I don't know. I have both, and go back and forth between them without problems. The bulk of my riding is on my fixed gear bikes, which have clips and straps, and I use slotted cleats on them as well.

aerodynamic, Pedals with toe clips and cleated shoes are equal to a clipless system when it comes to efficiency. I feel the advantages of the clipless pedals are that there is no reaching down to tighten or loosen the strap and there's usually a bit of float (lateral movement) when engaged. Bottom line, either system is more efficient than a platform pedal if used as intended. I've no clue as to what extent, however.

I use clipless systems on all of my bikes. My touring and mountain bikes have double sided SPD pedals and I wear mountain bike style shoes that have the cleat recessed for easier walking.

Brad

No one is avoiding giving "empirical evidence", we just don't know of any that exists. Can you provide it?

Pedal and shoe should be as one. Pedal down and pull up. Any play like in a cage is lost engery. Basic 101 stuff.

Well, one of the comments above said motion of the rider's foot within the shoe is also lost energy and tight enough straps can prevent it. I think both "losses" are negligable and tight straps cause problems of their own.

Clipless or cage you'll still have that lost energy for shoe fit. Fact is you'll still have the other lost energy in a cage and not with clipless, right?

Yes, you're probably right but the losses are small and probably unavoidable with any pedal system. My point is clipless trumps clips and straps for many other reasons unrelated to pure efficiency.

OK So here's an opinion from outside BF.

https://www.bikejames.com/cardio-trai...s-pedal-myths/

If all that hoopla does not matter, to you, any more, then it Won't.

i picked up a set of Ergon Platform pedals this fall, used them thru out the winter.
and they do the job of moving the bike forward, just fine..

fietsbob, you really have to stop posting stuff like that .... otherwise I'll end up buying a pair of those Ergons too!

I kinda like platforms myself and for some reason the NS Bikes aerials and Sixteen64s I'm using on mtbs and hybrids don't seem to have any problems keeping up to my roadie friends' clipless pedals when we go out riding together.

The only "equipment change" that translates to 15% improvement in speed/reduction of effort is an aerodynamic position (in the drops compared to riding on the hoods). Other equipment changes appear to produce much smaller improvements but there's still value in the even small improvements, especially for racing.

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Clipless pedals are much, much easier to use that using toeclips the way they are supposed to be used.

This, actually, is not true.

I don't think this is true. I bet they are close. The clip-and-strap system also stretches. (If the old system was significantly better, racers would be using it.)

I suspect the primary seen benefits to being clipped-in (in any manner) is that it makes using a higher cadence easier.

People do pull up but they don't do it regularly.

Doubt this will even be heard above the noise, but here I go: I rode clipless for many years, and sort of got tired of them, and the hassles. Then I had a bad crash, at low speed, because I was clipped. After that I decided to give up clipless completely and just ride good touring platforms. And I found I enjoyed cycling even more without the hassle of clipless, and that any increase in efficiency that came from being clipped in was simply not noticeable to me.

Most of today's straps are made from nylon, and nylon does indeed stretch. Many also use friction buckles that allow the straps to gradually loosen over the miles. You have to constantly check the tightness, even if you're not periodically loosening the straps to pull out of the clips at a stop.

Let's face it--clips and straps are a major PITA compared to clipless. And your point about racers is right-on.

What is the hassle?

Let me understand this. You tried SPDs but felt they were too hard to get out of? If that's the case, try Crank Brothers Candy pedals. They are easier than SPD. SPDs are like cutting Italian bread with a sharp serrated knife, relatively easy. Getting out of CB pedals is like cutting butter that's been sitting out on a 90 degree day. Instaneous.

SPDs can be dialed down to basically zero release tension, to the point that tiny children could use them. I sometimes encounter these feather-release settings when I test-ride customers' bikes, and am frankly amazed they can stay clipped in at all... just rolling out of the parking lot, I pull the cleat up and out of the pedal with a casual effort.

CBs are neither easier or harder than SPDs (not at all the point) I live in MN and if I want to ride even most of the year I would need three pairs of $100 + shoes to ride clipless all the time. There is NO evidence that clipless is more efficient than platforms. If the stiffness of the interface between the foot and the pedal is so important why not barefoot on big platforms. Common sense can take you a long way in life if you listen to it. I lack said common sense and try ever new trick that comes out, including but not limited to clipless pedals, STI shifters, tubeless tires. None of them have made me faster or more efficient. Being thinner did. So long story short I am back to platform pedals, tubes in my tires and...hell no you cant have my STI's

If you break out the Sorrel boots to keep the toes you had in the fall,
thru to the spring ice break up.
then you have different needs than the ones to go on the Gym spinning bike..