I don't know, maybe it's "newb ignorance" on my part but I believe I definitely found a whole new world open up when I first clipped in to my mtn bike last year. I believe I can enlist different muscle groups, even resting some while employing others by being clipped in. I feel benefits by pulling back, pulling up, toe down, heel down, etc, in addition to the standard down stroke, gaining torque and acceleration above and beyond the basic down stroke. This has proven to be the case with me as well while road biking. No way will I ever be convinced that simply downstroking on platforms is just as efficient as varying peddling styles or applying force in differing directions, or at least, my experience to this point with clipless has me convinced at this point. I realize this doesn't apply to everyone and some simply like the platforms and that's fine. I will say, the transition from platforms to clipless on my mtn bike ended in some blood letting while transitioning. I've yet to fall over on the road bike by not getting unclipped. I'm sure this too will come to pass.

But my real point of this is, everything and anything can simply be over complicated or we can over think things. Personally, I have a goal of hopefully building a peddling style that is efficient and works for me, which will help me ride that first century in a month or two. But I don't want to overthink it, I just go out there and ride to have fun.

And I admit, I don't know what a power meter is either.