Originally Posted by
gregf83
I use clipless on all my bikes because it's more comfortable and I can pull up on steep hills but it doesn't make you faster and it isn't any more efficient. This has been shown in numerous studies. If you're faster it's because you're fitter, not because you are using clipless pedals.
Clearly, it must depend on your technique! If you're only exerting any effort on half of the pedal stroke (pushing down), you're going to be less efficient than if you exert effort throughout the entire stroke. What I'm saying is, this is possible on both clipless AND platform pedals, if you know how. And, I suspect most new cyclists don't know about this.