Have gotten used to clipless over the last few years, starting at just the roadbike being clipless and having the offroad mtb and commuter mtb being platform, but have converted all to clipless -- this winter commuting with clipless as well as taking the offroader on some pretty grungy and trying places - and feeling comfortable (ok, maybe a mishap or too) - I'm all clipless. Have to feel totally comfortable though - especially when riding in heavy traffic with lots of lights, right only lanes (and you have to go straight), etc. Have to add though, I love my mtb shoes - Diadora (versus my roadbike) - they are soooooo comfortable - they make a tremendous difference in the ride for me - and the want to continue with the pedals I have.

Are there any hills or any places you always sprint during your commute? If you are seated throughout all or most of your ride then you may as well use platforms.

I use road shoes and road pedals and when I stand on the pedals, the bike accelerates. I like. If I didn't sprint so much, though, I would probably just stick to some stiff touring cycling shoes- without cleats installed- and use platform pedals.

Please define the correct spin technique. And define it correctly, without error.

+1! Add to this, that if you ride a folding bike, you have to use platforms because nobody makes folding SPD's or other clipless pedals. I believe there is a folding pedal that will take clips, but I'm not interested.
I wouldn't say I sprint, exactly, but I tend to go as fast as I can at any given moment. But I never stand up on the pedals. But I find when I lean forward into an aerodynamic position, bend my elbows and take all the weight off the bars, the bike accelerates. I like that too, but it's tiring! I sit the whole time, spin in lower gears than I ever thought possible back when I used clips, cleats, etc; and have no trouble keeping my feet on the pedals. Well, that's not quite true; I have a pair of Goretex shoes that I like to wear in the rain, but their soles tend to slip on the wet aluminum of the pedal. But I can deal with it.

By the way, since I last posted to this thread, I have changed my cranks to even shorter ones. In December or so I had switched from 170's to 152's; in February or so I changed to 140's. Took a couple days to get used to that; now I'm looking for short cranks for all my bikes. Short crank arms changes things, that's for sure. I already mentioned that it's easier to keep your feet on the pedals if the crank arms are short, so there is no need for clips &c. Also, since seat height tends to be determined by leg length when fully extended, then if you shorten your crank arm by an inch, you will want to move your seat up by an inch. This reduces the need ever to stand on the pedals and, again, reduces the need for clips &c.

+1
I feel detached from a bike without clips/straps nor can I ride as efficiently without them. My IronHorse fixie is the bike I ride 98% of the time or more and I wear Chucks for riding year round be it a short 2 mile errand or a 50 mile fun ride. I have my straps adjusted so that my feet slip in and out easily yet are still effective in allowing me to pull on the upstroke. I can climb easier and sprint quicker with clips because while I'm pushing with one foot, the other is pulling up... a more efficient way of pedaling.

I just bought a set of Crank Brothers Mallets. They have the crank brothers egg-beater style cleat engagement doohickey in them, but are also bearable to ride in regular tennis shoes, so I can ride the bike to places and still be able to walk around.

I'm not sure if I'm going to actually use them as platforms for riding to work, but I rode it to dinner yesterday, and it worked pretty well.

Edit: I did feel hugely down on power, though. Stretches of road that don't seem hard on my Cervelo with clipless seemed like a struggle on the other bike with platforms.

I ride clipless. I don't really see the point in clips or anything like that.

I also have nothing on my Koga VP-191s platform pedals, but I am just a commuter wearing street clothes and regular shoes riding a dorky Dutch bike made for that sort of rider. I'm looking for some sort of solution, but not very hard. I know I need to read up on what my options are. I want to get something, though, because my foot position is really crummy (duh, I know).

My pedals sure don't look like much -- the only printed description I have is 'industrial bearing', which could be a way of describing the way the pedals look, not just what they have inside.

I commute 20 miles round trip to work every day on a Bianci San Jose. I have MKS Touring pedals on it with no clips or straps. It allows me to wear weather appropriate footwear all winter without any issues, and, IMO, is not really a detriment to my power during my pedal stroke compared to my tri-bike with Speedplays.

The bikes I have the most miles on typically have toe clips and straps on them. The bikes for slow city riding, running to the corner coffee shop, are almost all platform pedals. I do have one with half clips. Touring bikes currently all have toe clips and straps, but I may go to SPD pedals on one of them. Might give the Power Grips a try on my newest bike...if it will ever get here. Vintage Raleighs came with platform pedals, get ridden with platform pedals. I am not in a big hurry to get much of anywhere these days:p

Aaron:)

rhm - I could never see myself riding 152's and actually prefer my 175's and 170's for the extra torque.

It might be worth some experimentation as there is no such thing as never around here when it comes to cycling.

+1
You've detailed my experience and said it much better than I could have.

I have a couple blocks to walk and don't like doing it in clipless shoes. I got platform pedals for my commuter this list winter and never swapped them out this spring. Platforms are great for my short rides. My weekend bike has the clipless.

i ride in platforms.. i've never even used clipless before. i'm curious to see if they really are more efficient, and one day i probably will get a new road bike and have clipless. but i would never use them for commuting.. i'm not gonna wear a cycling shoe just to commute, and have to carry my normal shoes

+1, my commute is only 3 miles one way, mostly flat and my commuter bike is a Giant Cypress with platform pedals, I don't see any advantage to clipless with an upright riding position. I have had toe clips on my previous road bikes and willbe trying clipless for the first time on my new road bike when it arrives.

I have 5 bikes with running SPD. My commmuter isn't one of them. I ride the 30 mile roundtrip on big platforms, and it works well.

I pulled my xtr pedals from my squished fixed gear and put them on my mountain bike. It is much easier to spin up to 20 mph with fat tires. My feet tend to fly of the pedals at high rpms.

I have clipless on my touring bike (which I occasionally commute on) but for my main city bike I prefer just wearing whatever shoes I want. My old commuter I had toe clips and straps on but I just bought a Kona Dew Plus for commuting. The platform pedals that came on it are quite grippy, and there is also tight space between the front pedal when rotated forward and the front fender. I figure if I install toe clips I would be bashing the fender more often. So I haven't bothered yet don't think I will.

There's really no need for all of this anecdotal discussion. Last time I had access to some research databases the available peer-reviewed literature indicated that an extremely skilled cyclist (i.e., world class) picks up a percentage point or two in cycling efficiency when attached to the pedals. The fact is that the bicycle drivetrain is an inherently efficient device for the transfer of power. Attaching yourself to it doesn't add that much. On the other hand, clipping or clicking in certainly adds to riding experience for meany people and it provides employment to a lot of designers, manufacturers and retailers. Feel free to do it.

I like this setup alot. Grip Kings and XL power grips. I can wear any shoes I want, and it's not as cumbersome as clips and straps.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2311/...a4d3a3.jpg?v=0

I've used clipless and platforms.. for now its bmx platform for me.. I got foot problem where my feet would get numb if they are stuck in one position for a long period. Even on platform I have to move them around. So its platform and stiff soled shoes for me.

When you can spin those cranks well in excess of 140 rpm a little retention is a good thing as having your foot come off on a fixed gear at these speeds is like putting your leg in a blender.

If you could provide more info I'd be very interested in reading it. Having a background in research I'm very dubious of the latest and greatest findings and results. After all, research has "proven" that pipe smokers live longer than individuals who don't smoke and for decades Dr Spock was an authority on child development due to his research on the subject yet even he eventually had to admit that he was wrong.;)

Heck yes. I took my FG on my training route when my geared rode bike was in the shop. During one downhill I hit 32.5 mph with 42X16 gearing. I plugged that into a cadence calculator and came up with 150 ish rpm.
However, I only managed it for 20 secs before my legs felt like they were going to fall off.
No way would I ever try that on platforms.

Posting cold.

I don't ride with clips. I ride in whatever clothes and shoes I plan to wear to work that day.

I'm not sure I'd want to try it either way.:eek:

Clipless. Lots of stops and stoplights. I might try clips some day.

I've gone from Powergrips to clipless on my dry weather bikes. For my rain bike and mtb I only use platforms now.

??

I am not sure if I want to try that again no matter the types of pedals. Very interesting feeling in my legs. :eek: