Frogs? SPD's??

[Running Mommy]

Ok girls, it's time for me to consider "real" pedals on Jules...
I'm going over my options. I have always used speedplays on my road and tri rigs, so of course I was thinking frogs.
Tony is a dyed in the wool SPD man, and we have a pair of platform/spd combo pedals laying around that I could try...
So I guess I have a couple of questions.
1. is the frog much different from the X seriies lollipops as far as clipping in/out?
2. How much difference is there in clipping in/out from the speedplays to the spd's?

I'm a bit leery on clipping in on the mtn bike for some reason. I guess it's that fear of needing to unclip in nano seconds in order to avert impending doom...

[Zen]

Former SPD'er now a die hard Froggie.
Knott will sell you on 'em (she sold me )
Very easy-in-easy-out, and I love the degree of float.

[Tri Girl]

I have speedplay on my road bike, but SPD on my mtn bike. Actually wish I'd gotten egg beaters. When it's muddy getting clipped back in w/the SPDs is tricky. I often have to put my foot down when it's muddy (but if I remember what it's like living in AZ, this is not an issue ).
I imagine where it's dry frogs would be great!

[Veronica]

I have Eggbeaters on everything - both my road bikes and my mt bike. Clipping in and out is very easy. I can vouch for them detaching rather quickly when bad things happen.

V.

[VeloVT]

I have Eggbeaters on everything - both my road bikes and my mt bike. Clipping in and out is very easy. I can vouch for them detaching rather quickly when bad things happen.

V.

This is definitely true! I have eggbeaters on my cx/commuter and Ultegra pedals on my road bike, and whenever I ride the cx bike I'm amazed at how quickly and effortlessly my foot is released when I clip out. I'm always out before I expect it.

They do shed mud, ice, etc very well too.

That said, I wouldn't switch to them for my road bike. I **feel** (in *** because I'm sure this wouldn't prove to be literally true if tested) that I get better power transfer with my road pedals, and I also feel very secure, like I would never clip out accidentally (I haven't had any accidental clip-outs with the eggbeaters, but once or twice I've felt like I was starting to and needed to mind my pedal stroke, usually when standing to get a fast start at a stoplight or similar situations).

[Crankin]

Well, I guess it depends on how confident you are on the trail. I have Speedplay Xs on my road bike and I love them. However, I have dual sided spds on my mtb and my commuter. I don't have a problem switching back and forth between the pedal systems, but I do have the spds set on the easiest setting to get out of. The reason I have the dual sided pedals is that there are a lot of places here that i just don't have the confidence to ride clipped in while mt biking. I can get my foot out easy enough, but having the option of using the flat pedals makes me a bit more confident. There is one trail I ride that is very muddy and I am usually always clipped in on this trail. I haven't had any trouble with mud in the cleats.
I would love to get Frogs, because the spds definitely are not nice to my knees, but it also would require another pair of shoes in addition to the fear factor.

[KnottedYet]

I guess it's that fear of needing to unclip in nano seconds in order to avert impending doom...

... which Frogs are designed to do. and they are self-cleaning so even when my foot is muddy I have no problem clipping in.

Do you have a shop that will let you try them out, or at least let you play with them a bit?