Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
The goal of increased "Efficiency" as used by most so-called bicycling experts is so over used and oversold as a be-all/end-all need for every cyclist, as to be almost without meaning. Almost as empty a cycling buzzword as "Effective."
I agree completely with this, especially as we are talking about commuting here. As commuters, do we really care whether we might be X.X% (the left X, no doubt, being a very small number) more efficient when we commute? Maybe we shave 90 seconds from a 30 minute commute. Big deal. It makes much more sense to talk about the "feel" of pedaling clipless or platform. With pins and soft or sticky soles the feel for me is very similar, as in both cases I feel locked onto the pedal. If, however, I'm going to be riding hard for hours I still preferred clipless, as I find the force of the pedal stroke is better distributed with the additional stiffness of the soles, resulting in feet that don't get sore.