I've just finished ride #4 on my new bike with clipless peddles.

Ride #1 would be fodder for a comedy, no doubt. Ride #2 was nominally better. Ride #3 I started to feel less goofy and more efficient. Today was impressive.

There are safety concerns. My first rides were on streets with low traffic and I still have yet to plug myself into my ipod while cycling on my new bike. But every ride it gets easier to slide in and out of the locks and I'm not needing to unlock 25 feet away from stop signs. If I start up and don't lock in I've come to some peace with finding that spot for my foot to rest on the peddle platform and just get moving and then get locked in. It's not perfect.

But when it works, it's marvelous.

I think that you just get more power out of each pedal rotation. Though I don't _know_ this with my form, I believe that I am able to utilize the upstroke a bit better. I believe that the techology was developed to help you maximize performance. I think I feel that the most when it's me and the long road, which I did today. (Maybe like, would you rather drive a Jaguar in town or on the open road?)

Perhaps like you, I went from flat to drop-down handlebars. So wasn't that enough change without adding clipless peddles? Well, possibly God protects fools and fifty year old women on new bikes.

There's no one time line that says do this, then do that, then that. It's your ride. Enjoy yourself and keep it enjoyable. You'll know when its time.