Speedway2

Jtmav.....like PeteHski noted you might just want to start with a better/stiffer pair of shoes.
My bikes either have SPD's, toe-clips or flat pinned pinned MTB pedals. I pick the bike depending on my riding mood of the day and choice of footwear makes a difference imho.
Enjoy and Ride safe.......

Jtmav

Thanks, sounds like good advice. I started looking this morning on line as to what s available in shoes. I appreciate your feedback.

BobbyG

Late to the party, but let me add that after commuting with toe clips for 28 years I bought a folding bike and have not added any foot retention to its folding pedals. My feet haven't slipped and I don't even thing about it.

Calsun

I started out using toe clips and straps on my road bike pedals and when the quick release pedals and cleats appeared I quickly switched over. I would have the straps loose when riding in city traffic or on bike paths where pedestrians would often walk into my path. No such worries with the clipless pedals and bike shoes. The mountain bike or trail type shoes are easy to walk around on the pavement unlike the nailed on cleats on my first bike shoes.

With bike shoes I have a much firmer sole and can put more pressure on the pedals and ride for hours without any foot fatigue. Being clipped in I can put more pressure on the pedals without fear of having a foot slip off and this allows me to use more of the pedal rotation to move the bike forward. The gain is most evident when pedaling up hills where I can have my heel higher. Being clipped in I can have a much higher pedal RPM or cadence which also makes for improved performance.

There is also the option of using mountain bike pedals with their pins and a pair of shoes like the Five Ten ones that have "stickier" soles. No clips but much better purchase on the pedals.

https://www.rei.com/product/872539/f...c=ds&gclsrc=ds

bfuser29831039

We are just getting started MB'ing(1 month in)and I wear my Merrell hikers and bought some aggressive pedals w/cleats. No slipping on stock Giant pedals I just liked the new pedals better.

jackb

All my bikes have platform pedals. As I am not concerned with speed or efficiency, they work fine. I wear whatever happens to be on my feet when I go out for a ride, sandals, crocks, loafers, low-cut hikers. They all work well for the distances I usually cycle 20-30 miles.

arex

I have all platform pedals of various types, a couple of them with 1/4 or 1/2 MKS clips. I've tried full toe clips, didn't really benefit me at all, and I've no desire to risk clipless pedals. I like platforms because I can put my foot down in a hurry if I ever get unstable for some reason. My favorite pedals are MKS Esprit MTB pedals, just a really nice all-around pedal.

Bob Ross

I've been riding clipless (aka, clipped in) for ~17 years, so it's pretty much second-nature to me now...but I honestly don't know whether the concerns about falling over while clipped in would be any greater now than they were when I first started using them. Because everybody falls over at least once when learning! When I was 45 years old a bruised shoulder or hip from those "horizontal track stands" was no big deal. Personally I probably still think a bruised shoulder or hip is no big deal, but A) I'm an idiot, and B) I realize that other people's risk tolerance may differ from mine.

I don't have any data on how much faster I am with clipless pedals, but I do know there's no way I could have done most of the riding I've done over these last ~17 years without having my feet secured to the pedals. And I'll offer this nugget/observation: Prior to riding with clipless pedals I rode with toeclips & straps. It took me nearly 10 years of regular riding to become comfortable getting in and out of toeclips/straps confidently and effortlessly. Whereas it took less than two weeks for me to become comfortable getting in and out of clipless pedals confidently and effortlessly.

[edit: I attribute a lot of that discrepancy to the fact that my clipless pedals are dual-sided.]

IcySwan1 

I use SPD pedals on road bikes, carbon and Italian steel. I do fine with that system. I have become interested in L'Eroica and just bought a period correct CIOCC. I have never used toeclips and straps. I am 72 and reasonably fit, but not particularly supple. I will get a pair of pedals with toe clips and straps for L'Eroica rule compliance. I will give it a try but I do confess some anxiety about "unclipping". I don't anticipate frustration about getting into the toeclips/straps but only the exit for an unexpected need to get a foot down. So this path is really the opposite of most of the great info above because I am trending backwards in time and not forward.

Mike

downtube42

Can you forego cleats to ease difficulty of entry and extraction, but remain compliant? If so, don't cinch down tightly and you should be good.

IcySwan1 

I would prefer to just ride some nice pedals without the toeclip/strap if rule it is rule compliant. I just don't know if it is, but will check it out further. If not, loose it is. thanks.

Mike

Trakhak

Toe clips without straps would be compliant and would allow exit in all directions except forward. You probably seldom or ever do that anyway.

If you use single-sided SPD pedals, you're already used to having to flip the pedal over.

IcySwan1 

Trakhak, I was thinking that. I did use a combo pedal on a hybrid for a bit that had SPD on one side and flat on the other. Flipping it to the correct side was not a problem. I don't expect to be pushing hard and using toe clips without straps sounds like the bee's knees.

Mike

70sSanO

Here’s my long short of it. Like others, I started with toe clips, straps, and cleats. Nothing is worse than having to loosen a strap to remove your foot.

About a dozen years ago I went to a touring shoe without a cleat and just used toe clips/straps. They have worked well. But there have been a few times when the perfect storm happens when shift-accelerate-pothole all comes together and your foot slips off the pedal. It hasn’t resulted in the bike becoming uncontrollable, but it is a bit nerve wracking.

It has also happened with pinned platforms on my mountain bike which is a worse situation.

I agree with the suggestion to get semi-rigid mtb shoes, like Five Tens so you will get more support for foot. That would be the first thing I would do.

John

canklecat

GCN have done a few comparisons between foot retention and flat/platform pedals and never shown any significant differences between the two in road and lab tests.

On fast road bike rides clipless *feels* more efficient to me. But some of my fastest overall rides and Strava segments have been with flat pedals and casual shoes on my road bikes.

I still prefer clipless on my road bikes for fast rides on open roads, and flat pedals with casual shoes for casual group rides in the city, and errands.

After persistent neck pain due to injuries, and getting slower due to age, I'm no longer chasing KOMs or even PRs. So it's likely I'll switch all my bikes to flat pedals. I no longer ride more than 60-90 minutes so any minor difference in efficiency won't matter in relatively short rides.