How much of a difference do Toe Pedal Clips make in comparison to Platform Pedals? I am a novice cyclist, using my bike to travel to work with a round trip of about 15 miles in moderate to heavy traffic. I have been thinking about upgrading my bikes platform pedals to a set of pedals with toe clips. (Clipless pedals are probably out of the question because traffic is too heavy). My question is whether I can expect a performance boost (in terms of my average speed) by doing this, and if so how significant it is likely to be. (based on studies / past experience of other riders)
I found toe clips to be better than platform pedals, but not by a huge amount.

Seriously, get clipless pedals. It doesn't matter how much traffic there is as it's so easy to get your foot in or out of the pedals. The advantages are huge.


The cycling shoes are so much more comfortable than street shoes
Your foot is so secure on the pedal - you can confidently apply as much force as you want, knowing that your foot will not slip off the pedal
You can get extra oomph up a hill by pulling with your back leg.


Once you get clipless pedals you'll never look back!