Originally Posted by WT21

Recently got a more serious bike for road riding for fitness. In my biking area, there are a number of turns across traffic, etc. This is not urban, but suburban.

My last bike had what I thought of as shoe cages. I guess they were technically toe clips, but I never tightened the strap. I could get my foot quite easily in and out, and the clip did a good job of putting the ball of my foot on the pedal.

This bike, I have clipless.

Right away, I can see the direct power connection, no doubt. But I've fallen a couple of times, and they make me far more shy in approaching any kind of traffic and turns. They require a lot more thought about my approach to an intersection, and make me a little nervous in tenuous situations.

I've tried to do research on this, but almost all comparisons are clipless vs. pedals with pins, or clipless vs. tightened down toe clips, but in my experience, you don't have to tighten the clips, and still get some benefit.

Has anyone else been happy going from clipless to either clips or pedals with pins? One thing I would miss for sure is the much stiffer sole. Are there such things as "biking shoes" with stiff soles, but that can be used with pins or toe clips?