I have used flat pedals with sneakers since I started riding and generally found this to work fine (the occasional rough shift does knock a foot off for a moment), but now that I have been riding with some groups people have been trying to convince me to clip in. Reasons I have been reluctant to do so include the fact that it complicates starting and stopping (an issue since I often use the bike for errands, which can involve some stop and go riding), it introduces the possibility of crashing due to not getting out of the pedals in time (whether in an emergency stop or just the classic 0 mph tip-over), and (if using clipless) the need for special shoes that may not be good for walking in, especially for someone used to a minimal shoe. However, everybody says it helps with power transfer and efficiency, which may mean it would help me with speed (or more precisely my lack thereof, I usually average 12-13.5 mph) and maybe make climbing easier since that is an issue. So...how much do the stiffer soled shoes and being attached to the pedals really help? I am trying to decide if the improvements would be worth the downsides mentioned above, and would be interested to hear people's thoughts.