As per the title, my newly acquired fixie needs new pedals, clipless makes a lot of sense to me, having ridden clipless for over 20 years now I’m well accustomed to flicking my feet out when required. But I want to be able to use this bike for nipping around on, riding to the office occasionally and popping to the gym. This is where flats make sense, but as someone who started cycling I. The ‘90s I can well remember the nightmare of toe clips! Are modern straps any better? Are the Restrap ones worth the money or should I look elsewhere?
Money wise it’s a wash as I either need new clipless pedals but I have some spare flats I can repurpose.
Personally I use SPD's. 9/10 if I'm going to the gym I'm on the cargo/utility bike anyway, but I've got sweat towel, roller, bar collars, straps, bottle, etc in a bag anyway so taking trainers isn't a biggie?
The modern wide straps are better if using casually with trainers/shoes but for me it is SPD or nothing. I want as much control as possible and that is best from an SPD.
Powerstraps might be an option, and have a similar ejection move to SPDs, but personally SPDs are the way forward - I have a pair of relatively discreet trainer type ones, and just do gym work in them, wear them in the office, go to the shops etc.
As somebody who's been riding fixed since the 1960s (when we used to nail a cleat onto the leather sole of our cycling shoe so the pedal would engage with the slot in the cleat making it necessary to flick the strap before your foot would release) here's my take:
Favourite - clips'n'straps (without cleats)
Not quite favourite - mountain bike SPDs - they take a fair bit of getting into on the move, especially if you have to take your feet out down a steep hill and play Russian roulette trying to re-engage at the bottom.
Only at the velodrome - Roadie pedals
Current use - flat pedals.
I've had flats on for a few years now and I'm perfectly fine with them. Yes, up a sharp incline you can't get as much power down but where I ride it's only one nasty bit on the way to the pub that I have to take a run-up at.
I got rid of the clips because one day on the way to work in smart shoes the end of my shoe caught against the mudguard while track-standing at a junction. A bit of a scary moment.
SPDs for me because, like you say, you can flick out a foot pretty quickly when needed - like when your track stand at the traffic lights isn't quite working...
That said, I found I wore through cleats relatively quickly commuting on my fixie because of the need to unclip, so just had to invest in more from time to time (it was only really one foot anyway)
spds if you're doing any miles whatsoever on it - how far away is the office? if it's exclusively for nipping about to the shops etc then I can see straps would be convenient, though, even if they're bad. I just ride very short trips with the trabs on the spds, tbh, but this isn't good practice.
I use some big old BMX clipless pedals that have a substantial platform, I ride them with both clips and in Vans but that does make me quite reliant on the front brake, I only really do that for gentle local errands.
I can see me switching to flats and straps for convenience, when I can be bothered....
SPD's here - or did do for 7 years city commuting on fixed. Ideal and you can walk in them. Best being fixed in as you can also leg brake quite well. No issues clipping in.
Thanks for the feedback, SPDs it is I guess then (especially as I've had a root around and found some caged XT one's I'd forgotten about!)
The idea is very much not to buy any more shoes, so I'll be using my disco slippers and carrying an extra set of shoes with me (I'll have a bag with me for either the office or gym) isn't a deal breaker.
Office is 3 miles each way in one direction, gym 3 miles each way in the other.