cleated (clipless) pedals

There are quite a few variables that come into play when chosing the type of pedal:
Type of surface (pavement, gravel, or trail)
Type of ride (casual vs. intense workout)
Physical ability
Duration of ride
Type of e-bike

I have Shimano SPD MTB pedals on my Creo and the same on my gravel bike which I use primarily for road rides. I have two Full Suspension MTBs, that I cannot ride confidently with those same pedals. I ride many narrow Singletrack trails with along steep dropoff slopes…I am not comfortable being clipped in, so I use platform pedals with metal pins. Yes, the grip with the right shoes and pedal combination is amazing. Raceface Atlas pedals. That said my shins are scarred a decent amount. Oh well.

I recently bought new bike shoes and wanted to try the Shimano SH56 cleat version which has more release directions compared to the standard SH51 model which I have used for years. With MTB/Gravel shoes, the cleat is higher than the outsole so very easy to walk around.

I rarely do out of saddle pushes, but due to the steep inclines in my area, it does happen. Being clipped in is an advantage here, for me. I do not race, I do not group ride so I am not trying to keep a pace.

I saw that GCN video already and the power output is the marked difference, with clipless.

I recall having more issues with the old toe clip with strap versions, for both inserting and removing my shoes. And I think I probably fell only 2 times in the 30+ years due to not unclipping my shoe from SPD pedals, started on hardtail MTB.
 
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That said my shins are scarred a decent amount. Oh well.
I've learned not to hurt my shins or calves, Ed :) Practice makes perfect as they say :)

Yes, there is a clear preference of the clipless among gravel cyclists. It is a matter of the style, among others.

I see what bad clipless can do to a person with a disability. Today, we rode out from a gravel path onto the main road and the adjacent bike path with my friend Tommy, who has impaired hearing but uses clipless pedals. "Caution!" I yelled but he didn't hear me. As he rode onto the road, he tried to switch to the bike path, everything deep covered with dead leaves. He obviously rode onto the curb and spilled. Not for the first or last time. Had he been using platform pedals, I can bet he would be able to support himself with a leg at that minimal speed! The issue with my friend is he has made some wrong choices, and it is mentally difficult to him to correct his ways. He should have never used the clipless in the first place. Also, his aero bars... One day, he will impale me on them!
 
One way to look at pedal choice
Cycling's full of sensations from head to toe — some good, some not. Could be that some riders just like the clip-in sensations more than the platform sensations, or vice versa.

In the GCN video, Connor described lots of sensations on his test rides — in his case, mostly in favor of the clip-ins he's used to. No previous experience on platforms.

Since avaliable data doesn't seem to point to a clear winner on the performance front, a non-racer's then free to pick the pedals that just feel better, for whatever reason — including familiarity and safety — subject to change with experience.
 
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Nobody road races without cleats. Plenty of people ride without them. Different strokes.
My extra comment is: e-biking is not traditional road cycling, and especially it is not about racing. We e-bikers have a way more freedom than Velominati rules allow :)

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They forgot mentioning an e-bike :)

Observe a clipped cyclist approaching a place where they need to stop: they hate stopping. A platform pedal cyclist has no issue to stop whenever necessary and safe.
 
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We e-bikers have a way more freedom than Velominati rules allow :)
Hard to figure those rules. Variably tongue-in-cheek, pompous, elitist, macho, and self-deprecating. But not quite sure they're meant entirely as a joke. Maybe part parody, part tribute to bike racer (and wannabe) mentality?

Anyway, thanks for introducing me to another set of rules I'll have fun breaking!

Hmmm, maybe I'll start checking them off with the goal of breaking all of them.
 
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Jeremy, the only Velominati rule I really like is: If you take a photo of your bike, orient the crankarms on the horizontal. The valves should either in the 6 o'clock position or hidden from the view. Ideally, the pedals should be off.

A joke? Yes. Now see how expensive bike manufacturers always picture their products :D
 
As the video I linked above says, a few of the Rules are good advice. Buried in a lot of foolishness, to be sure, but that's not a problem for the intended audience.
 
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