Originally Posted by
AlTheKiller
I think clipless pedals are safer and more reliable, FOR CERTAIN RIDERS, and I feel that their "efficiency" benefit is negligible for MOST commuters.
For me, that locked in feeling is extremely reliable, I can trust my feet, my bike, and my handling skills (which aren't much). That, coupled with the stiff soled cycling shoes just keeps everything exactly where I need it, all the time. and in a panic "tip over" situation I unclip subconsciously. Even if I thought I might get that "tip over because I can't clip out" situation (which has only happened the first day I had clipless pedals, like ten years ago), I'd still rather have a slow/no speed tip over then bash my youknowwhats on the top tube because a stupid platform pedal flipped over when I shifted gears.
There's no absolutes in this, it's all personal preference. But I believe if you are a competent cyclist, have good balance and forethought, and just a week or two experience with the clipless, clipless is safer every time. It doesn't make them necessary, though. I just built up my beater bike with platforms and I've been loving riding it, and have hung up my nicer biked with clipless for awhile. But I definitely have those moments where I don't trust the platforms and I have to stop pedaling or reposition my foot and make sure I won't slip off before a certain maneuver. Something I never have to do with Clipless.
Toe cages are horrible, though. They keep your foot locked in kinda, but give no emergency exit procedure unless you keep them so loose that they don't do anything for your pedal stroke.
That i had to do a lot on my old cruiser, as it had full flat rectangle nylon pedals & my shoes would slowly migrate fore or aft on rough pavement, stop & reposition. The other big big thing is i liked to position my feet a certain way for what kind of pedaling motion i wanted to do. For example if i really just needed to mash up a hill, i moved them so my lower legs were doing very little work & no foot extension, saving those muscles for the top of the hill, and other times i'd move them another position to have the pivot placed in such a way that i could get maximum extension and cruise along. The new bike has platforms but they are definitely not the crap i had on the cruiser.
Originally Posted by
tjspiel
There is a definite terminology problem when it comes to clipless pedals.
I totally agree. I believe the original clip pedals were mainly utilized in racing especially velodrome & track (vs open road).
Originally Posted by
wolfchild
I have two bikes set up as fixed gear. One has toe clips and straps and the other one has pinned BMX pedals. Riding fixed gear with toe clips and straps is a lot safer, but I also don't have a problem riding fixed gear without foot retention as long as the gear ratio is low and I am not riding too fast... I have a lot of stops, I run errands and walk a lot so I hate cycling shoes and I hate any type of cycling specific kit. Platform pedals are easiest and most convenient to use for my style of riding.
I can totally understand fixed gear having some kind of attachment mechanism, as its just seems to make sense since you need maximum control and confidence at all times, especially in mixed traffic on roads.
Originally Posted by
Doppiadi
Using both clipless and platform pedal bikes I don't think they have much to do with safety and commuting. We could argue which is safer on a nasty MTB trail (I go with clipless), or which is more efficient (again clipless
) but on a commute? They are equal to me, at least once one has been cycling clipless for a while and use them naturally. I use platform pedals on my commuting and everyday bike usage because I don't have to cover long distances, and with clipless I'd be uncomfortable either using bike shoes for walking either carrying another pair of shoes. For a longer commute I'd consider clipless.
I personally don't have the money for bike specific shoes, and i am a size 14 wide (US), so sizing comfort & availability would probably be an issue. I can barely find regular shoes that fit properly, so i can't imagine having to shop (most likely sight unseen/no fitting) fr shoes i'd only want on my feet for the 20 minutes i'm riding. I'm also not prepared t carry 2 sets of shoes everywhere, plus in winter i'd have issues with keeping my feet warm as has been brought up in threads many times on this site. Cold feet are bad news, if your feet are cold, your whole body cools down much faster.
For me i giess its a mix of my own experience, practicality, cost, and simply sticking with what i know & what my reflexes are used to.
- Andy