StuckInMud

Do most tourers use clipless and if so it would be appreciated if I could get some feedback in
regards to a relatively cheap pedal that would be up to the job.

jens5

I still ride toe clips. No special shoes required.

Richard

KrisPistofferson

I recently turned to the Darkside, after using toeclips for a long, long time, I started using the super-righteous Lake sandal/Eggbeater combo. I like it a whole lot, and probably will never wear a road or mountain shoe again.

nm+

Time Allium.
So much better than clips and straps -- more power, safer.

blinblue

I used SPD for my first (and so far, my only) tour a month ago. You can get everyday usable shoes that can support SPD cleets. So if you want clipless you probably want to consider SPDs. I am sure that there are others that can have nice shoes, but I don't have any experiance with them, and my shoes and pedels worked fine for me.

I would say that if you used to clipless, then keep on using them. And if you don't yet, at least give them a try to see what they are like. Just make sure that you get used to clipless before going on a tour, otherwise a fall to the ground because you couldn't get your foot out is almost certain, and you don't want that to happen with touring gear.

Best of luck

avatarworf

I think clipless is the way to go but make sure your pedals are fitted properly. I tried clipless a couple months ago and did some damage to my knee. I need to get someone to assess my position now my knee's healed to make sure it doesn't happen again before going back to clipless.

becnal

Clipless are great. I use SPD witht the pedals that have the cleat mechanism on one side and a normal flat platform on the other. I love love love them.

MichaelW

The touring community is split pretty evenly when it comes to clipless. If you race or do endurance events then you should be using clipless and will also use them for your touring bike.
If you are happy with toe clips there is nothing wrong with them. Most touring is done at a more sedate pace and the extra efficiency of clipless is much less noticeable than with high performance riding.
Expedition tourists often chose toe clips over clipless using a trail shoe/light boot. Clipless failure modes include worn cleats (failure to disengage), cracked midsoles and sheared bolts (failure to retain cleat), all of which can render the pedal system unusable. It is hard to imagine a failure of toe clips which would render them useless.

bronskcloosper

Definately toe clips. But then again I have no bike attire, I just wear normal clothes.

Alekhine

I prefer clipless with mountainbike sneakers/recessed cleats. It allows me to maximize my pedal stroke by using my gastrocnemius (calf) muscles to better effect, and there's a sort of biomechanical fusion between my bike and me that I never quite got from toeclips.

Two caveats:

1. I've taken to bringing along my hiking shoes anyway just because I prefer the comfortable walk they offer, so clipless have seen me taking up more space/adding more weight (not necessary; a luxury).
2. I hate the grinding metal-on-concrete sounds that I sometimes hear when I'm walking around in my mtb shoes. Even though the cleat is recessed, I still hear it all the time and it's annoying.

valygrl

Another fan of the sandal/cleat combo. I use Shimano sandals and Speedplay Frog pedals - but I'm thinking of switching to eggbeaters b/c the frog cleats wear out really fast, and it can be hard to fiind replacements.

grolby

Well... I crashed and snapped off one of my (steel) toe clips once. But I think that you're generally correct .

mmonce

The main reason I use toe clips is no special shoes are required. I commute in my work dress shoes and therefore have less to carry, less to coordinate. On the weekends for easy rides, I wear sandels. Difficult rides, cross-training shoes. Cold rides, warmer shoes. I recommend metal toe clips with leather straps, the plastic clips and nylon straps wear-out quickly. Nothing against the clipless folks, toe-clips just make riding a little simpler and allow for normal comfortable walking afterwords.

acantor

My 2004 True North touring bike (with SPD pedals) needs a new tire, so last week I hauled out my 1985 Miyata 1000 (with toe clips). It has been more than two years since I last used toe clips, and although pedalling feels a little less efficient than I have become used to, I had a fine ride.

For me, the type of pedalling system is not a make-it-or-break-it issue. In fact, I would consider going back to toe clips because I have had the experience of not being able to disengage from SPD pedals in time. (I fell twice during my first few months of clipless riding. Although I haven't taken a tumble since, there have been some close calls.)

cyccommute 

A couple of points:

Riding to work: Leave a pair of shoes at work and then you don't have to scuff your dress shoes. If you need more shoes, leave more at work.

Cold weather riding: I switched to clipless because of cold weather riding. I couldn't stuff my shoe covers in my clips and keep my feet from going numb. Clipless make cold weather riding a lot easier. Plus the added benefit is that you aren't fiddling with the pedals to flip them up while riding on ice and snow. And clipless are definitely easier to get out of when you have an extra layer of neoprene on the outside of your shoes than toe clips.

Walking in bicycling shoes: Get a pair of mountain bike shoes. Cleat is recessed and soles are grippy.

Finally, toe clips: I rode many, many miles in toe clips. I rode moutain bikes off-road in toe clips. Flipping the toe clip up to get your foot in can be insanely difficult while clipless just require you to get your foot on the pedal. Mash it around for a while and eventually it will engage. I won't go back!

bronskcloosper

it took me just one ride to learn how to put my foot in a toe clip pedal....... it really isn't hard.

bhchdh 

Pedals like Shimano 324's, platform on one side, spd onthe other. I guess you could even fit toe clips to the platform side if you wanted. A sandels.

cyccommute 

Try flipping the toe clip up while on a steep uphill on loose gravel where you have to balance between spinning out and starting again or doing a wheelie and rolling backwards down the hill. Even on smooth pavement, trying to flip up the clip while negotiating traffic can be daunting. It's not impossible but clipping into a clipless pedal in both situations is a lot easier.

nm+

Back when I used clips and straps I went through pedals every 6 months to a year, wether metal or plastic. They tend to crack or bend which creates pressure points that really hurt the foot. This is why I've always carried a pair of cheap plastic pedals with me no matter what pedal system.
Also, Times are great for touring because they are so resliant. They have vitually no parts to break (the mechanism is 3 parts inculding the spring)

AmyM

I just got back from a tour and I'm really happy I had clipless. It was great for going up hills, of course, but I also liked the fact that I could alter the way I pedalled when my feet got sore. I'd change to just pulling up for awhile until my feet felt better, then go back to the regular way. I did get kind of sick of the crunching sound when I walked, though.

NoReg

"there's a sort of biomechanical fusion between my bike and me that I never quite got from toeclips."

That's true I guess that is why racer moved to them quickly. But one thing about starps etc... is they are way more efficient with cleats nailed to the shoe. That system is dead, but it did have it's own features. Walking was bad, falling over because you couldn't get your feet out was pretty much non-existant. I do draw the line at wearing regular shoes with my traps. I always try to wear a cycling shoe, or these days a sandle. Most hiking shoes and such are not very efficient, and I actually find my look sandals are more comfortable walking that the trails only alternative.

"Well... I crashed and snapped off one of my (steel) toe clips once. But I think that you're generally correct"

Right but you could still put your foot ont the pedal and go, a lot easier than some of the clipless system that are pretty hard to stick to without the interface working.

bronskcloosper

okay, my mind may be changing a slight bit. My toe clips are actually breaking and I've only had them for a year. if i ever pedal up with them the stap becomes way lose and it doesn't function like it's supposed to. but at least I only have to go out and buy another $5 worth of them.

CdCf

The efficiency of using clipless is just one factor. The most important, by far, for me, is that I never slip off a pedal. I've done that a few of times with platforms, all in city traffic, and they invariably caused dangerous situations. Won't happen with my SPDs. I've never fallen with them because I couldn't get out either. You can set the springs loose enough to virtually always get you out with very little foot movement.

I will never go back to platforms, and I can't really see why anyone wouldn't want to tour any other way. If you haven't tried clipless yet, do!

tgbikes

This is one of the life experiance topicks for me. On a long day from Farmington Nm. to Throw, with spds I got the damdest hot spots from the cleats. That said i'm shoure that the problem was my cheep (flexable) shoes. Then I wient back to toe straps, Until I went over the bars trying to miss a loose dog on the bike trail. I had to have those nylon straps strong enouf to toe a car with. My foot stayed in the strap long enough to bend the down tub on a steel frame and brake a bone in the top of my foot. Now I use the old look pedals red cleats and Kool covers for walking, This syatem gets a lot of complaints about walkability, but with size 13 feet that little angle doesent bother me at all. I always make shour thatthere is side play in the cleat when pedling. My spelling problem has no efect on pedaling !!

Alekhine

Good to see you have a sense of humor about it.