I prefer clipless and use regular SPD's. It makes some difference, but not a huge amount. Doohickie is still a bit faster than I am. Heck, we often ride with a guy whose favorite bike is a Schwinn cruiser and he is one of the fastest guys in the group.
Originally Posted by
Doohickie
I ride toe clips, no straps. Yeah, sure, missing some power on the upstroke. I don't care. Most of my riding is urban with at least some traffic, so I like not thinking about unclipping.
On my city bike, I use dual pedals with a platform on one side and keep the left foot unclipped for stop and go riding. If I ride a bike with just platfrom pedals it doesn't feel right, I'm just used to feeling my feet connected to the bike.