My clipless experience!

[nuliajuk]

I've never fallen in clipless pedals, but I've given up on them for general purpose riding. I used SPDs for more than 10 years, riding through downtown, getting in and out more than a dozen times in each commute, and STILL found them hard to get into. I have found Look pedals easier to get into, but they are more of a road bike on the highway thing - I don't want to ride downtown in them.
My previous commuter bike came with pin platform pedals and I've been sold on them ever since. Partly because they're great in traffic, but mainly because I don't have to have very special shoes to ride them - anything with a soft enough sole for the little pins to dig into is fine. Now I've got these on my touring bike and Looks on the road bike. Perhaps the grip with pin platforms isn't as good as with clipless, but it's good enough.
Speaking of clipless, does anyone remember Aerolites? I must have been among the very few to buy them, back in the 80s, and to my surprise they're still made. I'm selling mine on eBay right now and discovered this when I went searching to see if replacement cleats were still available. I can still remember my right foot sliding off sideways in a track race and not being able to do a thing about it.

[CyclChyk]

My previous commuter bike came with pin platform pedals and I've been sold on them ever since. Partly because they're great in traffic, but mainly because I don't have to have very special shoes to ride them - anything with a soft enough sole for the little pins to dig into is fine. Now I've got these on my touring bike and Looks on the road bike. Perhaps the grip with pin platforms isn't as good as with clipless, but it's good enough.

Thanks for the info about pin platform pedals, but I wonder do they feel much different from regular platforms? I am vertically challenged and do not do well with clipless - truthfully I do horrible but I have only tried Shimano SPD's so maybe I need to try something like Crankbrothers Mallet? I'm thinking maybe the wider platform and better float would make me feel more stable.... I am a road biker BTW....

Oh... The reason why I don't want to stick with regular platforms is that my feet sometimes come off the pedal and because obviously, of the improved power transfer....

I appreciate any insight and advise..... Thanks in advance

[Helene2013]

The flatpedals I have are great for this, like I mentioned before somewhere on page 1. Not too much of pins to scrape your legs if you miss/slip when getting off but enough to keep the grip you need. Combined to the toe clips and the shoes I chose because the sole is perfect for flat pedals instead of a feel like football shoes!

I rode in lots and lots of rain for 60kms and only once did my right foot slipped off the pedal. Not bad considering the extreme weather conditions we were in. I do not regret one minute and have no intention to go back to clipless. Maybe if I was doing a road only ride (which would be like the Natchez Parkway in Nashville - where everything is 100% perfect for road and you know you don't really have stops like bike paths or even rural areas).

In all honesty, I do though noticed it is harder to get the power transfer going up hills but nothing that would make me change my mind for now. Scars are still on that leg of mine reminding me every day of the 3 falls and lucky not to have injured myself more than I did, or scrap the carbon bike.