My bike has M520 SPD pedals (only one bike). I'll sometimes use regular shoes with them if i'm riding slowly and a short distance, otherwise I'd clip in.

At traffic lights, I attempt to trackstand but my skills aren't quite there yet (I have to put a foot down roughly 50% of the time). Either way, clipping out isn't any hassle.

Stopping/starting is easier on platforms (you just hook your foot under the pedal to bring it up to the starting position before you take-off), but it's certainly not a deal breaker for either side.

The main benefit of clipless is not having your feet slip. The main benefit of platforms is wearing whatever shoes you want, and not having to bring a pair to change into. The rest is just whatever flavor of Kool-Aide you enjoy most.

nope, I use mini clips so I can use whatever shoe or boot or rubber over boot I want. then when it gets really cold I use toe warmers and reuse them by keeping them in airtight plastic between uses

I only have one bike.. so yes. My commute is 19 miles though.

just curious how do you NE year-round clipless guys deal with snow and ice. doesn't it clog the mechanism when you stop and put your foot down or walk around like X-country ski boots? also, in sub freezing weather, doesn't the mechanism freeze?

i have a pair of clipless pedals from look on my road bike, and i really like the efficiency they provide.

the drawbacks - i still cannot easily clip into the second pedal. it always seems to be upside down. while this is fine when you're starting flat or downhill, and have room to get clipped in, it's a bit scary when you're trying to cross a road and your foot slips as you try to clip into the second pedal. also, walking on cleats is just not fun.

i haven't tried clipless pedals designed for mountain bikes that allow you to clip in on either side, and have the smaller cleats, but i'd like to.

I haven't had mine freeze yet, but when it's really crappy, I don't need to ride at all. When we got snowed in for a week this past February, I just walked.

It can depend on the mechanism, too. Some have close tolerances and small parts that don't like dirt (Speedplay), and some seem impervious to just about everything (CB, Time).

I use Bebop clipless pedals on three bicycles, and I commute year round in Northern California (where it's cold and rainy half the year, but we don't have to worry about ice). If you like float, I strongly endorse the Bebops--I migrated to them after about a decade of using Speedplay Frogs, and the Bebops are comparable, but better in every metric for my purposes (lighter, cheaper, lower stack height, more float, cleats last longer, etc.). The one downside is that the cleat is not quite as walkable as a true SPD cleat, so if you're optimizing for walking on your commute, Bebops are not the right system.

It also just occurred to me to check the Winter Cycling forum for what they use in snow n' ice.

Clipless always for me, no matter the conditions, even snow. The one exception may be ice and then I have pedals with platform on one side. I think in time, most of us get so comfortable with clipless it's second nature with no worries. Riding without clips is just weird for me.

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:

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.