clipless pedals?

[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.

[Eden]

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.

Technically they (the WA State ferries) want you to take off even your recessed cleat shoes (and it's not just cyclists, no soccer cleats/other sports either) because even recessed cleats can and do scratch floors. I wouldn't allow you to walk around on my wood or tile floors with them....

[Sky King]

Eden, thanks for the info. Now I feel bad about walking on the ferry as just because I know my cleat doesn't hit the floor doesn't mean I could have been setting a bad example. I too have a wooden floor and walk on it with my shoes, my metal cleat doesn't hit the floor. Next trip I will change out my shoes as I strap my merrill sandals on my rear rack so super easy to grab.

[sookiesue]

Thank you all for the input. I appreciate hearing about pros and cons, as well as types of pedals that work for different peoples' needs. I think I'll get some clipless pedals to try out on shorter/recovery rides but not feel too worried about adjusting to them or using them for my 150-mile event.
As Jen and Indysteel discussed, it seems to me that clipless pedals force you, for better or worse, to stay in one position. I tend to move my feet around on the pedal a lot to rest different muscles and to alleviate lower back pain and saddle discomfort. Any other thoughts/experiences about knee/back/saddle comfort related to the fixed location of a clipless pedal?
Thanks so much!