+1

As I approach a situation where I can see I need to stop, I'll pull my right foot out (because that is generally, all I need to do). However, I am not so good at clipping in, despite the several years with the same shoes and pedals, sometimes I get it, more often than not, my foot is on the pedal but not in proper position to clip so I need a couple of pedal strokes to set my foot properly to clip in. They are standard SPD pedals and shoes so it isn't anything really to do with anything unique I have.

I am considering switching to either Candy3 or SPD downhill (eg Shimano PD-M545) pedals because of the larger platform than my XT pedals.

I use Shimano A530 with mountain bike SPD shoes. Some days I just wear those shoes all day. They're easy to walk in and comfortable as well.

as a bike commuter who rides with clipless pedals, it has nothing to do with efficiency, speed, or delusions of TdF glory for me. it's all about feeling more secure on the pedals and in-control of the bike, especially when i'm out of the saddle sprinting to catch a green light.

I have clipless Keen sandals, MTB shoes and winter MTB shoes. All are very comfortable for walking, but I leave a pair of shoes at work. I like having my feet securely attached to the pedals, and really don't want to wear wet, dirty shoes all day. If my commute was clean, dry and only a couple miles on city streets, platform pedals would be fine.

I'd use SPD style pedals. I hate the single sided pedals, and I don't mind wearing biking shoes and walking around in them.

Time Z Controls are pretty broad too. The engage easily - but have a very large amount of float. I like this but some may find it offputting. If it's dry then I can happily ride them without cleats at all.

I see this as far more of an indictment of gratuitous trackstanding, than an commentary on the merits of clipless versus platforms. I've never understood why people won't just learn to put a foot down when it is appropriate. The only thing I find more annoying than the excessive trackstand is the 'circle' manuever (wherein the cyclist just circles in a space that he/she believes is unoccupied, and likely to remain that way).

For the record: I ride clipless in an urban environment. I've never fallen because I failed to unclip. I did, however, fall one time because I failed to loosen the strap on my toeclip. That was in 1986.

Excellent points

Trackstanding is a very useful skill which most cyclist don't have. Why do you find it annoying ??..I agree with you about the "circle manuver", it looks dumb. It makes cyclists look like amateurs..I've seen many people on very expensive road bikes dressed in full kit riding around in circles at intersections because they don't have the skill to do a trackstand and they're too lazy to unclip and put their foot down.

I ride with clipless, SPD, shoes and have actual street shoes for working here at the office.

As a MUP commuter, don't see much trackstanding, but there is one place where riders and peds waiting for a green light tend to block the MUP, assuming everyone will line up behind them and continue straight. Since I'm actually turning there and not crossing, it is difficult to pass and continue on my way. A little annoying.

I know how to unclip and put my foot down. It's a skill that you learn pretty quickly. Stopping without putting your foot down requires a bit higher skill level:rolleyes:

Facetiousness aside, learning how to track stand has it's merits. jolly_ross suggest unclipping before you have to stop. That's an okay idea but, in practice, it's not always an option. If you learn how to wait until the last possible moment to unclip or learn how to make the bike stand up without unclipping, you can use it for those times when the Universe favors you and turns the light green just as you reach the light. Alternatively, if you know how to track stand, you can stop at that last moment when the Universe decides turn the light red just as you reach the light.

For the record, I too ride clipless in an urban environment. I track stand all the time and haven't fallen over in an urban environment (let's not count mountain biking but falls are rare there too) because I failed to unclip. As I said above, unclipping is not something that I really think about. If the light is too long, I simply unclip and put my foot on the ground.

I am fully aware that trackstanding takes skill, and it is a skill I possess in small amounts -- that is to say, I can hold a steady stand for a few seconds. If you're good at it, then more power to you. I watch guys track stand, in place, seemingly effortlessly, and I'm very impressed.

However: most of the folks I see trackstanding lack sufficient skill to remain in place, causing the cross traffic (including, often, pedestrians and fellow cyclists) no end of consternation trying to decide whether they will or won't roll through the intersection. Worse, they seem to feel the need to exercise this skill when the light is a solid 30-45 seconds from changing, and there is not likely to be any break in traffic (for the light runners).

I'm all for practicing and developing one's skills, but not at busy intersections. There's a time and a place for trackstanding, and a time and a place for putting one's foot down. I'm opposed to folks who can't (or won't) make that distinction, thus my inclusion of the word 'gratuitous'. I can see how that might not have clarified the situation for anyone but me.

This guy needs to work on his trackstanding skills...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv3xVOs7_No

You're just trying to get me to kill the rest of the afternoon, aren't you? where on the MUP do you face your problem? I ride parts of the W&OD, the Custis and the Mt. Vernon, and I can't think of too many places where folks block at a light, except maybe at Gallows and then further west (where I rarely go except on weekends...)

At the light where I hang a right to cross Key Bridge into Georgetown coming up from Roosevelt Island. Mostly peds blocking the way, but bikes as well. Not regular commuter types usually .

Yeah - that's kind of a tough intersection. Not a lot of space, and lots of folks. It took me a while to get the idea of hanging back a little to leave the crossing clear for folks coming out of Georgetown. And I'm sure it is a pain if you're coming up and turning right -- there isn't a lot of space for folks to turn right past bikes (or people) waiting to go straight. I'm guessing we go in opposite directions; I am heading toward Roosevelt Island in the AM and heading back into Arlington in the PM.

We're going the same way, but I start in Bethesda to Old Town Alexandria in the a.m. Most mornings I cross the 14th Street Bridge to avoid climbing stairs up to M Street. Also like riding along the Tidal Basin in the morning. Adds 1/2 mile to the route, but no time difference.

I have clipless Keen sandals and Shimano M540s. I leave a pair of brown shoes and a pair of black shoes at work for a dressier look.
The sandals get loosened up for winter riding so I can fit thick wool Blaze socks and Pearl Izumi neoprene fuzzy toe covers INSIDE the sandal. The rubber toe bumper keeps the toes warm.
I'll never go back to platform pedals. I don't do hop-on-lets-ride jaunts any more since I always go with some bike-specific safety/visibility accoutrements anyhow. Changing shoes to put on the sandals is no big deal.

Keep in mind that many "downhill" pedals are deliberately designed to be more difficult to clip in and out of.


Maybe you have a slightly different model, but I bought that Time Z Controls for that same purpose, and I found that they were definitely more difficult to clip in and out of. When I bought regular Time ATAC's, I found them much easier.

I think they're more "normal" pedal with a platform is the Time X Roc Platform ATAC Pedals (but I'm not 100% sure) -
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

OP - "So I would like something semi casual so that I would not need to carry around a second pair of shoes with me."

Are you going to keep a pair of shoes to change into at work?

My bike shoes are fine for walking into work to my desk, walking through a grocery store, etc etc. But I wouldn't want to wear them for an 8 hour workday. I had to do it once when I forgot my shoes at home, and hadn't figured out that I could just leave a pair at work yet, even at a desk job they become uncomfortable.

So if you cannot leave a pair of shoes at work, or carry them with you, I'd just stick with platform pedals. While some are more comfortable than other, in my opinion none are comfortable enough to wear around all day. I use regular mountain bike shoes, but I also tried "casual" shoes, and didn't like them - the less-stiff connection to the clip definitely seemed to gave me more knee pain than with mountain bike shoes (or regular street shoes and platform pedals).

I personally prefer the Time Atac pedals for commuting, because:
- Reputation for being reliable (unlike the old Crank Brothers pedals, though new ones might be different)
- Free float (unlike some SPD models)
- Can tell by feel when you're clipped in or out (unlike the Crank Brothers models)
- Very good reputation for shedding dirt/mud/snow/ice (only really a concern if you're riding in the winter like I sometimes do)
- As good as you can get for not clicking when walking on hard surfaces (no pedal is perfect, just as good as the Crank Brothers, better than the spd's I had)

This looks like the modern equivalent of the model I use -
http://www.amazon.com/TIME-ATAC-XC-P...ords=time+atac

They've been great - they just work, no drawbacks (as I mentioned, unlike the other styles I tried).

These: http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...00_-1___204252