is an obvious difference in appearence and maybe power transfer, but would I benefit more from spending the $$$ on the clipless in the long run?
You've opened the floodgates on this one, my friend.....
In my opinion, clip-in pedals do slightly improve performance, but not enough to notice if you're just commuting. I tried SPDs for several months about a year ago, and my best estimate is that they improved my uphill speed by about 10%, and my level-ground and downhill speed not at all. At the end of the day, I concluded that they were not worth the inconvenience of wearing stupid shoes or having to clip in and out all the time at intersections. I now use wide, BMX-style platform pedals with studs, and find them to be as useful for foot retention as clipless, and a lot more convenient.
That said, a lot of people ride clip-in all the time, and can't imagine riding without them. I also think they are vastly better than old-fashioned toe clips. So maybe you should try them yourself and see if they work for you.