These studies, which I have no reason to doubt and I am certain that the people involved are a whole lot smarter than I am, all seem to be focused on whether a highly trained cyclist is pulling up on their pedals. I agree that when I am spinning a high cadence, or sprinting, or sitting in at a moderate pace in a group or pace line that I never pull up on the pedal. However, I am not a highly skilled or highly trained cyclist. I do not have $300 fitted carbon soled shoes. Sometimes my feet and legs start to hurt a little bit. In those cases, I like to pull up on my pedal on the rear upstroke. It tends to help loosen up my legs and gives my toes and foot arch a little breathing room. I have no doubt that if Pruitt put his force-measuring gear on me at those times that it would register power being applied to the upstroke.

I agree that trying to get power on an upstroke is not the reason to switch to clipless. But they do have other benefits and that's why pro-level riders and many, many recreational riders made the switch years ago. Because for many types of riding clipless are a better solution. That said, I think a lot of people find clips or straps to be a better solution and that's completely understandable.

But, if a rider who is currently using plain platforms want to go to clipless I think -- from my own experience -- that clips or straps are completely unnecessary intermediate step.