Pick a pedal!
 

Which of these three, and why? For the two different types of rides I go on, I'm positive I need the versatility of one side platform and one side clips. I would stay with all platform but I want to see what all the fuss is about with clipless. And why do they call it "clipless" when obviously you are clipping in. They should call the old style toe-clips with straps... "straps" and these "strapless" to makes sense of the terminology.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...art_bxgy_1_2_p

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ANVB2ADWP1VTL

Amazon.com : Shimano PD-A530 SPD Dual Platform Bike Pedal : Sports & Outdoors

I'll go with door #2 . They are light weight and I am very partial to pedals with reflectors.
Living in Florida means I ride a lot at night, so I appreciate all the illumination i can get.

The clipless bit refers to the toe clips of yore. Clipless pedals use a binding to which the shoe cleat attaches.

I used the A530s for a couple of years with no complications. They are heavy though, and many complain of hot spots and a slippery platform.

I've had a pair of the Shimano A530's on my commuter bike for the last 4 seasons and they work great!
The large, over-sized, "grippy" platform sides work well when wearing regular footwear and they are balanced to hang so that they are easy (with a little practice) to insert your cleats.

I ride the M324 and like them. But I still ride with toe clips and straps vice clipless. "Unrestrained" platforms have long been a non-starter.

My own experience is that I put a pair of the A530s on the hybrid that I bought a couple of years ago when I got back into cycling. Pretty soon after that I got my first pair of SPD shoes and started clipping in. I never used the platform side of those pedals after that. Ever. Now both my hybrid and my newer road bke have M520s, which are dual sided SPD pedals. I just can't imagine riding on a platform pedal now. The other thing that occurs to me is that with a dual platform pedal, one side flat and the other SPD, you're always having to fiddle with it on starting because the odds are 50-50 that it's on the wrong side for whichever shoe you happen to be wearing at the time. That can be really awkward, lead to slipping off the pedal, gashing your shin, etc.