> Is there a solid technical reason for multiple ways to make shoes that connect to pedals?
Yes!
- Toe clips give you more power than just flat pedals. You can use regular shoes with them.
- Straps (similar to toe clips) can and be used with regular shoes / trainers and allow you to control the pedal stroke up and down. Fixed gear riders use them a lot.
- MTB style cleats are easier to unclip and re-clip than Road style cleats as you are more likely to need to clip / unclip quickly.
- Road style cleats provide better power transfer, the shoes are far stiffer as well.
> Why are there several ways to shift from your handlebars?
Two reasons. The first is that the technology has improved over time. I have ridden old racing bikes where the shifter was not on the handlebar and on the downtube. You had to feel the position of the next gear while steering with the other hand. It is difficult for people that haven't ridden a road bike before to get used to.
Secondly the different types of bikes have the rider in different positions and thus their hands will be in a different position. Thus the different shifter types.
The moral of the story is that different requirements, require different solutions.
BTW almost everything else around the pedal and the shifter is standardised. The hub are normally one of a few sizes, wheel sizes have a few standard sizes, bottom brackets are almost all the same sizes, headsets have a few standard sizes. I have a mountain bike from 1995 that I've put a brand new stem on because the headsets are the same size as they were in 1995.
Yes!
- Toe clips give you more power than just flat pedals. You can use regular shoes with them.
- Straps (similar to toe clips) can and be used with regular shoes / trainers and allow you to control the pedal stroke up and down. Fixed gear riders use them a lot.
- MTB style cleats are easier to unclip and re-clip than Road style cleats as you are more likely to need to clip / unclip quickly.
- Road style cleats provide better power transfer, the shoes are far stiffer as well.
> Why are there several ways to shift from your handlebars?
Two reasons. The first is that the technology has improved over time. I have ridden old racing bikes where the shifter was not on the handlebar and on the downtube. You had to feel the position of the next gear while steering with the other hand. It is difficult for people that haven't ridden a road bike before to get used to.
Secondly the different types of bikes have the rider in different positions and thus their hands will be in a different position. Thus the different shifter types.
The moral of the story is that different requirements, require different solutions.
BTW almost everything else around the pedal and the shifter is standardised. The hub are normally one of a few sizes, wheel sizes have a few standard sizes, bottom brackets are almost all the same sizes, headsets have a few standard sizes. I have a mountain bike from 1995 that I've put a brand new stem on because the headsets are the same size as they were in 1995.