I agree that clipless pedals have their own safety issues. One can hardly watch a TdF stage or a classic on TV without seeing at least one rider unintentionally pull his foot out of the pedal. And a couple of years ago, in the TdF, Lance pulled a foot out and, as Paul Sherwin put it "Nearly lost his manhood on the top tube". Personally I rarely wear cleats or tighten the straps super tight. So I'm losing some pedaling efficiency, but I can easily pull a foot out of the clips when necessary, but not have it happen unintentionally.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Russ Fitzgerald <velocio@earthlink.net> wrote: Brother John Crump argues that clipless pedals (which, with the exception of Cinelli M-71s, are probably off-topic) are safer, as they permit one to easily exit them in bad situations.
My experience, on the other hand, is that it is too easy for clipless pedals to release at inopportune moments. I owe a visit to an emergency room to the spontaneous release of a clipless pedal on a fixed-gear - the fixed gearing and the pedals and their cleats came stock with that model bike that year, btw. From that point forward, I rode clips and straps only on fixed-gears, simply because I can easily VISUALLY VERIFY that they are in good condition and working properly.
I have been using clips and straps exclusively for the last five years or so, but will admit that I am considering using the off-topic clicky-pop things on my soon-to-be-renovated go-fast (but still lugged steel!) bike. When I do so, I will extend the drill I try to do with my traditional-pedal-equipped bikes - check the foot retention on a regular basis, no different from the quick once-over to ascertain that the bike hasn't developed any problems in the course of being ridden. At the risk of sounding like a nagging nanny, I would simply suggest that no matter what you use to fasten your feet down, you check it for safety concerns, no different from checking your quick releases, etc.
Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood, SC