If you get the egg beater mallet that would be a good choice for a beginner. It has a nice platform to use if you don't want to be clipped in and the crank bros pedal is very easy to engage, sometimes too easy. I ride with Time Z Control pedals. It also has a nice platform to use when not feeling too sure about being clipped in and to be clipped in you must forceably clip in (in other words - no accident clips - you have to think about it). Frogs are easy to use, very easy to engage but the platform was not big enough for me. If stopped on a steep hill nothing to use to get started again. With my Z Controls I can use the platform to get the bike moving and then clip in.