Clipless pedals!

[browner]

Anybody any experience of these?

Been thinking of getting a pair for a while now.
I do mostly urban cycling...how easy/difficult are they to clip in/out of...or are they not worth the hassle?

[Yoda]

I use a pair on my mountain bike - I actually got a set from Chain Reaction that they called "training pedals" cause they are clips on one side and normal flat pedals on the other.

I like them as they stop my feet sliding about when putting in the extra effort but having the normal flat option is good too when I'm going for a more casual cycle with family etc

You can set the tension to make them as easy/hard to get in and out of as you like - I have mine fairly loose so can get out of them quite quickly - I don't want to be that guy you see at traffic lights who suddenly realises he can't get his feet out and next thing he knows he's on the floor

[mikerob]

Personally I couldn't be arsed with them browner.

Urban cycling can be very stop/go and I really couldn't be bothered unclipping every time it looks like you may need to stop.

It isn't as if you can go really fast for long distances in a city, so any performance advantages will be pretty well irrelevant for most of us.

If you are cycling to go to the shops or doing other stuff off the bike, shoes with cleats are rubbish for walking as well. Road bike shoes slip all over the place if the ground is wet, although you can get MTB shoes with a bit more grip on them.

It isn't that difficult to clip in and clip out after some practice... but you'd really need to go out somewhere safe to practice to avoid an embarrassing or possibly dangerous incident in traffic.

I didn't bother getting clipless pedals for my current commuting bike. I have pedals with toe straps and either wear trainers or an old pair of mountain bike shoes that used to have SPD cleats, but the cleats are now removed.

[Chris Montez]

Assume you mean cycling cleats. I do a wee bit of cycling around the fair city and have pair of Schimano spd. Have only fallen off once - at a set of lights in ballsbridge on first trip out - embarrassment makes you learn how to clip in and out v quickly after that. They are better for putting the power down right through the pedal stroke - why the pros use them, but are a pain in the Brennan to walk in. Unless you have a decent bike and are doing at least 50k a week I wouldnt bother - unless you want to pose up and down the Sydenham bypass that is. If you do get some remember that not all cleats fit all pedals - you need to match them up.

[Jackie Brown]

They make a big difference in your efficiency. I used the strap in pedals for a few months to see if they were worth it.

[browner]

Yeah...I probably don't really need them but I'm still inclined to get a pair along with a wee cheap pair of shoes...just to see.

Appreciate all the advice folks.

[BR]

I upgraded to lectric -

[browner]

After a few practice sessions round the local streets during the week I had my first good run this morning on the new pedals/shoes.
No problems at all apart from nearly getting run over by a Beamer and then a giant Noo Noo council sweeper.
Clipping in and out has been easy enough though can be tricky on an incline...I'll have to work out a better technique.
Definitely feel stronger on the bike and cycled further than I intended though not sure what percentage is down to the shoe or pedal or combination.
Anyway...I'm pretty pleased so far...no doubt I'll have a mishap or two...hopefully nothing serious.

Happy spinning!