Clipless Commute?

[lph]

I use clipless for everything. Commuted for years without, but once I tried it I never looked back. Which is not to say the switch didn't have it's, uh, "challenges". I did the classic clip-out-and-then-fall-over-to-the-other-side maneuver, embarrassing but didn't feel dangerous even in traffic because I clip out on my traffic side (therefore fell over to my safe side).

I started out with clipless on a road with very little traffic, and practiced clipping in and out over and over during the ride, pretending I was approaching an intersection. My first real rides in traffic I nervously clipped in and out a zillion times just to be sure, and for a long time I clipped out way way ahead of all intersections and pedalled or coasted the last bit with one foot loose on the pedal. Now it's so ingrained I come to almost a complete stop or even track stand before I clip out.

I find it more challenging to trail ride with clipless, actually. I never know exactly when I'll have to come to a full stop.

PS: I agree that double-sided mtb pedals are the easiest to clip in and out of. I've never tried flat/mtb-pedals, but I've tried single-sided and I was forever not finding the right side once I was ready to get going again. I haven't used single-sided roadie pedals enough for commuting to say what they're like.