Found it:

What Is The Most Efficient Pedalling Style? We Test Flat Vs. Clipless Pedals | GCN Does Science

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNedIJBZpgM[/video]

Specialized road bike, superstar nanos, 5.10’s, trail lid and baggies. Regularly overtake roadies on my commute. They dont like it. lol.

Not sure if SPDs have made me any faster but they definitely help when you’re grinding up very steep hills, especially those short, stupidly steep climbs up cobbled lanes etc as you can pull up as well as push down on the pedals.

Seems unlikely they’d make any difference to a commute, unless you have a hilly, 70 mile ride to work every day.

Rivendell are just marketing a diffrent dream to the big classical road bikeing one. Its an alternative naration, but its still just marketing a dream.

Ride what you want on a commute I do’t think you can offend anyone. Lets face it you see all kinds on the commute heaps of junk through to £2k+ road bikes. Mind I can’t quite work the image of lycra and hiking boots!!!!

For me clipless are the way forward, and as a commute is all about sprinting from lights, out of corners etc. they are ace. I’d get double sided mtb style pedals for the commute as they easier to clip into than single sided road pedals and you can walk in your shoes in the office/factory/where ever.

I have Time pedals which are a bit of both (Z control on the mtbs and flat/SPD on the road bike). Could be a solution for you.

a commute is all about sprinting from lights,

‘cept the guy on flats is a hard pedal stroke or two ahead of the guy clipping in, depending on how good he is with his cleats.

It’s just riding bikes. The more we try and complicate it, the more likely joy is to disappear, and the further we get from the original, primal freedom bikes gave us as kids.

Well said that man.

I’ve been on flats on all bikes since I had a got with Time’s about 15 years ago. They made my knees hurt, so I stopped using them. The roadiest roadster I’ve got is a Singular Peregrine, so Wellgo MG1s on that don’t look as offensive as they might on a 5K Pinarello.

Keen on another go with SPDs for a bit of efficiency and freshness at the end of long rides. Quite nice having flats on all the bikes at the moment though – any bike any shoes, off you go.

Clips are for kooks!
It’s just riding bikes. The more we try and complicate it, the more likely joy is to disappear, and the further we get from the original, primal freedom bikes gave us as kids.

Except it’s not primal. It’s a largely Victorian era invention that has been refined over the last few decades in the name of super efficiency.

It’s a simple answer, if your commute is short(ish), and you don’t want the bother of carrying spare shoes etc, flats are just fine.
If you are taking longer rides and are partial to occasional/frequent faster rides then you’ll appreciate the added energy saving ergo extra speed benefits of being clipped in.

I’d suggest that if you’re already clad in Lycra and riding a lightweight road bike that you’re on the path to being clipped in.
Remember to ‘ride circularly’. It’s been mentioned a few times here already but is the key to a positive outcome.

Interesting replies, thank you.

I’m very lucky that my commute is 16miles along mainly flat country roads, I commute every day, on a good day I do it just under 45min.

I’m not really that concerned about “offending” anyone, was meant as a tounge in cheek title, if I was I certainly wouldn’t be wearing lycra!

The “hiking boots” in question are Adidas Terrex. I went for them as they are “waterproof” it is indeed an interesting combination.

My motivation to change would be an increase in speed, but Jury seems out on that.

Except it’s not primal

A feeling of freedom is, which was his point.

(I generally use clips on my bikes for the efficient feel you mention but not always, just depends.)

Pink Crocs off road at the mo.
Not dead so far.

Really, really CBA spending a fortune on another pair of overpriced plastic trainers with a bike brand name on.

I love offending the head up their own arse roadie types (I also wear baggies)

You do know ‘they’ actually couldn’t care less and in real life absolutely no one is offended. You do know that don’t you?

I would laugh and point at your shoes but I wouldn’t be offended

I tend to leave being offended to things such as racism and violence rather than what shoes someone is wearing.

From the first time I used clipless pedals many, many years ago I would never use anything else. I just like the security they provide (even more so off road) and even used them on BMX the last time I road one (on a track rather than ‘street’ stuff obviously)

Clipped in = energy saving + marginal increase in power transfer = ultimately more speed.

Your analogy to pro cyclists wearing them was really the debate ended.

simon_g – Member

Found it:

What Is The Most Efficient Pedalling Style? We Test Flat Vs. Clipless Pedals | GCN Does Science

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNedIJBZpgM[/video]

Seems like a bit of a skewed test. Not only was he riding in SPD shoes on flats (not optimal as opposed to SPD-sls and correct shoes) but in my experience most pure roadies can’t spin for toffee on flats. We had a turbo trainer challenge where I used to work, see who could go furthest in 120 seconds.

Both myself and another flat pedal mtb’er smoked the roadies who included an Irish under 21 champion (who promptly threw up), an under 21 track champion and a retired TT champ. They just struggled to spin correctly without being clipped in.

Saying all that, I get sore feet after 30-40 miles on flats so will be investing in stiffer shoes of some description down the line.

OP – fwiw I don’t think it matters if you actually GO faster as long as you FEEL faster. In terms of feeling faster I’d say Roadie clipless > MTB clipless > flats. I’m fairly confident that most clipless users would agree.

Whether or not that extra feeling of speed is worth the extra hassle of shoes/pedals etc is completely up to you. (In my experience not worth it on a short flat commute but well worth it on my longer hilly commute).

I used to use flats on my road bike, then mtb spds, and now spd-sl and guess which feels best? It just makes sense to use the right tool for the job. It feels faster, whether it is or not is a different matter. I’m even considering spuds on the mtb now since I hate slipping a pedal or having my foot being knocked out of position, at least clipped in it’s always in the right place.

SPD-SL are not fun for walking in at all though. I got a puncture on my road bike when I was about 3.5 miles away from home and had to walk it back. Worst blisters of my life and my cleats are shredded (still work though). Probably would have been better off walking barefoot tbh.