Pedal & Shoe Preferences

I'm with flickwg. gave up on clips/straps in about 1990. As a design, they only work if you have road shoes with horizontal grooves in them, at which point they lose all benefit.

If you're riding with Vans to go for a pint of milk, that's fine, but anything else is nuts IMO.

I don't see how clipless are safer and easier to get out of in an emergency. Also, I have a very easy time to get into my straps while pedalling.
The only benefit I see with clipless is the powertransfer. This might be because I haven't actually tried it myself. Same goes for the more comfort. Though I find my straps very comfy(stock langster 08)

My personal view is the absolute opposite to seb's.

I found SPDs to be absolutely lethal, and although they were more efficient at speeding up, they were a danger to my safety while slowing down. I got rid of them when they started to unclip while I was pulling up while accelerating, due to wear on the cleat, and this happened within a month of constant use!!

After thinking about it a lot and staring at my feet while skidding (which is pretty stupid), I decided they're not suited to me because my feet naturally turn outwards while pulling up (ie what you do to unclip).

I've since ridden clips and straps with only 1 incident of accidental loss of foot retention, which was due to a loose toeclip. Yeah, they're not as secure as clipless, but you still get a fairly solid power transfer on pulling up once you're used to them. I think they're the sensible option round town.

Obviously for longer distances, or the track, then clipless is probably better.

I don't see how clipless are safer and easier to get out of in an emergency.

Something hits you without ANY forewarning at all.

Clipped and strapped: You and your bike stay together.
Clipless: Your shoes unclipped from the force of impact, you and your bike are separated.

Max W - I think you need to defer to the experienced riders who have posted especially as you have not ridden both ways.
.

watch rollapaluza (or simalar) you can see people who are wearing vans or other hipster shoes flexing throughout the foot as they pedal, you hardly see any flex in people in sidis. cycling shoes for the win.

Anyone use 5 10 Rubber and flats? Use this on my MTB. The 5 10 Shoes use the same sticky rubber as rock-climbing, and matched with a good flat pedal (DMR V12s and Terror pins) you get insane amounts of grips with spuds or owt. Gonna be trying this on my Charge

Downhillers do use this combo and have won World Cup races

The ones I use

totally different riding and pedalling technique there mate, so no.

(I used 5/10s and wellgos for BMX racing, and 4x)

i use candy sl's with some adidas el moros when i'm not running the clips and straps. happy enough with them. decent, relatively inexpensive option.

I use egg beaters and dominators.