Clipless vs toeclips vs flat pedals for commuting
 

Which one do you use and why?

I currently use flats because I don't own any mountain SPD shoes and I don't necessarily want to have specific shoes for commuting and have to change she's when I get to work. The problem is that my pedals are too slippery when its raining or snowing

Clipless form me. I like that I can pull on the pedals as I start or going uphill.

Clipless, but road and MTB. I am in cycling attire when commuting. I change everything at work.

I love restrained feet while riding. No slippage and the ability to power around the pedal stroke. That, if I see a car coming and I have to hurry to get out of the way, I can. But I also have knee issues that mean the "float" of most clipless pedals are, for me, a no-no. So I ride either old fashioned toeclips with the equally old slotted cleats or LOOK compltible clipless with the no-float black cleats. I do most of my commuting on toe-clip bikes using cycling shoes a cobbler built the sole up around the cleat so I can walk almost normally and not damage floors or slip. (Love those shoes!)

Ben

clipless spd; my winter bike is clipless one side, flat the other. I am fortunate to be able to leave off-bike footwear at the office so I don't have to wear reflective velcro spd shoes (or sandals) all day.

I have a 3.5 mile commute to the train station and use flats with pins to help hold my feet on. I like clipless pedals otherwise, but I have a half mile walk once I get off the train and don't want to be walking that far in cleats, even with mountain bike shoes.

You might look into pedals with Power Grips. You can use regular shoes, but they offer a good amount of foot retention.

More often than not I'm riding my road bike to work. I meet a buddy before work and we do a training ride 3 days a week. My direct ride home is about 4 miles. If it's dry, I'll just wear my regular shoes and treat the SPD-SL pedals like platforms. If it's wet, I'll put my cycling shoes back on.

I also have CX bike I've built up as a commuting and rain training bike. That bike has M-540 mountain bike pedals with aftermarket snap-in platforms on one side. So that gives me options.

Five Ten Freerider Pro Mountain Bike Shoes
My feet dont leave the pedal when i upstroke. But I am new to all of these clipless comparisons.
https://www.rei.com/product/113263/f...ike-shoes-mens

OP how long is your commute?
Like others, I change outfits so why not change shoes too. In any case I wouldn't wear work shoes with toe clips anyway so changing into bike shoes or sneakers one way or another.

It is not long at all. I am moving to a new town and my new commute will be between 4 and 8 miles depending on how many open roads vs protected bike paths I want to use.

Some times, I like to wear my work clothes, with waterproof shoe covers, overpants, and jacket if the weather is bad.

Other times, I go to the gym before getting to work (I work at a university and I use the campus gym). Those days I already have to carry work shoes and gym shoes, and I don't want to have to add a third pair of shoes.

My commute is 4 miles each way. Flat pedals for me. Though they are cheap, I actually like these Avenir "Resin" (plastic) pedals, and have them on two bikes:

https://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Resin-.../dp/B002BW1DH4

Note that they come in two thread sizes. They are just knobbly enough to keep my feet from slipping off. I ride in my regular clothes and shoes, or boots during the winter. In addition to commuting, I use my bikes for other errands, so I like something where I can just hop on and ride.

I'm blessed with a body that doesn't sweat very much, so I don't need to worry about changing when I get to work. Now, I suppose that if I tried clipless, I'd like it, and change my mind. But for now I'm happy with my flat pedals.

I use spd's. I have bontrager mtb shoes that I walk just fine in and leave shoes at the job. I like the ability to pull up in the pedal stroke. Before the spd's i did swear by the toe clip pedals that came with the bike and sneakers. I much prefer spd set up to the original toe clips.

I'm on flats. Specifically Straitlines DeFactos. Why?
I can use regular shoes, like now in the winter when I'm on gore tex leather boots.

Super grippy.
very long service intervals, like 3000km or so before I need to fill more grease inside.
ultra fast servicing, takes 1 minute per pedal.
no ball bearings
no cup and cone bearings
no cartridge bearings
just bushings and grease.

flats, lambdas. i just dont need anything else. my feet never slip off.

On a short commute like that, it isn't worth dealing with another pair of shoes, and you are commuting, not racing, so . . . . .


If you like to take the bike you commute on, for longer rides, get dual sided pedals and then look at cleats for them.

I'm using old-fashioned toe clips. I don't feel right if my feet aren't restrained. For a while I used Eggbeaters but being able to use normal shoes put me back to toe clips.

Wasn't aware of the Power Grips. May have to give them a try; they look intriguing.

+1 toe clips. Flipping the pedal back to slide your foot in takes no more time than "clicking in" to clipless.

Also, in the winter, on the snow bike, I can rid the pedals upside down for even faster foot on/off action.

I will say that the plastic toe clips I use have scuffed, marred and torn some pairs of shoes, so I ride in firm soled skate-board shoes and keep a couple of pairs of "office shoes" at work.

combo SPD/flat pedals for me. best of both worlds.

i have forte campus combo pedals on my main commuter and my winter beast.

why do i love them? because i love options.

I like big, flat studded BMX pedals for errand running and bopping around town; gym, library, whatever. Good grip and support for causal riding.

My commute is 12 miles, each way, and my main commuter has SPDs on it. I have the ability to spin a lower gear, so i'm actually less tired before I get to work (and on the way home) Also helps when i'm sprinting to catch a light, or get through an intersection. There are also several stretches where I'm on and off the sidewalk, and the SPDs give me a better ability to hop curbs and 'english' the bike over and through the rough stuff. (Commuter is a 26" XC hardtail)

I have Pearl Izumi 'Fuel' shoes, which look like running shoes, and are only a little bit stiffer than the safety shoes I have to wear at work.

Flats on the ebike, spd on the road bike.

I’ve got a 16 mile commute, and I use SPDs. Well, Egg Beaters.
Makes it easier to keep My cadence up, which My knees very much approve of.
The immediate feature they offer that I like WRT commuting is how easy it is to get a pedal into starting position after having stopped at an intersection.

Because, at work , I stand all day on a concrete floor

my bike has platform pedals to wear the shoes for the work day, not the ride into the job.

sit at a computer console for your job? you can make a different choice .. bring shoes to leave there?

get spiky studded MTB pedals if your feet slip, with your warm boots.

I got street crampons for my shoes for black ice, when my studded tire bike gets used.










....

SPDs for me even though I've got a very short commute. I commute on any one of three bikes, but they've all got some form of SPD pedals.

I do often get in a longish lunch time or after work ride as well, and I'm just not interested in riding with platform pedals. I'm somewhat fortunate in that I've got a good sized, private office and I keep extra shoes and street clothes there.

I've never used anything other than flat pedals (currently have MKS Sylvan Touring pedals on both bikes), so I don't know what, if anything, I may be missing. I don't have problems with my "feet flying off the pedals" as some hardcore clipless advocates claim.

I would try clipless pedals if given a chance, but it seems the only way to try them is to buy them, and they're not cheap. I'd rather buy another decent rigid vintage MTB from craigslist for the same money (or less!) than a pair of clipless pedals and matching shoes.