I've been commuting for a while now and feel pretty comfortable with my skills and riding in traffic. I am looking to increase my speed and pedalling efficency and so, I am contemplating clipless pedals. I had the opportunity to try them out on a friend's bike, and was quite successful in crashing when I couldn't get my feet out of the damn things. Also, they were difficult to get clipped into when starting out. The upside is that I did notice an increase in speed and that my feet stayed in proper position on the pedals. So, my question is, are clipless pedals appropriate for an urban commuter who has to stop frequently, or are they better suited to long road trips? Any help and information on the subject would be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone happens to go to the general discussion forumn, and knows anything about Marin bikes, please see my post there. Thanks.

It just takes some practice to get the hang of clipless pedals. I use clipless pedals on all of my bikes, all the same brand so there are no compatibility issues. I think you should go ahead and make the switch.

I am able to keep a couple of pairs of regular shoes at work so at least I don't have to carry them on my commutes.

There are some good deals out there this time of year on shoes and pedals. Now is the time to buy.

Good Luck!

You gotta get 'em. They provide you stability in addition to speed. Practice with them (over soft grass!!) and in no time you'll be an expert.

Agree with the above posts, and keep in mind that your friends pedals may not have been adjusted for the easiest clip in or out pressure.

Try a pair of Shimano SPD's or a similar MTB pedal. These are designed for quick releases during emergency stops, and are easy to walk in. LOOK pedals are not that great in traffic and are cumbersome and slippery to walk in. Good luck.

CHEERS.

Mark

Im going to vote "not neccessarily" here.
Most of my riding is fairly short range around town, with frequent stops. The efficiency of clipless pedals will make hardly any difference to my speed.
For safety and security I use toeclips (in commuter mode, with the straps fairly lose). I find that they hold my feet in the correct position, allow me to hop curbs and potholes and stand safely on the pedals, but never hinder me from a quick dismount. Even when I am in the process of sliding on ice, I can can remove my feet instantly. They can be used with leisure cycling shoes, so the stiffness of shoes is not the big deal people make out, but I can also use them with any other shoes, including ones suitable for restaurants and pubs.
There is definately something to be said for improving on plain platform pedals, but the leap to clipless is not always the right one.
For those with longer commutes and simple A to B journeys, clipless may be a better solution, but not for me.

I switched to clipless a few months ago when I bought my new bike. I don't think I'll ever go back. If you're looking for improved speed, as you mention, then clipless pedals are the way to go. You will fall over at least once as you are learning, but you can set the tension so that it's no more difficult to unclip than to take your foot off the pedal; you just need to move your foot differently.

As for stop-and-go riding, you can definitely do it. I became most familiar with my clipless pedals by riding in stop-and-go traffic. Ride for 30 seconds, unclip, wait, clip in, ride again, etc. It becomes an automatic motion.

If you want to have all the benefits of clipless pedals and also the benefits of flat pedals, you can get pedals that can be used either way, or you can buy "tennis shoe adapters" (e.g. Nashbar Tennis Shoe Adapter ) . I've never tried them, but they seem like a good compromise.

Tim

well, it depends...

for commuting, the main disadvantage is that you have to change shoes - or else do whatever it is in cycling shoes which for most people at work doesn't cut it... but much of the time you change shoes anyway if there is a threat of rain of mud and/or you have to wear nice shoes at work. If you already change shoes, then clipless for commuting will bring benefits w/ few drawbacks. learning clipless is generally not that hard -- usually the first day is difficult and then you get used to it and then some time in the first few weeks after you stop "concentrating" then you forget and fall once or twice while stopped or talking to someone or whatever... for the basic SPDs you can adjust then so they are really loose when you start.

i have 4 bikes total and for my main commuter that i use to ride to work (10km each way) i have clipless pedals. i also have an old bike with clips/cages that i sometimes use for really short trips for shopping or when i don't want to change shoes. a few years ago i had a 1 mile commute and then i rode w/o clipless b/c it would take longer to change shoes than to ride a mile, so it wasn't worht it. plus i have an extra set of flat pedals that i can change out on my main commuter but i only do maybe once a year for something special.

oh yeah, i forgot about this... yeah, i agree. i can get in/out of clipless faster than clips/cages/straps any day. i personally *hate* unclipping so i practice doing track-stands at lights or grab a pole, but this is unnecessary i just do it for *fun*

after a few weeks the twist motion to disengage is habitual and you won't have any problems. learning to quickly engage takes a little more time, but this too becomes a "no-brainer" with time -- 90% of the time i clip in with the first stroke...

for any distance more than a mile or so i definitely use either clipless or cages/clips/straps for the performance benefit (i am also so used to them i destroy my shins by accidentally "spinning" the pedals if i ride flat pedals)

Thanks so much for your help everybody. I think I'll go see the guys at the LBS and give them a try.

Yes, clipless pedals are appropriate for the urban commuter.
I live in Atlanta (LOTS of traffic ) and have Shimano M535 (SPD) two-sided mountain bike pedals on my commuter.

They work great in traffic when you might be "hurried" by the cars behind you since they are two-sided. Don't have to worry about them being upside-down like one-sided pedals (Look, Ritchey, etc.).
Clipping in and out is easy.

as was mentioned above (i think), SPD clipless are the hot set up. i commute every day in them and they are at least as easy to get into and out of than pedals with straps. moreover, you can still find mountain bike SPD shoes that are very comfortable to walk in, so there's no need to change into other shoes at work.

EGGBEATERS! Get the Crank Bros Egggbeaters!
They are the best! Easy in, easy out. 4-sided entry. clip in forward or backwards. The cleat is just like the spd and there is no adjustment on it- just put them on and ride!