BigPete74

Is it possible to ride on clipless pedals without the shoes? The shoes would be used when actually riding but lets say I wanted to go for a quick ride with the wife and kids or something along those lines is it cool to jump on the bike with regular sneakers?

zhefei

yep, I do. Well, no wife and kids, but you get it.

nvr

Depends on the pedal. I've taken rides to DQ with just sandals on with the SPD-SL's. Can't ride the eggbeaters without clipping in though.

rajarajan

Completely agree with that. Have SPD-SL's and use them with tennis shoes every evening when going out with the kids.

johnknappcc

Regular 2-sided SPD pedals have a plastic platform you can clip on to one side. The platform clips into the pedal like a cleat would, and so can be removed easily. Other SPD pedals have a platform on one side and clip on the other. I've tried my SPD-SL's and I can only do that comfortably with sandals (because I can feel where I am on the pedal a little better).

noglider 

There are pedals with a platform on one side and the SPD mechanism on the other side. Very nice.

Also, there are SPD sandals. I'm wearing a pair this summer, 7 days a week, on and off the bike. I love them.

AEO

totally depends on the pedal.

if the pedal offers any sort of flat surface, you can do it.
crank brothers egg beaters are possible, but quite possibly the lousiest in this regard. However, the models with plastic platform outriggers like candy and mallets do offer enough platform.

mzeffex 

I ride on SPDs without bike shoes all the time. I bike to work but don't wear the shoes to work. It's fine, but wears away your sole a little, or you'll feel it through if you have thin soles. I like riding without shoes on my LOOKs better though. Much more comfy.

johnknappcc

I saw those and they look very cool (I love sandals, I used to wear them year round), are they stiff? because I got hotspots on SPD's if I don't have the sole stiffness.

noglider 

They're stiff enough. They're not as snug as cycling shoes, which means they lose a little bit of power, but it's a very, very small problem. And they're much better than sneakers!

I should tell you where I'm coming from, though. I dislike riding a bike without some sort of foot retention. So my bikes have either SPD or PowerGrips or old fashioned toe clips.

Garthr

It also depends on the size of your feet. I wear a 15 . . there's no way I could ride any clipless pedal without the shoes! . . . I've tried it with Looks and classic Time pedals. . .I'm pedaling with the ball of the foot.

I was addicted to retention systems too . . . but after an extended period of not being able to ride . . . I found a pair of Wellgo MG-1 platform pedals with super grippy "spikes". They're not really spikes, but small allen head screws that grip very well. I use them with flat bottomed sneakers . . . and my feet are really loving it compared to Sidi's. I thought I'd lose a bunch of power . . . but I can't say I notice it, even on the 8-15% grade hills we have. Since I ride alone anyways . . . I can't say I'm worried about time though

It depends on the rider though . . . I'm a smooth pedaler. . . if you're not . . .I can see where it would suck.

johnknappcc

Well, I don't think I'll be switching from my SPD-SL's back to my SPD's anytime soon, but it is good to know. I like the large no-float cleat of the SPD-SL's too much.

roadfix

Best thing to do is experiment.

HillRider

I can tell you from unpleasant experience that Speedplay frogs don't work without the proper cleats. Shimano MTB-type SPDs work, sort of.

A few weeks ago I fitted a pair of quill pedals with toe clips and straps to one bike just to ride a mile or so on an errand and wanted to have regular shoes. What a surprise. Even with clips and straps, I pulled my foot out at least a half-dozen times and had to be very careful how I pedaled the rest of the trip. I guess I've gotten so used to being able to pull up and back I didn't realize how ingrained it has become.

M_S

Yeah.

Hard in the rain and on hills though.

I ride eggbeaters bare all the time, but not for very long distances, and my neighborhood is flat.

DieselDan

Don't worry about breaking the pedal. It holds your weight regardless of shoe.

BigPete74

Yep I totally agree with this. I just don't want to spend money to experiment =P

Profoxcg

I just rode on my "look" pedal with some puma sneaker and it was fine.

( I also fell, tipped over bc i lost balance towards the side I didnt unclip... ) ouch

woodway

Crank Brother Mallet's. Eggbeater style clip, full platform.

https://www.crankbrothers.com/mallet1.php

Probably overkill for what you want to do, but there you go.

JohnDThompson 

Yes, but for anything more than very short rides it will be far from ideal. But there's this: https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...+Adapters.aspx

DaJMasta

I use mallet Cs and ride mostly sans-cleat. I needed to use the higher traction plates to get a good grip with my shoes over the eggbeater in the middle, but it's worked well.

HillRider

I have a set of these and found them very poor. The stack height of the adapter plus the pedals guarantees they drag firmly on the ground when flipped over with the clip side down.

Also, they unbalance the SPD pedals so much that they hang completely upside down, not nearly vertically like quill pedals. Flipping them over to get your second foot into the clip is extremely difficult and there is no tab on them to assist getting the clip and strap on top.

Every stop was a hassle. I used them once and won't do it again.