I just bought my first set of SPD pedals (PD-M520's) today, and yes, I plan to use them for commuting. Yes, I am a newbie and this is my first go at it. Wish me luck.

I think clip-in pedals ("clipless" seems a bit of a misnomer) are overkill for most commuting. They're fairly easy to get used to, especially the SPDs, but they don't improve performance on level ground at all, and they're a pain in the a** in traffic. On hills, they do make a noticeable difference, maybe a 5-10% improvement in performance, but if you're just commuting, that difference isn't worth the hassle of having to wear dedicated shoes and having to endlessly clip in and out at intersections. I prefer studded platform pedals in nearly all urban situations; if you retain your platform skills, it's much more convenient, and your actual performance, if you care about such things, is very nearly what it would be with clip-in pedals. I used to use SPDs for touring, but now I don't think I'd use clip-ins for any reason, ever. They're simply not necessary if you're not mountain biking or racing.

I also feel that the gains in performance are questionable. I don't think they improve my performance enough to make up for the time it takes (and the hassle) to change shoes at work. So I stopped wearing them.

maybe not for you.....you apparently don't attempt to spin?

what if your quads get tired? with clips, you can work your hamstrings to give your quads a rest.

Yes that's true. While I don't find much of an improvement in performance, flat ground is where i do notice it, since that is where the SPDs keep my cadence up. I actually think the clipless pedals reduce my performance up hill as they keep me from mashing up most short hills.

Never thought I'd hear anyone say that. I just think about pulling up on the upstroke and letting my (substantial.. ahem..) body weight push the downstroke.

How does your stroke differ on clipless versus platforms on those short hills? You don't actually take your feet off the pedals, do you?

I did up until recently. But where my distance is only 3.6 miles, I like just having the platform pedals so I can hop on and off without worrying whats on my feet. I'm car free too, so it's just easier. Especially if I just want to go to the store. If I had a long commute, I might still have clipless pedals on.

FWIW, I sometimes ride around in running shoes on these pedals:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...e/IMG_3958.jpg

Hmm I never really analyzed it, but now that I think about it, it's not that I lift my feet off the pedals, it's that I reposition my feet and my body for better leverage to push as hard or even harder than my weight.

I'm also not lifting upwards, so I can focus on the downstroke. With clipless pedals since I am pulling upwards, I feel like I miss pushing down hard right at the top of the stroke. With the platform pedals I'm almost pushing slightly down to keep my feet gripped on the pedals, so I am in a great position to bear down.

Anyways it seems that for me:
SPDs = good for smooth and efficient cadence (nice, even and consistent), not much force so efficient stroke important
platform = good for mashing and accelerating (anything uneven), lots of force so strong stroke important

^^^ Ah, that was my next guess, that you reposition your feet. Not necessarily a bad idea, since the position of a clipless shoe's cleat can affect leverage, too.

Keep in mind that your effort to keep your feet on your pedals during the whole stroke also works against you. As you're pushing down in front, you also end up pushing against your rear foot, so some of your energy is spent pushing against your leg instead of the chain.

If you aren't already, think of scraping mud off your shoes at the top & bottom of the stroke the next time you're riding clipless. You can kinda do this on platforms, but it really is easier on clipless (even easier than toeclips & straps, IMO, because you'd have to cinch down the straps pretty tight to keep from pulling your foot back-and-out at the bottom).

Yeah. I love clipless. After ten years of riding that way, clipping in and out is so automatic I don't really notice it anymore. I've actually unclipped while falling on a slippery surface, and was able to catch myself.

Yes my feet are definitely working against each other at times (both pushing down), which is wasteful and inefficient, this is why I find clipless better on the flats at constant speed (especially over longer distances). But when accelerating all out or pushing hard up a hill, I find the leverage better with the platform pedals. If my goal is to get to the top of the hill as quickly as possible or sprint to the finish in the least possible time, then it doesn't matter if I am inefficient as long as I can output enough power to compensate for the waste and then some.

Especially true when sprinting as it is the first couple of strokes that slingshot the bike.

I like them. Great idea. But, don't think they are Look friendly.. For in town rides, they'd be perfect.

Honestly, you're not making much sense. Being inefficient means you're wasting power. You need to work on your spin more.

They're not compatible with Look cleats, but the Time RXS cleats fit the usual three-hole pattern, so you wouldn't need to ditch your road shoes.

There have been a few reports of failures with the plastic body, though, namely at the forward tip. I've been keeping an eye on them since getting them this summer. I've noticed that the tip isn't really for jamming the toe of your cleat into, but more just for placement as you step down onto the pedal. I've also walked through dirt & mud and had no problems clipping in.

I admit there is inefficiency and waste. However with the clipless pedals I can't output as much power. Maybe others can stand on the pedals (and apply similar if not greater force) with clipless pedals, I can't. I'm willing to live with a 5%-10% or whatever it is inefficiency all the time to gain significant extra power output when pushing hard.

No, I use toe straps.

platforms for everything. rivendell grip kings (mks something, maybe "delta") or MKS sylvan touring pedals.

Always. I have SPD's for the commute and swap speedplays on for training rides. I'm thinking I'll get a set of eggbeaters for the winter as SPD's don't seem to shed snow very well.

I spend about half the year riding in snow and ice. On SPD's pretty much scrapping the cleat and pedal and stomping on it works every time. I brush out the mechanism when it get uncooperative and spray in a bit of WD40 if necessary.

That being said I am considering getting a set of Crank Brothers Eggbeaters as they are supposed to shed snow better.

I've never lived somewhere where changing shoes at work wasn't a good idea whether it be the wet coast or frigid east or prairies. The work shoes last longer at the very least.

It's possible to get shoes pedals and cleats now for about a $100 and really they are easy as anything to use. As for performance, there is a reason nearly everyone less DH riders and free-stylers use them,

You don't think it's possible to spin with platforms? The implication that clipless riders are automatically more skilled than riders who prefer platforms is kind of irritating, to be honest. I can use clipless pedals; they're easy to use. Moreover, I totally respect others' choice to use them. But if you can't ride up a steep hill while using platform pedals, why should you brag about it?

No it is not possible to spin with platforms...your efficiency is reduced, period. Never said I was more skilled. And who said I can't ride up a steep hill with platforms and who is bragging?

Bragi your dealing with a young rider who doesn't know the history of cycling.

I'm an older guy, 56, and back when I raced they didn't have clipless pedals yet and everyone could spin at 80rpm and beyond, in fact up until just the last 15 years track racers were using toe straps because they were stronger and all those guys spin the pedals and there is still old school track racing where they use steel bikes and yes toe straps.

Really there isn't much difference between the two except how the foot enters and disengages, degree of float, and the weight of the pedal. A proper toe clip style shoe has a cleat on the bottom of the shoe with a grove that "clips" onto the rear portion of the pedal cage, then you tighten the straps to your comfort level. Some argue that your foot comes out of the straps unlike clipless...that's so full of crap. I watched the TDF and happen to see several riders come unclipped from their clipless pedals by accident just as would happen occasionally with toe straps. I adjust my straps so I can get my foot out without having to release the strap and it still holds my feet in quite securely and only on rare occasion will a foot come out, plus my cadence averages between 90 to 95rpm so again there goes the spinning theory out the window.

So much for all those hours spent on rollers at 120+ cadence, when what I really needed was to invent clipless pedals.

But that was 30 years ago, now I have SPDs on almost all my bikes. I like them for comfort, but certainly didn't see any significant efficiency gains when converting to clipless. That is, I couldn't ride any faster or farther with clipless, and they didn't improve my average speed by even 0.1 mph.

I can do that with the pegged platform pedals, as long as I'm wearing a shoe with at least 1/4" of soft sole material for the pegs to dig into. My cadence is quite high, as I'm an ex-trackie who used to train for at least 100 rpm in 3000m individual pursuit. The only thing I can't do with them is use my hip aductors to pull the pedal up over the top of the stroke, but there isn't much call for that in a grocery run or my 4k commute. If I want to do a ride where that's a necessity - i.e., a long highway ride - I'll ride my road bike with the Look Keo pedals.

It's nice to see that the same old arguments and counter arguments are still occurring in this forum.
I like clipless. Ergo I run clipless. That is except for my mtb that has a dual sided spd \ clipless so I can jump on it in sneakers for short rides or cold snowy winter rides.

Toeclips n' straps ≠ "platforms", at least not in this context.

"Proper" track pedals are pretty different from, say, touring pedals with toeclips bolted on anyway.

So, I end up saying the same old thing -- I like clipless better than toeclips n' straps because I think they're more secure* without having to cinch down my feet to make exit unnecessarily difficult. I also don't like dragging toeclips on the ground when the light turns green because I haven't got the pedal flipped just right yet.

* At least the pedals I've had have been secure (CB, Time).

Always. Speedplay Frogs

Just like a few other people here, I use Shimano A-530 SPD pedals. I normally clip in, but I like them because they're double sided: platform on one side, and SPD on the other. It gives me the option to ride clipped in or not, but I prefer to clip in because it feels much more secure.