>>665657Clipless pedals are worth it IMO, but I use mountain bike pedals and shoes (the cleats are recessed) on all my bikes because I don't actually race and I like to be able to walk.
>>665662> advantages of actually being attached to pedals have not been proven and are dubious.The only study I actually read (as opposed to internet myths and Grant Petersen ideology) found it advantageous for high torque low cadence bursts of power (like when the light turns green or you're riding up a hill and run out of low gears or the trail kicks up a bit steeper while mountain biking and you don't want to shift) but not for low torque high cadence spinning like most road racing. There are other reasons to be attached to your pedals though, like safety whilst bunnyhopping a pothole or spinning down a hill on a fixie or getting your foot in a good position to start up again in stop and go city riding.
>>665666It's a knee jerk response you always get in intenet discussions about clipless pedals. But since you asked, upgrading the wheels usually makes the most difference. Nice supple tires can make a difference too.
I don't mind bike discussions on /out/ but road bikes are more of an /n/ thing and you'll get more responses there. Some of them might even be good.
