People used to attach skis to their boots with leather bindings. At some point, a metal "toe clip" was introduced to help hold the front of the boot in place. Leather straps were still used to fasten the boot down. Many innovations led up to the mechanical bindings that are used today but the term "binding" is used to describe all of them.

Modern "clipless" pedals were introduced by Look, - a ski binding manufacturer.

I propose we start using the term "mechanical bindings" for clipless pedals rather than naming them for what they are not. Your basic platform pedal is also "clipless". ;)

It's good to understand the history of clipless pedals and where the technology came from. It is through that positive attachment to the pedal that a bike becomes more an extension of you rather than something you are riding "on".

Though that might be a distinction that's meaningless to a lot of people, it can clearly lead to an experience that's quite different. It explains why some people like clipless pedals even for short trips.

Neanderthals used to strap pedals to their feet with animal gut, but since the bike wasn't yet invented, the idea didn't really take off. The modern pedal should therefore be referred to as "gutless" IMHO.

No doubt Look wanted to make the distinction of being different from the toe clips. And, the terminology stuck.

One can say that one is using cleats (describing a part of the shoe). And, of course, there are cleats designed for use with toe clips, but they are rare today.

With skiis, you can get "Cable Bindings".

Perhaps a better description would be "Clamp", and "Clamping Pedals".

"Cleat" also works to describe the part on the shoe, and thus the pedals they go with. Of course one can have cleats with toeclips, but they are rare today.

Then you have track racers that run clipless with straps.

http://www.badbean.com/images/spd_sl_mod/IMGP5265.jpg

Some track racers have bigger stronger legs then power lifters and bodybuilders. Even if the pedal springs are set at maximum tension it may not be enough for a guy who has a strength of a horse. The last thing a track racer needs is to have the cleats release and have his shoe come off the pedal when he is spinning at over 200 rpms.

How about if clipless pedals were called Pedals with Integrated Foot Retention Mechanisms? That's a mouthful! Versus Pedals Without Foot Retention Hardware or Pedals With External Foot Retention Devices. More mouthfuls!

It's unfortunate that the term Clipless stuck because it has confused untold numbers of folks in the following decades. But, don't really know what words would be an improvement.

Just spin the pedals and ride the bike!

They should just be called clickety pedals.

And brifters are clickety brake levers.

I rode with platforms on my Fatbike for a month to get a feel for the bike and as I was going slow, weaving around drift logs, rocks, streams, softer areas of the beach, there is a technical aspect not unlike trials motorcycle riding. But once I got comfortable with the bike I switched to MTB SPD clipless. The sand makes them slightly gritty & prone to hang up so I run them loose to mAke it easier to get out of. The benefits of spinning outweigh the occasional oops. This is on a beach of course and not in a commute situation. I could've run with platforms for a long time but I just like clipless.

Some pedals are terrible in the dirt. I have a pair of Wellgo SPD knockoffs that take your feet hostage at first hint of dirt.

I went MTBing Sunday on my KHS with M540s and everything was hunky-dory even after a hike up a muddy 30% pitch. Grabbed the same shoes yesterday, still a little dirt in the cleats, jumped on the bike with the Wellgos and my right foot was pretty much in lockdown until a few forceful clickouts and clickins.

Mine are M424's. They work ok but damn near hit my garage this eve as the sand had "tightened" them up a bit. Beach sand is just gritty as all heck. Bang my feet sideways on pedal but a slow start in soft sand means get feet up quick!

Not really. Not common but easy to get. Google Exustar track cleats. The aluminum ones fit (two holes of) the standard three hole LOOK patterned shoes. Really good cleats, easily the equal on anything back in the day. (Far easier to set-up, especially for toe-in, than any clip-less cleat I have used.)

Ben

For me, clipless pedals are safer than platform pedals with toe clips. I briefly used toe-clips when I first got into biking and it wasn't long before I went clipless. With clipless, you can quickly click out as you put your foot down. It is less natural, in my opinion, to pull your foot back and then move it left or right to put your foot on the ground.
Now, if you compared long-term cyclists on platform pedals (without toe clips) vs. cyclists who just started using clipless... that might be different. Most people fall at least once or twice when they first learn to use clipless. Another issue, is that most people use enclosed cycling shoes with clipless pedals. But on bikes with plain platform pedals, they may be wearing flip flops, heels, barefoot or all manner of shoes that may be less than safe...

I need to see some sort of historical reference for this. I'm pretty sure the Neanderthals used animal hide such as leather or reptile skins. That would have held up much better to varying weather conditions compared to guts.

If I'm right, I submit we should rename "clipless" pedals to "skinless" pedals. This has an added benefit of also describing the knees of first-time users of such pedals.