when i converted to clipless i installed the pedals and road to work without a second of practice. a decade later i have yet to come close to falling over. how did i do this? i was an accomplished track stander before i switched. take an afternoon and learn how to track stand. its just a simple trick -- not some great balancing feat.

more spd wisdom:

most users eventually switch to two sided spds.
shoe laces get caught in your drive train.
velcro and bindings are more secure and efficient.
cheap fiberglass plates wear out far quicker than carbon fiber plates.
if you are an aggressive rider mufti-directional cleats can be dangerous.