Well I have done two west coast tours, the last being 700 miles. And I just wore my Lowa hikers. With the pedals with the cage in the end. I tried the clips and just kinda bothered me. I liked this combo as my boots kept my feet dry and warm. I had no problem with this set up.

I ask nobody to disregard my opinion. I merely acknowledge that others may have valid opinions that are contrary to mine. I do smile with amusement at those who comment that they pity my therapist and that my opinion is "worthless."

Just wanted to chime in here to say that i am by no means a professional cyclist, nor even a serious one. I bike for fun. That said, i LOVE clipless pedals. They are not more dangerous than platform pedals by any means, once you know how to get in and out of them, which does normally require a week or three to get really used to.

After that, you have the security of knowing that your feet are not going to slip off the pedals under any circumstances (other than a crash), and you are more connected to the bike, ensuring better power transfer and control (you can easily jump over small obstacles). When you are used to clipless, unclipping is completely second nature.

Yes, it's a hassle to have to wear special shoes, but it's definitely worth it for the increased comfort, control, efficiency, and yes, safety, on the ride. Oh, and it's more fun too.

Clipless pedals and shoes aren't even expensive anymore, so it's not like people ride them for the 'shiny bling bling gear' cachet. You can get a perfectly good set of no-name (nashbar etc) pedals and shoes for well under $100 if you shop around.

Just my opinion though. I'm also a fan of index shifting and helmets though, so maybe i'm into crazy pie in the sky new fangled stuff. ;) :p (just kidding)

You have succinctly stated the prevailing opinion of the majority of bikeforums.net users. I respect all of y'alls opinions. We'll continue to disagree. Thanks for sharing!

Actually, if you're going to wear non-cycling shoes, hiking boots would be a good idea, because they tend to have stiff soles. Sneakers are the worst, because they have soft flexible soles, so you start to really feel the shape of the pedal platform.

However, if you took off the straps and preferred it, you probably arent' used to pedalling by _both_ pushing down _and_ pulling up. In other words, you're not using half of the power your legs can give you.

Ah shucks thanks FarHorizon, that's mighty kind of you. I'd call my folks to tell them, but that pit of a 'retirement home' I put them in doesn't have phones. :)

If only I still had my folks... :(

I got these SPD-compatible biking sandals. I really like them!

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/medium/YS-ESS.gif

OK I didn't read the other posts, but here we go:

To understand the name, you have to know the history of foot retension devices on shoes.

The first common system was "toe-clips" this was a cleated (or not) shoe that worked with track pedals with a toe-cage and strap. What it did was bind the foot in to the pedal to allow for power across as much of the circular motion of the crankarm as possile, as well as reduce slippage. Less slippage means more safety in racing situations.

Well, toe-clip/straps had disadvantages, one being having to crouch down to release the strap to get out! This made them unpractical for street use. What most street toe-clip users did was just leave the strap loose and use it as is, somewhat defeating the prupose.

Well, modern clipless pedals are called that since they, lack toe-clips! That's it.

Given I wished they were called "locking" pedals...but that doesn't sound nice.

There are different pedal styles, all with different cleats. For shoes you can run around with, look at mountain shoes...some of them are "sneaker" like, with a recessed cleat area.

I am not familiar with cleats other than SPD (which does work with sneaker type shoes), but I heard that eggbeater cleats work with some rubber cutting, and I think speedplay frogs work (but be sure to ask someone who is more sure first...as I could be wrong on this one).

Oh, and despite the tempting low price...the Performance Forte Traverse II shoe is not the best if you want to look normal off the bike...the cleat hangs out and makes grinding noises on pavement as you walk :( ...this is the shoe I use though due to my wide/flat feet.

I've used the following:
Platforms
Toe clips and straps
SPD clipless
LOOK clipless

Each has or had its place. I never use toe clips and straps anymore, but were de riguier before I went to clipless. Platforms get used when I do short trips around town on my beach crusier, SPD on my MTB, and LOOK on my road bike.

I've used LOOK pedals for over a decade. Before that I used to have straps. I noticed a very big difference in my pedaling stroke, strength, and speed switching from just a pedal to straps. Switching from straps to LOOK pedals just made it easier for me to get in and out at traffic stops, etc. What I like the most about LOOK pedals is that you are locked in hard, but it's still easy to get out. And every time I've crashed or been by a car, I've never been stuck to the pedals (i.e. always thrown off).

i use spd-sl and i cant imagine ever riding platform again

Until a few months ago I wasn't really aware that there is such a thing as being clipped to your pedals; then a mate of mine said that if you pull up with your legs as well as push down, different muscles are used as well so you apply more force to the cranks. That sounded like a very good idea, so I got myself a pair of Power Grips and was well impressed with the improvement. The only hassle was of getting my feet into the straps, I had to look down or at least visualise in my mind, but this is no good for pulling away in traffic, so I graduated to Crank Bros. I love the ease of clipping in without thinking and the sheer simplicity of the design.

So, from ignorance to strong liker of clipless in a few months, and I do not have ANY other 'poseur' biking stuff AT ALL. No shorts. No jerseys. I don't fit your mold at all, eh, FarHorizon?

I dont have any bicycle clothing as well, besides the specialized sonomas. A few months ago i know that i would wear regular shoes for short trips. Then I got the sonomas and these things are as comfortable as a walking shoe. I wear them to school, they dont have huge logos or flashy colors so i like that

I've been looking at those as well. Are comfortable enough to wear around when not on the bike? It would be pretty convenient to not have to keep a spare set of sandals at school.

Also, general question for the masses;

How do I tell what kind of thread is on my cranks. I feel rude going to my lbs to "pretend" like I'm going to buy when I can't afford to buy most of my equipment there, I have to find it online. I have Suntour stuff on my bike so I'm always having to hunt down stuff that works.

I've been thinking of going clipless as well. All my cycling is with a Burley and kid. The reason is my feet have been getting fatigued. I have cages and ride in a pair of Adidas Sambas, you know, indoor soccer shoes. :) I think it's the continual flexing that's causing this fatigue.

Hi jur! Nope, you don't fit the forums profile at all. You might consider trying a pair of shorts, though. Even though I'm not a clipless pedal guy, I've found that shorts can sure make a long ride more comfortable (IMHO). I haven't tried jerseys - I just wear t-shirts. I don't think jerseys would do anything for me, but I may try one sometime just to see.

Are you talking about pedal threads or bottom bracket threads? Pedals (for almost all cotterless cranks) are a standard 9/16 thread. Bottom brackets are almost always 68mm diameter English thread. Unless you've got some really old French or Italian frame, the stuff above is probably right. The only thing you'll find to question is the length of the bottom bracket axle. Normally, axles designed for double chainrings run from 109 to 111mm width. Axles designed for triple chainrings run from 110 to 113mm width. These are really crude generalizations, but will be fairly accurate in most situations.

Hmm.

I won't go back to platforms, my feet have slipped when my chain skips a tooth, and that's not a feeling I'm looking forward to. I'm still relatively new to road biking, but personally, I have never had sore feet after a ride - I wear running shoes with straps. Granted, I don't ride more than about 35 miles at a time, so take that with a grain of salt. IMO, bike shorts should, without a doubt, be the first "upgrade". I couldn't even ride more than ~20 miles before, now I'm pain free @ 35.

That said, I'll eventually opt for road shoes w/clipless because I won't need my hand to help secure my foot every time I continue through a stop sign/light. If I happen to benefit from the efficiency and control characteristics of clipless, even better.

Edit**
Wow, welcome to 5 months ago! I need to start looking at post dates. :o