Originally Posted by
PaulRivers
I currently own mountain bike shoes (clipless). I walked a mile home this summer due to a flat (long story, my dad wanted to fix the flat at home rather than where we were for some reason) in mountain bike shoes, and it was uncomfortable. Doeable, but uncomfortable. There's no way I'd walk any significant distance in them. I've gone grocery shopping in them - they worked ok, a little slippery. And I've used softer soled clipless - they gave me more knee pain as the cleat squirmed around (that part may not happen to everyone), and they're not as useful as clipless with a stiff sole for power transfer either. They also have a fashion problem sometimes, depending on what else you're wearing.
I can't be sure since I don't live in Europe, but it seems like wearing clipless being a fashion item (which seems to be most of the people going for pro-clipless for a 4 mile commute in this thread) is a fairly american thing. Whenever I see videos of people commuting in Europe, in the countries where bike commuting is a regular source of transportation rather than a niche racer-oriented thing like it is here, I don't think I ever see people wearing clipless (people who aren't racing).
There's a reason - because clipless for speed isn't useful at all for short distances. It's debated whether it actually improves your speed on long distances for racers even. (Not weighing in that it does or it doesn't.) It certainly isn't going to improve your speed if the max distance you ever ride is 4 miles. I guess you could debate whether you prefer the "connected to the pedal" feel of clipless, but I just can't imagine it being worth the hassle if the longest you ever ride is 4 miles. It doesn't seem like in countries where bike commuting is common, that people there are claiming clipless is at all necessary if you're not racing.
Originally Posted by
joeyduck
I have walked all day in my clipless mountain bike shoes and never experienced pain nor discomfort. I regularly shop in them, spend the first hour of work in them, spend the day at the aquarium or science center on the weekend. I guess this is another example of different strokes for different folks.
I do agree the shorter the distance of my commute the less likely I would be to switch to clipless if I had not previously. But my commutes have never been less than 11 km (~7 miles) and that short is once a week if I am lucky. I used to ride 50 km round trip and now average 35 km round trips everyday.
To run out to store in the evening it is easier to put on my clipless than tie my sneakers.
But I have gotten used to them and I would find it hard to switch away.
I, too, have walked all day in my clipless mountain bike shoes. When I've had to, it's not a choice but because I couldn't ride the terrain. Most recently, I walked 8 miles of a 3 day 60 mile trip because I didn't have gears low enough to ride. That includes 3 miles of downhill. It's doable and no more or less comfortable than a hiking boot.
Let's nip this "clipless is fashionable" stuff in the bud. I don't wear clipless shoes...or lycra or any other bicycle clothing...because of "fashion". I don't know anyone else that does so either. I don't wear them because I'm "racing" either. Most people who ride clipless aren't racing either. We wear them because they are functional. You can say that they don't give any boost when you pull up on the pedals but I can feel that boost when I get out of the saddle to beat a light or when I take off from a light or when I climb a hill on the way to (or from) work. Hopping a curb or lifting the bike over a pothole is much easier with clipless as well. And when I'm dropping down a hill at 30 mph, I feel much safer and more in control with my feet clipped to the pedals then without them.
Are then needed for a 4 mile commute? Depends on the commute. Not all 4 miles are the same. It's 4 miles from my house to downtown Denver and there is a 300 foot drop from my house to the Platte River. Most of that 300 feet happens in 1.5 miles and it's fairly easy to do 30 mph on all of it. I feel far more comfortable with my feet attached to the pedals at 30 mph than I would without. Bad things happen at that speed if you happen to slip off the pedal. It's also easier, by the way, to climb back up that 300 foot drop with clipless.
I have another drop from my house (everywhere is downhill from where I live) that is only 149 feet but it happens over 0.6 mile. It's a 40 mph downhill...nearly 50 if you can pedal fast enough. But you probably can't pedal that fast without some kind of foot retention.
Finally, I fully agree with joeyduck. It's easier to slip on a pair of clipless bicycle shoes than put on regular shoes.