silly question about pedals

[kie_fujo]

ok, i'm trying to get serious about my cycling. i'm getting a bike that actually fits (yay!) and here's my dilemma. clipless pedals scare the crap out of me, but i hate cages. how important are either of those? when i ride around here i do have a bit of stop and go which is why clipless scares me, and even cages are a pain. i've been riding just pedals. is that a bad thing?

[KnottedYet]

I used cages for decades. Finally I took the cages off when I was in a bike skills class and realized the cages were actually a detriment to my riding.

Now I ride on BMX platforms (utility bike, cruiser bike, and work-horse bike) or Speedplay Frogs (zoom-zoom bike).

There is nothing wrong with you riding "just pedals." Ride what works for you. The nice thing is that we have a gazillion choices these days, so you really can find what works best for you in each riding situation.

[kie_fujo]

thanks knotted. my husband gets on me all the time cause he thinks i need to use cages but i just don't find them comfortable. i like being able to shift my foot to where i want it. i see so many that use clipless and while they intrigue me, i am to scared of falling cause i can't get my foot out!!! not to mention having to always have the shoes with me if i wanna pick up and ride.

[Eden]

It depends on what kind of riding you intend to do. If you are thinking about joining group rides and keeping up with others, if they are riding clipless you will definitely be at a disadvantage. If you are riding by yourself, for commuting, fitness, utility, etc. it won't matter so much.
What cages or clipless pedals give you is the ability to pull up as well as push down, so you use the full pedal stroke rather than just 1/2 of it. It makes accelerating and climbing more efficient.

You can get pedals that are clipless on one side and flat on the other. Having that option may help you to get comfortable using clipless pedals (and will allow you to ride no matter what shoes you are using). Clipless pedals are actually easier than toe clips (cages) to get into and out of, especially if you choose a dual sided pedal, like SPD's, Speedplays or Crank Brothers

[KnottedYet]

Clipless pedals are actually easier than toe clips (cages) to get into and out of, especially if you choose a dual sided pedal, like SPD's, Speedplays or Crank Brothers

+1
My Speedplays are definitely easier to get in and out of than the cages I used for so many years.

[Ann G]

I've been using pedals that are clipless on one side and flat on the other for the last few years. I think that they're great. I had heard that you need to get used to them, so that clicking out becomes an unconscious act when you come to a stop. So, the first thing that I did was to spend a lot of time starting and stopping in a parking lot. Click in, pedal for a few feet, then click out and stop. Repeat. It was a good way to learn for me, and I did no Arte Johnson falls.

[boy in a kilt]

ok, i'm trying to get serious about my cycling. i'm getting a bike that actually fits (yay!) and here's my dilemma. clipless pedals scare the crap out of me, but i hate cages. how important are either of those? when i ride around here i do have a bit of stop and go which is why clipless scares me, and even cages are a pain. i've been riding just pedals. is that a bad thing?

If they are working for you and you are happy with the way your bike rides, then they are a good thing.

I'm starting to question the whole "attach your feet to the pedal" idea. Knot holds her own on flat pedals in a pair of street shoes. My next bike build will be a cargo bike and it will have flat pedals.

Serious cyclist doesn't mean you need to have certain gear. It means you have a bike that you love and you ride it. The rest is just marketing.

[bunnydodger]

Kie, there’s absolutely no shame in having flat pedals. I have clipless pedals on my road bike, but I am not especially fond of them. I find them great for long rides with little interruption, but not so nice for crowded bike baths. Too many hazards to watch out for and being clipped in scares me to death too!

My mountain bike has the spiky, flat BMX pedals for better gripping and my commuter bike has the plain ole’ flat pedals. The freedom I feel (from stress) when I ride these bikes is amazing and I don’t have any more difficulty climbing or descending on the hills than with my clipless pedals.

Find your comfort zone and have fun riding!

[NbyNW]

I'm in the process of turning my mountain bike back into a mountain bike, and thinking to switch to BMX pedals. It's had cages since I bought it in 1998, which have worked fine, but now that I'm used to Speedplay Frogs on my road bike, I actually forgot I was using the cages and nearly got stuck in them when coming to a stop -- almost tipped over when I was out & about in the neighborhood!

I love my Frogs, but I don't think they're the right pedal for every situation. My commuting bike just has regular flat pedals.

Do what makes you feel comfortable.

[rij73]

Before I got brave enough to try clipless, I used PowerGrips. They are these wonderful straps that hold your foot to the pedal pretty securely, but not so much that you can't pull your foot out FAST. I highly recommend them!

That said, there is also the possibility of pedals that are a platform on one side and SPD on the other. You can wear mountain bike shoes with a very small cleat and use either side. Even one foot clipped in and one out.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Before I got brave enough to try clipless, I used PowerGrips. They are these wonderful straps that hold your foot to the pedal pretty securely, but not so much that you can't pull your foot out FAST. I highly recommend them!

I'm a big PowerGrip strap fan, use them on both my road bikes.