I was reading this article about riding without specialized shoes and pedals, and it got me thinking about giving it a try.

Currently I use toe clips...simply because I'm used to them, and clipless still kinda scares me. I like how secure I feel when I stand up to pedal, but otherwise I don't really know how necessary they are. My riding is either commuting, where I wear my work shoes (sneakers or trail shoes) or leisurely weekend rides. I notice that I experience less fatigue when I wear cycling shoes (these) but perhaps a larger platform pedal would accomplish the same thing?

Are there any "free pedalers" out there? What pedals do you use? How secure do you feel on those occasions when you stand up and stomp on the pedals?

Would love to hear some feedback!