Question about Pedals

[missliz]

For the 'normals' jumping on to clipless is one thing, but with a hip replacement you need to talk to somebody knowledgable, like a first class physical therapist who rides, or at least will understand why your hip is doing this. I don't have a hip replacement, but I've spent the last two years in PT as I was put back together by an orthopedics department and learned a few things about it talking to other patients. I'm dating a guy who's seven months out from his hip replacement and my god is his gait screwed up. He's not athletic (hence not my prince, either) and won't get it checked and it looks like trouble to me.
Where there is pain and weird actions, there is trouble brewing. It may be simple to fix, but I doubt clipless are going to solve this problem and could really screw you up worse.
Platform pedals will cut you a lot of slack on things like leg length discrepancy and subtle misalignments that clipless won't. Leg length differences are common after joint replacement, even after rebuilds with no new parts. Get checked for this FIRST and they can shim your cleat up to compensate. The forces of pedaling on two different length legs can screw with your knees and SI joints down the road.
Go with MT bike pedals, and I'd get Speedplays if you can afford them. You want lots of "float", more than in the crappy Shimano/Richey/ Wellgo pedals. Don't get ATACs, they're fabulous but not for beginners, theres a trick to clicking out of them. I hear good things about the 'eggbeater' pedals.
Clipless are great, but I'd want to see somebody about why my hip is doing funky things first. Attaching your foot to the pedal may just cause more trouble. Any funkiness in leg length or gait can be compensated for by a good mechanic, but only if they know about it up front. I'd also learn the basics of spin- join a touring club, they'll teach you. Technique will either fix problems or expose their cause.
Another possibility- use clips and straps. I'm back to these right now 'cos my knees are still healing and you can get the power transfer benefits of clipless but your foot can pull out easier with a loose strap. And you can use MT bike or touring shoes with them. Which do you want to yank on, a nylon strap or major surgical reconstruction?
All that rehab was too awfull to be careless with your biomechanical function now. I know, I've done it. Get looked at, and if your PT or orthopod isn't going to be helpfull go elsewhere.

missliz