Originally Posted by
goldfinch
The one worry I have with clipless (and with the powergrips) is that I am going to be going up a hill and not make it. Then, I will have to make a sudden decision to unclip. This is nagging at me. There are still hills that are tough for me and where I might have to simply stop. Sometimes I am going mighty slow by the time I am topping a hill.
This is a real danger,
but only if you give 100 % of your effort on the hill, and don't make it. Think: struggling like hell up a 20+ % grade. Obviously, if you're only half way up the hill, you don't want to put so much work and energy into attacking the climb that you won't have any left at all to clip out. Anyway, what you're worried about has never happened to me.
On the other hand, depending on the pedal you get, and your technique, another possibility is that you could accidentally clip out without expecting to, on a strenuous climb. That's happened to me before, but only on one of my bikes. I managed not to crash, but it wakes you up...! Proper technique tends to go out the window at maximum exertion.