Originally Posted by
TheRef
What kind of riding are you planning to do initially? Commute with heavy traffic or lightly travelled roads? Narrow roads without shoulders or wide and roomy? Do you have a friend who rides the same roads you are planning to ride? If so ask him/her to show you the ropes.
New to drop bars and being clipped PLEASE do your first rides on a paved path to get the few for the bike. After that find some neighborhood streets and slowly ease yourself into traffic.
Initially I will ride on the road to some good paved bike paths (Fairmont Parkway, Red Bluff, Bay Area Blvd)
I will start out with Shimano SPD SLs and ride the platform side on the road and get used to the Clip unclip action, riding drops getting comfortable sit bones toughened back up etc on the paths.