@Catrin, I would never ever advocate not wearing a helmet and I certainly wear one 100% of the time. What I'm really getting at in specific reference to the Rivendell article about "The Shoe Ruse" is that people don't need to be intimidated by various types of pedals. Pick a pedal that suits your needs and just go ride. I included all those other items in order to make a point that, for some, choosing all sorts of things can keep them off a bike. For some, it can just be overwhelming.