jus7aphs3

Hey guys ive been riding my fixed gear for some years now and im gotten pretty accustom to it. I was looking into some other forum of foot retention. I've been using the stock pedals and single strap that has come with my windsor the hour for the whole time i've owned my bike which has probably been about four years now. I was wondering what you guys thought of clipless pedals vs straps for skidding and just overall riding. If I were to go clipless I was planning on buying the sneaker style shoes that are made by chrome and other companies. basically if that setup is more efficient than the single strap I have now or if I should go with a double strap with cages or velcro strap with flat BMX pedals. I weighing my options. thanks for the help.

duranh62

why not both???
I use flat bmx pedals with straps during small rides or when i know i will stop a lot, but switch to clipless (look keo classic) when riding for longer/more of a workout, switching between pedals takes 2 minutes as long as you have the tools with you

UCF Eric

I also do both, use a nice set of double straps and clips for commuting to work and school and switch to my Speedplays when I want to do a longer ride. It's never become a problem, a pedal wrench/allen key makes quick work of changing the pedals.

gganio

I have tested everything. look at my post: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...Pyro-Platforms

However, I have been focusing mostly on pedaling efficiency, to train myself for competition.
Just focusing on skidding is another thing.
I keep on switching from one technique to another. There isn't the perfect solution. Several buddies are going ahead with SPD cleatted shoes (DZR, Chrome, etc...) but those shoes are not OK for my office (so far).

Jandro 

Clipless. You'll wonder why you ever used anything else.

ianjk

Platforms + cage/strap. Don't want to throw down $4-500 for shoes and pedals. (Winter clipless boots are expensive/impossible to find). -10F in SPDs doesn't sound like fun.

RGNY

i use straps for casual rides.

SPD clipless for commuting and everything else.

Mumonkan

this.

Street rider

OP, not trying to thread jack, just have a question that branches off.

Whats the difference between road and MTB clipless setups? I know its a difference between 2 and 3 bolt systems, but what does that translate to when riding?

GMJ

Having just recently switched over, I wholeheartedly agree. Climbing, spinning, and skidding have all become much easier and more natural.

Bat56

Surface area contact (between shoe and pedal) is greater on Road.
Distance between ball of foot and pedal axle is smaller on Road.

And it is not necessarily a difference between two and three bolt pattern - but it is true that two bolt spd has gravitated toward mtb and touring (probably bc of sole tread clearance).

JohnDThompson 

I have both Look clipless and various pedals with toeclips and straps. FWIW, most of my riding seems to happen on the bikes with toeclips and straps. I can use regular shoes in them for casual riding, and if I want more "performance" I can use slotted cleats (which in my experience work just as well in foot retention as clipless pedals, albeit needing a little more skill in operation).

TMonk

depends on the application.

Street rider

So a typical road cleat gives you a greater connection to the pedal? I've really been thinking about going clipless, but at the same time I might just wait until I buy myself a road bike.

thewilson 

​I'm also going to have to agree with this.

McRussellPants

I went from:

China single strap
hold fast on a quill track pedal
SPD and chrome shoes
SPD-SL and Giro Factors

Every time has been a never look back improvement. With nice SPD shoes like DZR or Chrome there's no excuse not to be clipless.

I had problems with SPDs pulling put, particularly with any sort of hipster tail whippy situation. So maybe try Time or Crank Bros.

I'm gay for SPD SL now, Ill carry shoes in a bag and deal with it if I'm commuting. Only lame thing is if you're on group ride, carbon soled shoes and brakeless gets interesting packed tight with people that can't ride bikes.

Next upgrade will prolly be SPD SL and hold fast for track days.

GENESTARWIND

clipless. SO much Better.

and with a decent mtb shoe or touring shoe, walking in them for a decent amount of time wont be difficult or irritating.

ddeadserious

Depends on the length/intensity of your rides. There are times where I'm perfectly happy riding clips/straps and wouldn't want to bother with clipless. For longer or more intense rides, I like having clipless.

mihlbach

Everyone who has ever tried clipless will almost unanimously agree that they are way better than straps for non-casual riding. Likewise, platforms are much more convenient for casual riding. Straps don't work well in either situation. With numerous dual sided (clipless/platform) pedals available that offer the best of both worlds, archaic retension systems (clips and straps) have long been obsolete and, these days, are really just for fashion.

You really can't go wrong with a pair of Shimano A530s


or Shimano PD-M324s
.

The A530s are probably best if you plan on using the clipless side more often. The M324s have a full size platform and are better if you intend to use the platform side frequently. I use the M324s on my fixed commuter and ride the platform side frequently with no issues.
Clones of these pedals are available for less that what the Shimano pedals cost. Check Nashbar.

ddeadserious

I disagree. Platforms without some type of strap offers no foot retention. I'm not down with riding brakeless(or even with just a front brake) without foot retention of some sort, so on a fixed gear bike the retention-less platform side becomes useless.

mihlbach

Eh...I ride platforms on my fixie more often than I ride clipless. Its never been an issue. Obviously, you should use retention if you plan on any type of non-casual riding, but that would be true of any bicycle...not just fixed gears. In these instances clipless works better anyway, which is why I condone the dual side pedals posted above. You should have a brake installed anyway. Like straps, brakeless bikes are obsolete and really only for fashion.

ddeadserious

I mean... there are plenty of people here riding brakeless bikes regularly and practically, calling them obsolete would be a bit of a stretch.

mihlbach

Look...its OK if you like brakeless bikes and archaic pedals or whatever if that is what you are into. Nonetheless, bikes with effective braking systems have vastly outnumbered brakeless fixed gear bikes for many decades. Likewise, clipless pedals have vastly replaced older retention systems.
Just because a few ride brakeless fixed gear bikes doesn't mean they aren't obsolete. People still heat their homes and apartments with steam radiators and go hunting with muskets. Just because something is obsolete doesn't mean its not OK to use it. Personally, while I appreciate some older technologies (e.g. fixed gears), I feel that obsolete pedal systems are not worth the trouble of trying to be a purist. Therefore I have gone entirely clipless on most of my bikes with a few set up with platforms for casual rides. YMMV

MAGAIVER

I personally love riding with clipless pedals, i have shimano mtb pedals on two of my bikes and two pairs of shoes, a more sneaker looking shimano mt-32 shoe that has decent confort for walking short distances, and a more serious looking gaerne tekna shoe thats stiffer, gives a better power transfer, gerat for longer rides.
But i wouldnt trust those pedals for riding brakeless, I've had a few scary unclipping moments while skidding. My brakeless bike has mks pedals with plastic clips and double straps.

FrenchFit 

"Everyone"?: That's crap, clipless are a PIA; and too often a pain in the foot and knee. Getting clipless off my bikes was the smartest upgrade I've made to my bikes. Each to their own, but I think you have drunk a little too much of the koolaid.