Do cleats help with riding ????

On the wide foot subject, I tried loads but in the end, Lake wide fit were the only ones that worked for me and they are wide and very comfortable. I got the CX237 which is the highest model without the carbon sole overlapping the sides of the shoe. They are made of real leather so have stretched and moulded to my foot. No everyone likes this but I find it works for me. The footbeds (as per most manufacturers) are not very good at all and I now have the esoles system which is fairly pricey at £70 but are amazingly comfortable, well made and supportive. I need the support on my high arches so it's either £70 or numb feet for me.
Pedals and cleats, I used Looks and Shimano SPD-SL before moving to Speedplay at the advice of a fitter (I also have the fore aft adjustment plates to get them back further). I was reluctant due to the cost but again adjustability = comfort for me. Faff to set up but once done, amazing. On set up, you have to make sure you don't tighten the cleat down too hard or it will be hard to clip in / out as this will over tighten the spring mechanism. It's a common error but luckily my fitter showed me how to set up and how much to tighten. I find them easier (lighter) to clip in and out of than Shimano on their lightest setting when set up correctly. Also, they only feel like walking on ice if you have the heel in/out fully open. These should be adjusted to the limit of your natural motion. Find a quiet pub car park and have a tinker.

I'm using Speedplay Zeros having converted from Shimano SPD-SL 105 road cleat system. I prefer the Speedplays in use however it's not all good news versus the Shimanos.

Set up is more complicated, which is a feature not necessarily a disadvantage as the adjustability was one of the reasons for going to Speedplay. You may however have to fit various adaptors depending on shoe type/compatibility. The V2 cleats are easier to set up than the previous versions.

Clipping in is not as straightforward - spring tension is not adjustable (although models with lower tension are available) and starts off high then becomes easier with use. There is more of a 'knack' to it than with SPD-SLs.

They are very sensitive to getting dirt in the cleat. On a recent outing I accidentally stood in the winter cr@p that accumulates at the side of the road and couldn't clip back in. So I cleaned out the cleat as best I could, clipped in and then found I couldn't clip out again! You don't get that sort of issue with SPD-SLs.

Pedals as well as the cleats are expensive. Cleats should last well if looked after though. Pedals are often on ebay - possibly from people who tried them but didn't get on! The need to lubricate the pedal bearings should be trivial if you look after your bike properly. That said, Shimano pedals are 'fit and forget'.

Big benefits are the adjustability which should allow nearly anyone to get comfy with them, the way that the float allows your foot to find it's own position (which you can then adjust the cleat to suit). If you've got knee or other bio-mechanical issues then they're great. And they're low weight, although the carbon 105 pedals now run them close as a whole system. Oh, and you can get spares for every part of the system.

Basically you're trading off some ease of use against the ability to customise the pedals to your needs. And looking more 'pro', definitely, absolutely, no doubt about that at all. Fabian Cancellara uses them you know.

thanks will think about them as heard far more stable and easier to clip in than SPD's

Speedplay are excellent. Some users report them to be high-maintenance (you're supposed to inject grease every 2000 miles but I forget to do it) but I don't find them a problem. The cleats are expensive (I pay about £35.99 for a pair), but they are about to start lasting longer as Speedplay are apparently releasing a couple of new versions early in 2015; an aero-bottomed cleat and a tread-bottomed cleat, both of which will use a rubber sole to prevent the wear and tear of cleat on tarmac when walking.

I have been on SPD's for a year now and the power transfer you get is great and you notice the difference straight away. Any LBS would set it up properly for you.

One word of warning the cleats if you them a lot do wear out quickly, I am already on my 3rd set and possibly 4th soon.

I have heard speedplay are very good and possibly better anyone had experience with them, worth the upgrade for someone who does 200K a week now ?

Like others above, I now ride clip less (cleats). Power transfer and stability are bit pluses, as is keeping your foot in the optimal position (once you've found it!)

I too have a wide foot, and have recently purchased a pair of SIDI, as they go wider in the half sizes. Best thing is to go to a bricks'n'mortar retailer and try for size. You'll get good advice too (at least I did).

Note of caution about SPDs: although they fir shows with a more relaxed feel and look, they can cause 'hot spots' on the sole of your foot due to the smaller contact area. At least that's what I've found. YMMV.

Cleats are definite transition point - before getting them I couldn't imagine riding with them and now I have them I can't see myself riding without them.

Word of caution though - everyone falls off once during the learning process....then you learn forever. The trick to avoid embarassment is to do it in the middle of nowhere on your own like I did, rather than at the traffic lights in town!

I think some cycling shoes have soles that you can mould (after baking them in the oven for a while), giving you some degree of adjustment. I've never done this myself (sounds like a sure-fire way to ruin a pair of expensive shoes), but I have slightly wide feet too so it's something I've thought about. My Bontrager Race DLX shoes slightly pinch me slightly, but actually are comfortable enough that I just wear them as they are.

As for cleats, I couldn't imagine riding without them. Being attached to the pedal makes you about 30% more efficient once you've mastered the technique of applying force across the whole pedal stroke, and toe clips are nowhere near as good as SPD style clipless.

Maybe try looking at mountain bike shoes and the smaller mountain bike SPD pedals. You'll find more 'classic trainer' shaped shoes in the MTB world, and SPD pedals are just as good as road pedals really.

Also, some brands (Shimano are one) also do a wide fitting shoe, but their regular fitting shoe is very narrow, so the wide might still be no good.

Two comments:
- anyone who says cleats only help with keeping feet in position doesn't know the first thing about cycling. As you (correctly) state, they also help you cycle more efficiently by being able to keep pedalling through the entire cycle (up, front, down, back). This leads to a more powerful and smoother pedalling style. In addition cleats are a big safety item as they keep you securely attached to the bike. Your feet don't fly off if you hit a bump (especially important for MTB and cyclocross - downhill is different), or slide off while pedalling. Toe clips (the straps) will also help, but are more restrictive.
- as for wide feet, I have the same problem. I find using the half sizes (when available) helps. I tend to use SIDI, who provide their shoes in half sizes (wide).

If i understood the question i might be able to give a proper reply. However, i think the answer is that cleats hold your foot firmly on the pedal allowing you better power transfer and removing the restriction of a clip and strap. As for momentum, this is mass times velocity so i cannot see how you would get more momentum from changing as the weight and velocity will be virtually the same with both systems.