bragi

Like many others here, I use my bike for pretty much all of my local, in-city travel. Just going about my business, I usually ride about 70-100 miles/week, on moderately busy arterial streets or, if I can, on quiet, residential side streets. I don't ride very fast, maybe 16-18 mph on flat ground, and there are frequent stop signs or traffic lights no matter where I go; given the terrain I ride in, I usually can't ride much more than 5-10 minutes without stopping.

I've tried a lot of different pedals in this environment. At first, mostly because I just didn't know any better, I tried platform pedals. These worked fine, except for steep hills and rain; my feet tended to slip off the pedals at inopportune times. Then I tried toe clips. Even though they were easy to get used to, I found these to be a total pain in the a**. Then I tried SPDs. They were much, much better than toe clips, but still a pain, given the many intersections, and the promised improvement in performance was not at all as great as advertised. I also didn't like having to wear special shoes to ride my bike. Finally, I went back to platform pedals, only this time the wide, BMX-style ones with little studs, so your feet don't slip off when it's raining or hilly. They look a bit stupid, but they're totally practical in a wet, steep, urban environment, and they're way more convenient than anything else I've managed to find.

What do you use, and why?

Mauriceloridans

I use some old school mks platforms with "strapless clips" eg:
https://www.xxcycle.com/marques/zefal...T_zefal45.jpeg

You get 90% of the retention of strapped or clipless clips but with seamless ins and outs. Cost is negligible and any shoe works.

crazybikerchick

On my recumbent SPDs. With my feet higher than my hips I don't find platforms will work. In Toronto I usually used my 'bent for long rides but not so much in the city. More rurally now the bent is my default bike unless I'm pulling the trailer or going on a short trip that involves a double-digit grade hill.

On my hybrid bike I have double sided pedals, SPD one side and platform the other. My commute to work I liked to be clipped in but then if I was just running an errand I could wear whatever shoes. Not so great in practice as the concept because usually the wrong side is up.

I also really like toe clips though don't have them on any bikes right now. (oh wait I do - we put them on the tandem for a 100+ km ride when it would not accomodate the SPDs due to different crank diameter) But they are good for wear any shoes, have foot retention, and also accomodates winter boots.

With my SPDs I use super comfortable walkable velcro mountain bike shoes. I almost like wearing them better than regular shoes to begin with Now if they could only ditch the Shimano logos and just look more inconspicuous.

Mauriceloridans

@CBC You got be there. Strapless would not work on high crank recumbent. On diamond frame bikes they retain well enough for just about anything but bunny hops but I can't do that with loaded panniers anyway.

Fizzaly

I run SPD on my daily and mountain bike, but do use platform on my snow and cruiser bikes. Ive gotten so used to disengaging my spd I don't even notice anymore.

LesterOfPuppets

I run toe clips and straps on most bikes. I've been running them for over 20 years, though. I have a couple without clips at the moment.

High Roller

Cycling conditions similar to the OP's. I need some retention on the fixed gear bikes. I use toe clips and straps, so I can wear whatever shoes I need at my destination. I keep the right one a little bit looser, so I can more easily slip my foot in and out as needed. I suppose toe clips take some getting used to, but after 50+ years, they're second nature for me - my foot slips right back in without the need to look down. On fixed gear, of course, this must be done while the crank is in motion. I tried clipless for a while, but I didn't think performance was any better than toe clips and the need for special shoes was inconvenient for transportation cycling.

qmsdc15

I use the pedals that came on my bike.

chandltp

I use platforms. I wore out a set and bought BMX style ones. The pins really do work well and I've never felt a need to use anything else.

Roody

I use the BMX platforms with strapless clips. I do have straps on one bike, but I rarely bother to tighten them.

I would like to try clipless, but my feet and legs are uneven and "crooked" to a small degree. I have always worried that it would be too much strain to be clipped in.

LesterOfPuppets

They are adjustable. You can fidget with the angle of the cleat a bit and some (maybe all) have float adjustment that basically sets how much lateral movement you can make before they unclip.

gerv 

I have Power Grips on my touring bike, but everything else uses platform pedals.. especially in winter.

wahoonc

Platform type pedals of varying types, touring bikes use toe clips and straps, city bike has half clips, I had power grips but couldn't decide if I liked them or not, someone else wanted to try them and I haven't seen them since. One of my all time favorite pedals is the MKS Touring pedal. I have been using it or a copy of it for years.

Aaron

DX-MAN

Time ATAC. Best clipless I've ever used.

I don't mind the 'special shoes', or frequent stops; riding, even for running errands or commuting, is something of a Zen event for me. It's a different, better reality.

For me, platform pedals relegate me to just "being on the bike", instead of "riding the bike", being invested in the experience. I don't like the disconnect.

dave85

i keep the forte clipless pedals on.. i think they're forte 150's or something...the $40 ones from performance....they have enough area to be used on short jaunts as a platform with sneakers, but mostly, to encourage me to use my cycling shoes more often...i ride everyday, everywhere i need to go, rain or shine

gerv 

Yes, me too. Great pedal. You can even service the bearings... rather than throw the whole thing away... when it stops spinning.

bragi

I love the MKS touring pedal; it has very classic lines that make any bike look even better, and, in dry weather, it's perfectly functional. Unfortunately, in wet conditions, this pedal is really, really slippery. It's very easy to install toe clips on the MKS, and I imagine that's exactly what it was intended for, but if you're not a fan of toe clips and you live in a wet environment, there are probably better choices than the MKS.

wahoonc

My boots have a lugged sole, grabs the pedal just fine in wet weather. I do utilize half clips on two bikes to keep my foot where it belongs. I have looked at the BMX pedals with the grip pins, but I don't think they would work with some of my shoes.

Aaron

electusunus

Egg beaters on the road bike/commuter. That way I can use standard mountain bike shoes to make walking around easy. Look Keo on my TT bike - no particular reason other than I have them, they are light, and reasonably aero.

Scheherezade 

Platforms or toeclips. Being on and off the bike a few times every day makes clipless just silly. I walk quite a bit around campus, and the constant scraping of metal on concrete gets old. Being able to wear any of my 6 different pairs of shoes trumps being attached the pedal.

beebe

Spd mountain pedals and DZR shoes. Easy to get into, easy to get out of. I never have to look down to clip in or out, and once I'm clipped in, I don't have to think about maintaining the balance between keeping enough force to keep on the pedal without creating back pressure on the non-power part of the pedaling stroke.

The shoes look like normal street shoes and are comfortable enough to wear wherever.

steven420

Odyssey bmx platform

fotooutdoors

@Roody: I recently went to clipless, and found that they are a bit gentler on my knees. It just takes some time (or a visit to one of a handful of doctors who specialize in bike fit) to get the correct cleat position. I haven't done anything over 24 miles since I got clipless, but so far so good. This is totally YMMV.

For the original question, I ride MTB clipless (crank brothers to be exact). Most of my riding is either commuting or pleasure. I have to wear steel-toed shoes for work (which I wouldn't wish to wear while biking), so changing shoes on arrival is not an issue. I just feel a lot more comfortable in the wet and slippery conditions knowing that my feet will stay on the pedal until I want them off.

AdamDZ

I like large platform BMX pedals with grip studs, My favorites are Sinz Pro. Tons of grip in any weather, including all types of Winter weather, and comfortable, large platform (no pressure points if wearing sneakers with soft soles). The downside is that pedals with studs will wear off your soles quicker. Although, I started seeing signs of damage after about 2 years of using this type of pedals.

Carley P.

I use a set of Crank Brother's Candy C pedals. They're like eggbeaters in the sense that you can clip in on both sides, but they have a little more platform to them.

I ride with my special shoes half of the time, and with normal shoes the other half. At first it feels strange riding on them without my special shoes, but it really isn't bad. I like being able to have pedals that double as clipless and platforms.

My shoes are made by Six Six One.

https://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661...d-254eee406449

I'm not crazy about how they look, but I love that I can walk into the grocery without changing shoes. Also, since they have rubber on the bottom, I don't have "slippery feet" syndrome like I do with my Shimano road shoes. With my road shoes, it's impossible for me to stay on my pedals without being clipped in, which has proven to be very inconvenient.