Originally Posted by
RubeRad
But there are hordes of cyclists for whom the benefits are too marginal, and/or the cost too high, to justify clipless shoes/pedals (and spandex, and carbon, and...), but they have been conned by marketing (and peer pressure from similarly-conned people around here) into buying these unnecessary products; which is a waste of their money,
i'm not conned by marketing (or peer pressure or others on BF), i simply prefer being locked onto the pedals when i ride.
platform pedals are also good for riding with regular old shoes, which is why i've always ridden with combo pedals (i have a thing for versatility).
are people who have a difference in preference from you always "conned" by something in your eyes?
also, clipless pedals & shoes don't have to be unusually expensive. forte campus combo pedals can be picked up for 40 bucks (30 bucks when they're on sale). my oldest set of them is still going strong after 11 years of commuting! and my first set of recessed cleat SPD shoes cost me 80 bucks and lasted a decade (or $8/year). last year i bought a replacement pair for $100. hopefully i'll get another decade out of those ($8 - $10 per year on cycling shoes is not a back breaking expense for my budget).