JohnDThompson 

Thigh-length Jobst stockings, FTW!

rsbob 

SPDs on MTB and Looks on the road bikes. Have been clipped for so long it is second nature. Like the positive power transfer throughout the pedal stroke.

gringomojado

Also, use kick stands

gm

pepperbelly

I’m gonna say no to kickstand but i do need a better bike stand.

pepperbelly

I am going with flat pedals for now. I’m riding for fitness more than anything.
If I do start long rides I will probably go clipless.

biker128pedal

These are fastest. I figure I save 1.2 grams per foot.

gorillimo

These are the ones I'm running. BTW, turns out Cambria Bike has them for half of Rivendell's price. $14.99 VP Grind pedals. Great deal for the price. And, no metal pins to scar legs with!...
From Rivendell Bikes site- "CLEM PEDALS We first got these as the original equipment pedal on on CLEM SMITH JR bike, but now we’ve come to think of them as the best plastic pedal in the world. Here's why: • Big broad ten-spiked platform of some kind of resin or plastic that seems to last;• Short top-to-bottom, because thin beats thick in pedals; • Super deluxe strong axle with smooth sealed bearings. The same axle-bearing rig as on the same company’s (VP’s) $80 pedals; (4) Reflectors!
They weight under 300g, which isn’t all that important, but it doesn’t hurt.
Made in Taiwan by Victor, Taiwan’s top pedal maker. If you have any doubts about pedaling on platform pedals like poor people all over the world do, get these, try them for a ride, and you'll be hooked."

pepperbelly

i ordered a pair of CXWXC road/mtb aluminum pedals from Amazon. They will arrive tomorrow.

jaxgtr

pvc is a wonderful material. I have a couple of these that I made for under $15. Also included is pic of the wife's flat pedals.

pepperbelly

i actually was thinking about pvc.

ofajen

FYI, “Clem” is VP-538 with sealed bearings. “Grind” is VP-535 with normal, unsealed bearings. That accounts for some of the price difference you see.

Otto

Kapusta

Flat pedals have come a long way in the past 10 years. And nylon/composite/plastic/whatever pedals have especially gotten good to the point of being on par with metal (albeit different strengths).

In metal, I’ve owned Deity TMAC, DMR V8, and a bunch of low end or Amazon specials with weird all caps brand names. And of course the standard old rat-trap-like pedals. And beach cruzer pedals.

In plastic I’ve owned Deity Deptrap, Kona Wha Wha 2. Cromag Synth. I’ve also tried out RF Chester.

IMO, The best two for MTB are the Deftraps and TMACs. But for riding that is not going to be really technical (including road and gravel riding), the Deftraps are the best IMO.

First, the platform is HUGE, and since the front and rear edges are not beveled, the platform extends back further behind the spindle where I find it matters more.

Second, the platform is very flat (very slightly concave) without bulges around the axle or gaps cut out for weight loss. Even with a softer soled shoe like a sneaker, it is very supportive.

I has metal pins and grips well, but they are not TOO aggressive.

They cost around $50, but come with the same high end (and rebuildable) axles as Deity’s more expensive models, like the $165 TMACs.

Also, they are very plain looking (especially in black) something that I like so as to not to draw too much attention to a bike when locked up somewhere. But it is also a available in a wide range of colors.

I buy them from the Deity website.

bruce19

Speedplay Zeros or Frogs are my "go to." Do what works for you.

coffeesnob

i have never used the clip ons, to me they look like it would make the ball of your foot get sore and plus after hearing people falling over because they couldn't unclip fast enough makes me not want them. But..I am not a long dsitance biker so I am sure they have benefits for those folks. My flat pedals with the little tips grip my brooks training shoe perfectly.

Frank S

On my two road bikes, I've only just converted them to SPD pedals. I did fall over once, while leaning against the pickup truck to check adjustments. I have also come close to falling, a few times, while on the road.

I don't forsee going clipless on the mountain bike. I would probably be picking myself up, more than riding.
The mountain bike has the old "rat-trap" style pedals.

ofajen

I put about 20K miles on a pair of Odyssey GrandStand pedals over the last few years, but recently I switched to pedals with sealed ball bearings: the VP-538 “Clem” for my MTB and MKS RMX for the road frame bike.

My rides always involve messy trails and it got tiresome pulling the pedals apart to clean and relube the bushings.

We shall see. I’m hopeful these pedals tolerate the messy rides with less maintenance needed.

If your rides are less messy, the bushing style pedal should work fine.
Otto

Chuck M 

Ride the platform pedals if they work for you. If one day you decide foot retention is going to be a benefit buy some new pedals.

Something that has been left out of all the good advice in this thread is wear a jersey or at the least a shirt on group rides.

Milton Keynes

I've got flat pedals on all three of my bikes. And I go on long rides now and then, too. But I've never had the urge to go clipless. I don't want to have to clip in just to ride across town and back.

pepperbelly

Ok. I think I have it now.
Ankle or knee length socks that do or don’t match.
Flat pedal.
Clothing optional???

Flatforkcrown

I’ve got spd on my gravelish bike, speedplay x2 on my go fast bike, and campy record with toe clips on my early 70s 531/nuovo record bike. Never been a fan of flat pedals.

kahn

Nice stand. I do like mine with wheels to move the coupled bike/stand around in the basement. Anything on the ends of "floor" pieces? Endcaps of some kind?

rsbob 

More detailed pictures of your ingenious stand, please.

livedarklions

Wear one black sock and one green sock, preferably one on each foot.

Just to the question of the op, I finished riding 150 miles this weekend (100 Saturday, 50 Sunday) on my drop bar bike. Raceface Chesters, I have them on all of my bikes. You should be fine on the flats. I don't know of the brand you bought, maybe let us know how you find them?

gorillimo

Ok, thanks! Sounds like the plain bearing ones will be fine on my road only bike. OTOH, I’m cheap, but like to support Rivendell. Putting together an order now. Hard to get stuff. Brooks wrench, Proofhyde, etc.

rsbob 

All my bikes have clipless, but an idea would be to attach a cleat to a flat surface which could be clipped in to the pedals for short jaunts like yours without having to deal with cleated shoes. Bet it could be easily done by securing a cleat to a flat plastic grippy platform that doesn’t interfere with the cranks. Hmmm….