clipless pedals?

[indysteel]

I don't know that there's any one right answer to this. I know plenty of people who waited to try clipless until they were more experienced on their bikes. I know people who don't use clipless at all. And then there are those, like me, who started using them right away. I like using them, personally, and didn't find them that hard to learn how to use. I use Look Keos by the way.

Give it a shot. The worst that happens is that you take them off and try them some other time.

[goldfinch]

I compromised because I do not feel ready for clipless. I got Power Grips. They are very easy to use.

[Nick]

I recently started with clipless (Crank Candy 3s) and they did take some getting used to. If you plan to get them for a mid-September ride, I would recommend getting them ASAP and riding with them as much as you possibly can before the long ride. For me, it's not the clipless pedaling that takes some getting used to -- that part is easy (and does seem more efficient). It's the clipping in and out. Personally, I would want to be comfortable with sudden starts and stops -- & handling unexpected jostling if I were planning a group ride.

[Jen12]

I just switched to clipless and I don't think they're all that. I haven't been on any super long rides, so I can't speak from personal experience as to feeling like they're more efficient. If anything, I feel more limited on them because you have to maintain a specific position.

[indysteel]

I just switched to clipless and I don't think they're all that. I haven't been on any super long rides, so I can't speak from personal experience as to feeling like they're more efficient. If anything, I feel more limited on them because you have to maintain a specific position.

To me, that's sort of the point. With a smooth pedal stroke, you don't want your foot moving around a lot. That's not to say that they're everybody, but I like them for sure. I haven't moved over to clipless yet on my mountain bike, and I find it rather distracting to have my feet all over the place. Of course, I don't quite feel ready for clipless from a skill standpoint, but not having fixed feet just feels weird to me after years of riding clipless on my road bike.

[ZenBiker]

I'm another one who was leery at first, worried about being able to clip out when I needed to. It did take me a while to get past that, but now I wouldn't ride without them. It just doesn't feel comfortable to have my feet "loose". For one thing, I tend to fly off a flat pedal because I'm expecting to stay attached through the top of the stroke. Can be quite unnerving when I want to get off to a quick start at an intersection. Anyway, because it may take a while for you to adjust (or just to decide if you do/don't like them) I might wait til after the Sept ride. Or, as some have suggested, be willing to take the pedals off if you aren't comfortable with them. You certainly don't have to use them, for this ride or ever for that matter. But you might love them!

By the way, I use Candies. I know they're not real road bike pedals but they're simple and consistent to use, and give me just enough platform to pedal on if I don't get clipped in right away at an intersection or just want one foot out for a bit in certain situations.

[Sky King]

Not that you need another opinion here but I ride the Shimano A530 - clipless on one side, platform on the other. I can clip in or not clip in, wear any shoe I feel like. Love, Love them. I also ride in a mountain bike shoe as opposed to a road shoe - the cleat is set deeper into the shoe so I have no problem walking. I noticed on our Iron Man triple brew pub tour that the ferries have signs posted with no cleated shoes on deck and I didn't have to worry as my cleats don't scratch a floor.