Quote Originally Posted by Yelsel View Post
Also try adjusting the springs so that you can get out really easily. Whenever you feel nervous, you should be able to unclip and move your foot up slightly... then if you need to put your foot down suddenly you can, or when you feel confident the issue has passed you can slide back and clip. Also consider a clipless system with a big platform -- I learned on Crank Brothers Mallets.

And I was in the slow group, I fell all the time at first with clipless pedals. But *I* wanted to use them, so I was motivated to keep going until I figured it out. If it is just your LBS and bf's opinion, go back to the pedals you like. If you need more power, or for longer trips, look into the half-cages that you can easily slip your feet in and out of - or again get something with a big platform so you can clip in on bike paths if you want. Get more confident in riding in traffic, and someday if *you* want to, try out clipless again.
Just for the record, no one forced me, it was suggested a lot and finally I decided (on my own) to give it a try. I do like having clipless for the reason that when I am using them right I am able to go faster and hills are easier for me to do with them. The other issue is that I am training to ride longer as next year we want to go cross country on our bikes, and from what I am told it will be more advantageous to have clipless for a long journey. Do you think that is true? Anyway I don't feel that I was forced, and I do see the use and feel the difference, but my confidence is not there at all. But I will try your suggestions and am happy that you made them.