Clipless can make a huge difference over platforms...but it does take some practice to get the most out of your pedal stroke.

My former commute was 12 miles of constant headwinds on the ride home where if you stopped pedaling you pretty much stopped moving. It took me a little while but I eventually learned to apply power over the whole pedal stroke with both legs and keep myself tucked tight (for wind drag). The difference was huuuuuuge.

If you go the clipless route, I'd recommend practicing on them before taking them on your commute. Ride around your neighborhood (or similar area with very few cars) and practice clipping in and clipping out.

I use LOOK pedals on my weekend recreational bike and I would not recommend them for commuting. They are too difficult to clip in and out of while riding in traffic. It does get easier with time, but it's still a hassle, particularly when you are having to start and stop a lot at traffic lights. The worst is having to start on an uphill. However, for long rides in the countryside on my fast bike, I love the LOOK pedals. In traffic, I'll take SPDs hands-down.

Incorrect. The notion isn't that crete more power, it's that you create more accurate consistent power as you can only achieve power in the up stroke while clipped/strapped in. Any quark, powertap, power meter can clarify and show this to you with real numbers. Creating power on surges as you would with platforms is not nearly as efficient (Entire pedal stroke) as being clipped in.

Although that really doesn't matter that much for a commuter or casual rider. You really need to learn how to take advantage of clipless pedals. I know that many people, including myself, still had the tendency to create those power surges when pressing pedals down, even with clipless. It takes time to train your brain and your muscles to do this right. Which IMHO isn't worth it for non-competitive riding. At first I was getting cramps when trying to pull, my legs weren't simply used to that. And I like the convenience of regular shoes when commuting or riding errands.

Now, I've been trying to learn riding my MTB with SPDs, they really help with climbing and hopping, but, again, it takes time to learn and you need to be strong and good rider not to fall when your legs get weaker after some riding.

Finally, the main advantage for me is the shoes, not even the pedals, for long rides: the stiff soles help with feet fatigue and prevent those hot spots on long rides. Although, I can get similar effect wearing the same shoes, sans cleats, with platform pedals.

I've done centuries with platform pedals, I toured with platform pedals, so they're not that beneficial.

So IMHO, it's a matter of preference in the end.

So, for those that say it makes a huge difference, how much faster would I be on clipless with a ten mile commute?

On a 10 mile commute, probably somewhere between 0 and 2 minutes, probably on the lower end of that. However, if it makes you more comfortable and want to do it more (as it did for me) over time you'll be doing it more, getting in better shape and either dropping more time or getting there in the same time, but with less effort.

Incorrect? Some people still believe in the Tooth Fairy too. Eventually most people come to grips with reality, which isn't all that terrible anyway!

This topic's been studied at length for years in the never ending effort to shave a couple thousands of a second off the times of some of the worlds best cyclists. It doesn't happen. The muscles that are used on the 'upstroke' are the weakest, metabolically inefficient muscles on the leg and using them for anything other them what nature intended - lifting the weight of the leg in preparation for the next extension - just leads to premature fatigue.

If you can post meaningful numbers or references that indicate anything otherwise - I'm quite sure a lot of people would like to see them.

Now if you want to believe the upstroke provides any significant advantage - feel free! Personally I think red bikes are faster myself!

in my opinion, clipless pedals don't save me much, if any, time on my commutes, they just make me feel safer and more in control of my bike. having a physical, locked-in connection to the bike makes it feel like the bike is just an extension of myself, rather than a vehicle i'm riding on. it allows me to become "one" with the bike. it's a transcendental thing.

that said, i do ride with combo SPD/platform pedals so that if i want to hop on one of my bikes without needing to put my bike shoes on, i can. i also like to clip out and ride the platforms when i'm riding across the large sheets of ice that form in winter along chicago's lakefront path. combo pedals give me maximum flexibility, and i like that.

+1. The only study I've seen is analyzing pros, and the surprising finding they use downstroke to their generate power almost exclusively, not upstroke....apparently it's amateur racing-riders that use pull.

If someone has done any competent distance study comparing clipless to cages or straps I'd like to see it. Clearly clipless are "efficient" in locking the feet to a spinning pedal, but I suspect the other claims are more marketing hype than reality. But, whatever... I think they are a nuisance regardless.

I was unaware of such research, but I suspected that much. Pulling is so unnatural. As Steely Dan pointed out: these muscles are just not meant for that. Sure, you can train them, but in the end I don't think there is huge benefit. Then, some people like to have their feet attached to the bike, some don't. This is highly subjective.

I use Bmx platforms with hiking-style waterproof boots on the winter bike, but my summer road bike is a single speed. so I like the clipless pedals on that one, not so much for speed, but to help climb hills.

Here on Bike Forums this is one of those topics that usually boils into an argument.

it really shouldn't have to. if you like riding with clipless pedals, then ride with clipless pedals. if some other pedal style better suits your preference, then rock n' roll.

the first rule of cycling appplies here: "ride what you like, not what someone else tells you you're supposed to like."

some people are under the impression that if they just switch to clipless pedals they'll soon be shaving 5 minutes off their 8 mile commute. that's utter nonsense. any performance benefits from clipless pedals would be very marginal at best, especially in the context of the congested type of riding many commuters do (traffic, stop lights/signs, pedestrians, etc.) , so it really does boil down to personal preference.

i happen to like riding with clipless pedals because they make me feel more secure and in control of my bike, but i'm not under the delusion that clipless pedals magically transform me into the next lance armstrong or anything silly like that.

I'm surprised only a couple people mentioned toe straps so far. I use them on my commute/recreation bike (although I only ride about 1 out of 13 miles in an urban environment on my commute) and they are great. I don't have the dough to spend on clipless right now but I'm not sure I would even want them. Toe straps give you the best of both worlds: if you have to be stopping frequently, you can keep them loose, and you're already wearing your normal shoes. And, they are extremely affordable. They are easy enough to slip out of even after tightening when you need to. On long stretches, the foot is fastened to the pedal and I find that my stroke is more consistent and confident as a result.

There are many reasons for that.

-Entry level SPDs are about $20.
-Normal shoes are too soft for pedalling.
-Toe clips are dangerous when you have to stop quickly.
.........

I tried clipless, but not fond of having to unclip so often. Definitely different than platform pedals in that you can apply more consistent power to the pedals without slipping.

watching that video was painful. if you ride clipless please learn how to track stand/sit. its easy and it will save from having to constantly clip in and out (or falling over like a doofus).

You've opened the floodgates on this one, my friend.....

In my opinion, clip-in pedals do slightly improve performance, but not enough to notice if you're just commuting. I tried SPDs for several months about a year ago, and my best estimate is that they improved my uphill speed by about 10%, and my level-ground and downhill speed not at all. At the end of the day, I concluded that they were not worth the inconvenience of wearing stupid shoes or having to clip in and out all the time at intersections. I now use wide, BMX-style platform pedals with studs, and find them to be as useful for foot retention as clipless, and a lot more convenient.

That said, a lot of people ride clip-in all the time, and can't imagine riding without them. I also think they are vastly better than old-fashioned toe clips. So maybe you should try them yourself and see if they work for you.

SPD's are great.

To me, I commuted one week (30 miles rt) with platforms and it was horrible. I upgraded to toeclips and liked it a lot more, but they constantly broke and they never really did what I wanted them to do. There was a sale at the local bike shop and I decided to buy Shimano M520 pedals and a pair of Specialized BG Sport mountain shoes. It's actually not a pain to walk around and the only annoying thing is the click sound you get from walking. I will never go back to anything else. I know people who have lost control of the bike on platforms due to rain and even oil from the roads. I want to feel secure when I'm riding and they are even wide enough, for my feet, to use as a temporary platform if I'm going a few blocks over. You will not be sorry if you get clipless and it'll make the experience so much better.

Let me add to the flooding then...

The benefit of clipless for such relatively short commute will be negligible. Heck, the benefits of clipless pedals over flat ones are generally negligible unless you're a racer or religiously believe that clipless make you a better cyclist (they don't, BTW). You may even find them annoying if you have to stop often. However, if you insist on being cool and commute with clipless then get SPDs pedals. As already said: they're easier to clip in an out and the shoes are actually walkable.

Obviously, you've been doing something terribly wrong. People toured the world with flat pedals and made it out just fine. It's not in the pedals, it's in your head. Or you had really crappy pedals :D

An anecdote at best. I commuted with flat pedals in rain, snow, sludge, been splashed by cars and never ever, even once slipped. You just need the right platform pedals.

Unless you fail to unclip in traffic then you may be really sorry.

if there was no power benefit from clipless, why are the pros still using them?
and you don't pull up to create power, you pull up just to get your weight off the pedal coming up, so the leg pushing the other pedal down doesn't have to push the weight of your other leg back up. just like walking. you lift the leg you aren't currently standing on in preparation to put it in front of the other leg. the reason this is extra effective with clipless pedals is because you don't have to worry about your foot flying off the pedal when you're putting the power down.

Ride SPD on road bike, and regular BMX style pedals on commuter bike. The only time i'd like SPDs on the commuter is when it rains. No matter how studded regular pedals are, feet will slip a bit when jumping over potholes etc. So that's the biggest advantage of SPDs IMO - you're with your bike, locked, securely. However, SPDs are a bit too inconvenient for commuting, most of the time. For me at least.

These, though heavy for a full tilt road bike, are great commuter pedals. I just put them on my new bike.
These are what you want as you can use the clips with cycling shoes, or just regular shoes for a 2 block trip to get mile.

I bet if you ask majority here, you'll get a 10% more efficiency or not worth it. Now go into the SS/FG forum and ask that, toe cages and clipless make a big difference especially for up hills.