Mikarad

When the weather gets cold and wet this time of year I switch to flats, with Columbia type winter boots(slimmer fit)for both my 53km commute(return trip) or trail riding on my mtn bike. the boots have a stiff sole, are good for about -20C, and water proof. once you learn to pedal on flats you can go as fast as if you're using clip pedals. I use good mountain bike flats, so there's no slippage.

tourner

hi

noglider 

Use whatever you like. My wife learned toe clips but then found them annoying and doesn't use them any more. She tried clipless and fell and chipped her elbow on the first day and said never again. She rides flats only now.

I prefer SPD. I ride in heavy traffic and can clip in and out without looking, even using "commuter" pedals.

Every so often, I'll ride without SPD, and I habitually twist my foot off needlessly, but that's harmless.

rumrunn6

oh yeah & when I get into a tuck for a high speed decent I'll tip both toes down for a little more security

robertorolfo

I use older metal toe clips without any straps in them. They hold my feet pretty well when pushing a bit, but are super easy to get in and out of (lots of traffic lights).

I've never ridden clipless, and I imagine they are a little better, but I like the convenience of using regular sneakers/shoes, and even being able to ride on the underside of the pedals for a few strokes if needed.

surak

I have flats with pins on my new bike. At first I thought they were great because of the effortless hold they have on any of my normal shoes. But I've begun to suspect that they fall into the unhappy middle ground between clipped-in and flat: I have to find the right foot position every time I get on the pedals, and if I don't put my foot down just right, I have to repeatedly lift it up and hunt around until I land on where I want to be. With regular platforms I could just slide my foot around a bit, and with clipless my position would be dialed-in.

acidfast7

flats yo.

i ain't got time for clipless action.

some days i cycle to the hovercraft, take the hovercraft and jog into the uni.

this weekend, i'll cycle to work, catch the train to london, to subway, to train, to second bike to other house or the Biergarten.

ain't got no time/space for other shoes.

can't look like crap in Cambridge with bike shoes.

PaulRivers

Have you tried removing some of the pins? That's usually what's recommended if they are to grippy. Fewer pins, less grip, remove pins until you get the level of grip you want.

I had that problem with one set of pedals, but have several others where it's not an issue.

KD5NRH

https://www.amazon.com/Wellgo-Wam-D1.../dp/B06XCN38T1

There's no mistaking the mechanism is there when wearing softer-soled shoes, but it's not really an issue for a couple miles. Farther than that, I wear the bike shoes.

wipekitty

Flats with velcro straps for foot retention, at least for commuting. My commute is not that long and I like wearing fun shoes - flats with metal studs, platform boots, etc. The foot straps are easy to adjust for various sizes and don't scuff up my shoes.

If my commute were longer (say, 10 miles one way) I'd be inclined to go with clipless. I actually find that clipless is much easier to get in and out of - I just can't justify special shoes for short trips.

decisivemoment

Definitely cleated pedals. SPD-M and other recessed cleat standards are practical; SPD-SL and Look Keo a bit awkward off the bike; but cleated pedals with cycling shows in general far more comfortable and in my view safe than the alternatives. The type of pedal you can ride with a regular show but that goes over your foot strikes me as dangerous as they won't release as readily in a crash as, say, SPD-M does (and I speak from experience with the SPD-M releasing properly in a crash). Even the traditional flat if your foot slips at any point and shoots forward (into the front spokes, as also happened to me a long time ago, triggering an over-the-handlebars crash).

But there's something to be said for those flats on an errand bike or a shorter commute. Just show up and go. No debate over finding a pair of shoes that's useful both on and off the bike. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about the foot straps/toe cages though.

Outback Cayucan

Power Grips have served me well ~ five years road bike riding; thousands of miles after Tombay w/ Look kept me from riding about six weeks.

hermanchauw

Definitely flats. Mobility is king where you have many stops and gos and obstacles to steer clear off. Fast acceleration and decelleration and steering. Fast to put your feet down during e braking.

downwinded

Tioga D-Spyder, pinned both sides, with the plastic mini toe clips for me. Have that setup on 2 bikes. Can wear regular shoes and NEVER be unable to get your foot out in an instant. I can pull up, although I'm sure it's not to the degree needed for racing.

HerrKaLeun

Flats (Race Face chester or equal) don't let you feet slip. Even as a kid with just the rubber block pedals my feet never slipped.

For riding (commute or recreational) I just re-use either old normal shoes that are not good for walking anymore, or just wear what I wear at work. Much less hassle, much cheaper that way. I also don't wear bibs etc.... I'm a simpleton. Same policy for my hybrid and my fatbike.

Maybe SPD work a tiny bit better in a race... but is that the typical commute scenario?

carlos danger

in the winter I wear sievi gore tex leather boots. So flats it is. I just love how I can wear anything I want and just ride.

surak

I don't have the right size allen wrench to turn those pins. I'll just put up with the slight inconvenience for now. We shall see whether that inconvenience accumulates into action down the road.

PaulRivers

Fyi you can buy a very good multitool for around $20. I believe this is the same one I own.
https://www.amazon.com/Crank-Brother...dp/B000S6HZCC/

This slightly smaller and slightly cheaper one would probably work as well:
https://www.amazon.com/Crank-Brother...dp/B000621XJO/

Your call of course.

Sullalto

Bucking the boots trend(I don't like boots) and going clipless for winter. First time with clipless.

I don't like wearing boots and I'm tired of my feet slipping when it rains*. If I'm buying nice pedals anyway, I'll just go clipless. I also want shoe covers for the rain, which rules out

*I live in a temperate rainforest. Last fall/winter/spring got 140" inches of rain. When I say wet and rain, I'm not ****ing around.

winston63 

For really cold weather I have some SPD boots. For the torrential downpours we sometimes get I've been trying out some Shower's Pass waterproof socks under my normal riding shoes, and so far I have to say that I like them and they seem to work as advertised.

takenreasy

I went from clipless to platform long ago because I got tired of being a bike nerd.

RubeRad

+1

There are some cyclists who get benefit from (aka 'need') clipless. Most others that have clipless do it because they think they are supposed to.

Steely Dan

there's also a third group: people who ride clipless simply because they like it.

i certainly don't need to be locked on to my pedals for my short little 5 mile runs to and from the office everyday, but i greatly prefer to have my foot attached to the pedal if i have the option to.

#bikenerdpride

OBoile

Count me as a member of that third group.
I ride in SPD commuter shoes https://www.amazon.ca/Pearl-Izumi-X-...+cycling+shoes

My work is casual, so I can wear these shoes all day at my desk.

and use the shimano 530 pedals https://www.amazon.ca/SPD-Touring-Pe...spd+pedals+530

These work very well for my roughly 10k commute. The first 8k or so is on a MUP with no interruptions, so I'm clipped in. The last 2k is in traffic with lots of lights and stop signs, so I un-clip one foot for that section. Keeping the other clipped in makes it easy to pull my pedal up to a good starting position.

winston63 

Yeah, that's me. I simply much prefer being clipped in, not a matter of need. In fact, my commute is shorter than yours but the distance of my ride has no bearing on my preference for clipless.