Help with First Road Bike for my 70th Birthday!

[Citycyclegal]

Thanks, I have been researching the responses on the forum regarding clipless pedals. I actually talked to the LBS and had them put toe cages on regular pedals for a start. I am supposed to get fitted on Wed. but we have yet another round of snow coming in tomorrow!! so I will wait and see how bad it is since it is a bit of a drive there. Terry has the 2 sided pedals for sale on theMonday Madness sale for $60 so I am tempted to order them. Although the fellow I have been working with at the LBS has been great, he's an experienced rider and may not know how worrisome is can be to be trying clipless pedals for the first time. He shied me away from the double-sided saying how heavy they were. He was sympathetic to taking things "in stages" however, and gladly just put some inexpensive cages on. It's the hills I am concerned about, when I first try being clipped in.

[thekarens]

Just my .02 as someone who is new to being clipped in. I'd start with "comfortable" places as far as being clipped in goes...your subdivision, an empty parking lot, park, etc. I spent several days just going in circles in my cul-de-sac, then I moved out into the subdivision, then to the park and then on a group ride. Once you're comfortable with those things hills won't seem quite so scary. I figure if nothing else, if I find a hill I can't pedal up I can always walk it

[Crankin]

What shop are you buying from?
A salesperson who is telling you not to buy the dual sided pedals because of weight, raises my concern. That's something a racer would be concerned about. He or she might also tell you not to use spd/mountain style pedals on your road bike. You are obviously experienced in many facets of cycling and that will help you. I agree to starting in stages and I also did something similar to Karen when I got my first clip less pedals. First in my neighborhood, then around the area, where the streets were flat, and finally I rode for about 3 weeks with only one foot clipped in and the other resting on top of the cleat. Finally, I felt that was dumb and I was naturally starting to clip in. However, using clip less on hills makes climbing easier; you start out on small hills and build up.
The one thing I will caution you about with the dual sided "campus" pedals, is because they have the cleat only on one side, that side is heavier and it makes the pedal flip over when you are starting off. Not all of the time, but sometimes you have to kick it to flip it to whatever side you want, be it flat or cleated.
I will talk to you at the workshop, but I am interested where you bought your bike...

[Owlie]

I work in a bike shop. I do tend to caution people new to clipless against the campus pedals because if you want to clip in, they flip over, and having to look down at your pedals at intersections can cost you--I definitely don't talk about the weight! Provided that you're aware of the tendency for them to flip over and it becomes instinct to turn them so that the clip-in mechanism faces up, they're a viable option. (I still tell people to consider a dual-sided (ie, you can clip into either side of the pedal) SPD-type pedal as well if they're thinking of the "campus"-type pedals.)