By being attached to the bike, as if one with the bike, the machine becomes an extension of me. I control the thing in a very different way, actually steer with my feet to a certain extent.
I love to ride no hands too, can't imagine doing that securely without clips and straps and cleated shoes keeping my feet in their place.
Also, the few times I've had serious crashes I'm certain that being securely strapped in has prevented much worse injury. Less likely to land on one's head or face with a 20 pound odd-shaped thing between one's legs.
I use the best laminated straps I can find for fail-safe retention and have spent plenty of time getting the most comfortable cleated shoes to work with them. The rare occasions when I borrow a bike sans slips & straps and wear regular shoes, it hardly seems like cycling to me. I'm just pedalling somebody else's bike.
Emanuel Lowi Montreal, Quebec
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