Originally Posted by gtuck12_31
One question though. I don't have those cool guy shoes that lock onto the peddle. What are the advantages of those over the toe clips?
They keep your foot in position on the pedal and allow you to apply muscle power to all parts of the pedal stroke and not just the downstroke.
Granted, both of those capabilities are also provided by toeclips and toestraps, but really only when they've been snugged down, and most people aren't comfortable with really cinching down a toestrap because they feel trapped. With the "clipless" pedals where the shoe locks to the pedal, you can release them by rotating your heel outwards, like a ski binding releases under too much torque. People still feel trapped at first and you might fumble it and fall over when you've come to a stop and still aren't unlocked yet, but I bet you'll only do that once or twice.
Keep at it and those hills will mysteriously get easier
A 21-mile commute is a pretty good length and you would be justified in getting some clipless pedals and shoes, IMHO. I like the Shimano pedals myself.