For road/gravel riding I find them very efficient and have avoided falling. I use the Crank Brothers Candy 3 which has a small platform to get going while you clip in. I anticipate stopping and clip out while keeping the ball of my foot on the small platform to keep pedaling. There are several on the market that have a various size platforms and clips that allow for easy transition such as the Crank Brothers Double Shot. I use a mountain bike style shoe so I can walk easily as well.