Originally Posted by
wolfchild
Platform pedals are most practical and easiest to use for urban/city commuting. My foot has never slipped off the pedals... I also like to use toe clips with straps on my fixed gear bikes. Toe clips/straps give you the same performance as clipless, and you can wear whatever shoes you want. For everyday commuting which involves very frequent stops and dismounts clipless offers no advantages, my toe clips/straps are adjusted just tight enough to get benefits of foot retention but loose enough to pull my shoe out quickly.
I don't have any pedals with clips/straps, but I have one bike with pinned platforms, and another with dual SPD/platforms. When riding around town I often need to, or want to put down some serious watts, and clipless really helps with that.
And yes I have used my SPD shoes and pedals on a 4 mile ride. I ride to my parents house sometimes, 8 miles round trip, and sometimes I take my road bike. I prefer how my road bike feels and rides when clipped in, so I use my SPD shoes even though it's only a short ride.