Originally Posted by
acidfast7
In response to another thread where it was a side discussion, let's discuss the topic here.
I'm in the anti-clipless camp because I don't want extra crap to lug around. I usually commute in street/office clothes and don't want to have to worry about another set of shoes after I arrive at work. (I can't really fit them in my 20 L backpack, which is the largest size that is really usable for a multimodal commute with a subway, train or hovercraft).
I also commute in heavy traffic as shown on other posts and don't like my feet chained should the bike get hit/slip/fall on rained-soaked roads.
However, what is the big advantage to them? People say they're faster, is there any empirical data out there?
For the flat pedals to work well then there are three things you must do: 1) get the flat pedals with pins, 2) your shoes must not have deep knobs and 3) spend sometimes learning the proper techniques (your feet will never slip off). I use both and in my experiences, pedals choice doesn't really matter.