Originally Posted by
ArgoMan
I can't say why, but it feels like I'm getting more out of every stride with the clipless pedals. I "feel" faster. I'm sure some of you understand this. Maybe it's the shoes?
I got clipless pedals because my cadence was getting higher and it was difficult to keep my feet on the pedals when hitting bumps at high rpm, which at that time was only around 80 RPM with out foot retention of any kind. Now 80 RPM is a normal cadence and I sometimes get to 120 RPM when accelerating fast. Though I miss my younger days just after I got cleats when I could get higher still over 130 RPM and cruise for a while at 100 RPM.
So sure, if your cadence is improving and your feet confidently held on the pedal then you will be faster. And perhaps you naturally pull up with the other leg which also adds power to the crank that you can't do without foot retention of some sort.
Stiff soled cycling shoes are better for power transfer to the pedals. It use to be that SPD shoes weren't thought to be stiff enough, but I think today many are. I still use SPD on my road bikes and don't have any intention at the moment to go to anything else.