my first set of clipless shoes were shimano mountain bike shoes--MO38s. they were recommended to me as a good shoe for not-so-seasoned clipless riders and spinning class afficianados. that sounded like me, and in retrospect, it was a good suggestion. the advantage of this sort of shoe is that the cleat is recessed into the bottom of the shoe, which otherwise looks like a regular old hiking shoe (i.e.: it has a tread). this helps for two reasons: the shoe doesn't slip on the ground (when you put your foot down, or when you're off the bike) and it doesn't slip off the pedal. i used them with a set of combination pedals (SPD on a platform) and within about a month i was completely comfortable engaging and disengaging the cleats.

i didn't appreciate these "non-slip" features until i got grownup clipless road shoes a few months ago. there is nothing quite as embarassing as trying to get going from a dead stop, and having your foot swipe off the top of the pedal 6 or 7 times. suave.

i still use my "beginner" shoes for touring and commuting because they're very comfortable to walk around in, though they're a bit clunky for fitness/distance rides.