Best clipless system for a beginner
I've had my road bike for about 6 months, riding with toe clips, and am looking to go clipless. I stopped by my LBS and was a bit overwhelmed with the conversation. My understanding is that the LBS was recommending eggbeaters or SPDs for a beginner, but that both are to be used with MTB shoes, not road shoes (I think?), and that I'd lose some power transfer with this.
I'm not interested in racing, but I do go out riding with my husband and would like to be able to ride at his pace a little more (one of the main reasons I'm interested in the switch). I also don't want to repeat the expensive process I went through with bikes, quickly outgrowing my hybrid and in 6 months upgrading to a road bike. Would starting with the MTB shoes be a mistake, or is it not a real noticeable difference from road shoes?
We mostly do 30-50 mile rides out in the country, so I'm not too concerned about factors like walkability. I have another bike I can use for commuting. Easy maintenance is a factor, and since these are my first clipless pedals I'd like something without too steep a learning curve because I don't want to get frustrated and turned off altogether.
If anyone knows of any good overviews of the various systems, I'd greatly appreciate a link.