Originally Posted by
joeyduck
I ride with SPD mountain bike shoes so I can walk around and do whatever. I do not mind walking in the stiff soles; I am used to them from my mountaineering/hiking boots and motorcycle boots.
There will likely not be a performance advantage; that is still debated in general. I recall having hamstring cramps and soreness when I started clipless. That tells me there is more effort on the pull than before clipless. I have stuck with clipless since I like the feeling of not having to think about foot position, keeping my foot on the pedals, can help with bike handling and I find it comfortable and practical for my riding.
I like being able to walk with ease when I get to the store or on breaks during the ride. And, you're right, they aren't any worse than hiking boots. I've got SPD road pedals on the roadie too, along with those Shimano SPD road shoes. They aren't but an ounce, or so, heavier than all but the high end three screw road pedals.
A like my SPD/Platforms. There is absolutely no problems at stops and certainly no safety issues. I rode the platform side the other day and paid close attention to the difference. To maintain my usual cadence I was always at least one gear lower on the same sections of road than when clipped in.
OP--The Wellgo pedals aren't as smooth as the Shimano and I've found that they don't smooth out with use. Not a real big deal though. I never really could feel it riding along. Those pedals are $31 with shipping. That particular seller (abaxo) is slow to ship, other than that I haven't had any problems with them. I'd look at one of the several
Nashbar branded pedals, they have several different models before I bought those. I've bought several pair of used Shimano SPD's for less off of eBarf for less that were, and still are in great shape---they just didn't come with cleats.